Sky high unexpected Vodacom / NORAM satellite charges without warning whilst flying

On Tuesday 15th August whilst flying over Johannesburg, I turned on my phone to check a note but had not engaged flight mode. I realized that my phone was working so used it to check WhatsApp and do a few things. After a few minutes I got a text which read verbatim: Your current data roaming spend is estimated to be 7,046.00 Verify your bill on the free My Vodacom App My partner experienced exactly the same situation as follows: Your current data roaming spend is estimated to be R4801.28 Verify your bill on the free My Vodacom App Then in quick succession another saying : Your current data roaming spend is estimated to be R9601.30 Verify your bill on the free My Vodacom App Then another one in quick succession saying: Your current data roaming spend is estimated to be R10,917.55 Verify your bill on the free My Vodacom App We realized something must be wrong so quickly shut off our phones. We had been away from SA for two months and had diligently been using an esim for data and my partner, the Vodacom Roaming package allowing 1GB of data for R99 valid for 7 days so he knew what his data usage to that point had been. On Wednesday we called Vodacom , spoke to Judy Chetty who than advised as follows: Please see attachment of your Roaming data When you are on board a flight you need to switch your mobile data off If your mobile data is on you get 28 per MB for data. Also the Navigational network that bills you is called Noram. The billing is correct No reply email address so we could not even engage with her or reply to the email, which we feel is rather disingenuous on Vodacom's part. Judy Chetty also verbally told us that she had had experienced quite a few unhappy customers who had had similar experiences whilst flying also without any warning or indication from Vodacom. I have never heard of NORAM. Nor was I advised at any time by Vodacom on my text messages that I was connecting to a satellite in the air. My connection on my phone was seamless without ANY warning from VODACOM that this was the case. We have no contractual agreement with Vodacom that indicates that we are able to connect to any satellite or can be billed for such to my knowledge. In fact anyone who I have discussed this with agree that they have never heard of or experienced this before.

I called Vodacom and the block was removed , the status was still open, and then this morning find that the system has again blocked my phone wit the same Credit Limit Bar message, but this time on calling Tato at Vodacom Customer Services was told that they can only unblock this on Monday. This is absolutely terrible service and denying me access to my paid service. Moreover my partner Ashveer Heramanlall was told when he phoned Customer Care, that we should pay the bill and then claim from NORAM directly! This is utterly ludicrous. How can we claim from a completely different company to which we have no contract?

I need VODACOM to rescind the charges which I feel are spurious given that we do not have a contract for satellite, nor with any warning. When we roam overseas, when you switch on your phone, you are given a clear warning of the extra cost and also offered the opportunity to buy a package, which is perfectly acceptable, if the choice is up to the customer as to whether you proceed or not. We had NO indication until the charges texts appeared in rapid succession.

I will now be lodging a complaint with ICASA forthwith as this should not be happening to Vodacom customers without their prior knowledge or without some warning.