Vodacom Fibre - Supersedes Owner/Tenant Property Rights in their opinion

Laughable Service.

I took occupation of a new apartment on 1 July 2020 and immediately decided to have the fibre internet set up.

Currently, there is already a Vumatel installation in my apartment and the previous tenant held a contract with Vodacom for Fibre internet.

Obviously the previous tenant no longer lives there and does not use the internet anymore.

I have no intention of using Vodacom as an ISP as I have already had bad service from them in the past, so I approached a multiple ISP's and they have told me that they cannot get me connected.

The reason is that Vodacom currently has "ownership" of a line with the ex-tenant and Vodacom refuses to release the line to my ISP. (Technically they rent the line from Vumatel, as Vumatel owns the line and Vodacom rents/backpacks the line as an ISP so its not really ownership but ok....)

I contacted Vodacom's Fibre Customer Care Centre to inform them that I was the new tenant and that they were preventing me access to the internet due to their contract with their client, who no longer resides at the unit and claims to have already cancelled his account. Vodacom's service representative's professionalism was so poor it is laughable. I was dumbfounded to believe such a reputable company has people like this on their front lines.

He told me that Vodacom is not willing to help me nor release the line. I must personally get hold of the previous tenant in order to ask him to cancel and or pay his account with Vodacom . So, what you are saying is that I must do your job for you?

Never mind the fact that the representative refused to give me his superiors details, refused to transfer my call or provide me with an e-mail. Instead, he said and I quote "I am on my couch at home, I can't do anything for you, besides, I can promise you, Vodacom will not assist you or give you access to the line, you must contact the previous tenant and sort it out yourself, but I will have someone call you". Well surprise surprise, I did not receive any calls from Vodacom.

What an absolute joke. They would rather prevent access to me (a new paying client) and hold over the line for their client (who no longer resides at the property).

I have a question for you Vodacom.....the previous tenant is neither the owner nor the lawful occupant of the property, you are neither the owner nor lawful occupant of the property, you are a third-party service provider who Rents/back-packs off Vumatels fibre line - yet you believe you have the authority to limit the current lawful occupant's property rights in favour of a pre-existing client who lives elsewhere? So, in essence, FICA doesn't mean anything and I can own the internet line over the president's property even though I don't live there and prevent access to the lawful owner/occupant? In essence, hold their internet hostage until I get my way (like you are currently doing). Interested to know the hogwash you come up with in response.