Vodacom - Need I elaborate???

I initially took out my Vodacom contract in December 2013, converting my pay as you go number which I have had for the past 10 years. This contract was taken out solely for employment purposes. (In almost 4 years Vodacom have yet to get my billing details correct).

During the course of my contract I had an i-phone 5S which started to malfunction. I sent my phone to the Vodacom outlet in Walmer. My phone was sent to Johannesburg for repairs, I got all the related smses confirming same and eventually received an sms advising that I could collect my phone. Upon arrival at the Vodacom Outlet, my phone was handed back to me in exactly the same condition as which I had handed it in. No repairs done and no explanation as to why. I was then advised to take my phone to the i-store outlet. This was another futile exercise as the i-store sent me back to Vodacom and advised my phone would have to be sent to Johannesburg.

Needless to say at this point I had lost all interest in i-phone and Vodacom was not being of any assistance to me either.

During May 2017 I changed employment and I had no need for such a large package. I immediately called the Vodacom Customer Care line and was advised that I could cancel my contract and move over to a smaller top up contract at the end of June 2017.

As a result of employment matters which I numerously had to explain to client service consultants and “managers”, my contract fell in arrears a few times.

At the end of June I contacted Vodacom in order to make arrangements to cancel my contract. To my surprise I was advised that I would 1. Have to pay my account in full, which was not a problem; 2. I would only be able to cancel my contract at the end of August 2017.

I received my Vodacom Statement which reflected and amount of R5 127.00 due and payable. On 18 August 2017 I proceeded to a Vodacom Outlet and made a payment of R5 000.00. After having to insist that the amount was in fact R5 127.00, as the consultant could only pick up an amount of R3000.00 odd rand.

I advised the consultant that I wish to cancel this contract and simply move to a top up account. She advised me that I would have to go to one of the bigger Vodacom Outlets.

On 8 September 2017 I proceeded to Greenacres Vodacom in order to settle the outstanding amount of R127.00 and change over to a top up contract, as I cannot afford to lose the number I have been using for the past 10 years.

To my shock I was advised by the sales consultant that above the R128.00 that I had just paid in I would have to pay a further R200 odd rand to change my contract. It would seem that I keep having to pay in for a service that I no longer want.

On or about 11 September 2017 I received a call back from a Vodacom Consultant. I advised the lady that I would now like to cancel my contract as same has been paid in full and I can no longer afford such a large contract. Who would have guessed that I was again advised that my contract could only be cancelled at the end of December 2017. It would seem Vodacom systems are not all in sync as I am getting different replies from different consultants.

I do not recall the lady’s name, but she was kind enough to offer me the top-up contract that I wanted to start off with. She further advised that I would receive a new hand set as well, at no additional charge – well isn’t that a nice surprise after being advised a week earlier that I had to pay in more.

Approximately a week later my new handset arrived and all seemed well.

One problem through, true to form and recent events, out of data rates where accumulated on my previous package and again, without warning or notification, I am stuck with an insane account for data usage.

Conveniently I purchased 1GB of data on Saturday 30 September 2017 and the following day my contract gets disconnected and my data is in cyber space along with any notification of this happening.

After using the said contract for approximately 1 week, suddenly all calls are coming through as “unknown”. I advise callers that their caller identity must be off… Turns out is has something to do with my migration to the new contract… As per normal I have to call the Vodacom Client Service Centre who now tell me that I have to pay an extra amount per month in order for this service to be activated??? So now I have to pay to know who is calling me as well? I am beyond speechless.

And to make things even more interesting I receive an sms this morning advising that my Calling Line ID Presentation CLIP has been activated… How? When? I have not given permission for any additional amounts to be added to this contract.

I need answers Vodacom!!

1. When can I officially cancel this Vodacom contract.

2. Despite having paid for insurance on an i-phone 5S I had to purchase another phone. What am I to do with a broken i-phone and why can no-one assist me with this problem?

3. Where are the notifications of when data runs out? Or do you deem it fit for clients to run into out of data rates?

4. Where is the 1GB of data that I purchased?

I know full well that I am not the only person with similar complaints, I just hope someone, somewhere reads this and will have the common courtesy to respond with an explanation which I believe is fully due to me. I am, after-all the one being grossly inconvenienced and having to pay therefore.