Mobile Global Roaming with Vodafone Australia
Written by Michael Visser on December 21, 2007 – 7:56 pmHoly crap, I feel like someone’s taken a kidney or a vital organ without my consent. Global Roaming with Vodafone Australia is a joke with reforms desperately needed both for billing and services.
Global Roaming Costing Criticism
A 10 minute mobile call between an Australian roaming mobile travelling in New Zealand and a Australian mobile costs $35.00, that’s $3.50 a minute, ouch!?
Last time I checked… thats not enough time to:
- call a loved one
- answer some questions, or
- have a real conversation
Whats the point of Global Roaming in trying to ‘connect people’ if its easier and even recommended by Australian Vodafone Customer Care just to buy a new SIM in the country you’re visiting and leave your damn mobile number at home. It defeats the purpose of roaming abroad if people take that action.
Denied Access to Customer Care
A second hiccup in current Global Roaming services is that roaming users cannot recharge or communicate with Customer Care unless they have adequate credit for the length of the call. Roaming users are charged full per minute rates while calling Customer Care.
In cases where you’ve used your purchased credit you are forced to make an international call to Vodafone Customer Care on +61414141414 from a landline or payphone in order to have a functioning phone again.
Vodafone Australia have some serious work to satisfy the needs and budgets of future roaming users. With our help and feedback they can place priority on resolving these serious issues one at a time.
Are you a Global Roaming customer, leave a comment about your experiences below.
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17 Comments to “Mobile Global Roaming with Vodafone Australia”
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December 30th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Roaming on Vodafone AU has caused me a lot of frustration. Due to their ‘outage issues’ I have been unable to access roaming in NZ since 25/12. They state that they do not know when services will be restored. Never again.
December 30th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Having the same issues with roaming. Called to activate it after the 25th (when the issues apparently started) and was told it would be working in 30 minutes. 3 days later, nothing. Called again, was told about the issues. Also thought I should check to see if I had roaming enabled….it wasnt so I had to have it set up again. *sigh*
January 1st, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I have been without roaming in NZ for 8 days. What a joke. Each time I call the call centre (Indian accents???!) I get the same story “our technicians are working to correct”. Here’s the rub - my wife with identical phone in same location could get reception/service on 4 days that I have not been able to connect. Now she has gone down. Isn’t this a consumer affairs issue???? By the way each time I have called customer care on a standard phone (no toll free avaialble!) I have had to go through the prompt system several times and the system has dropped out due ‘to a tech fault’!!! Waht a bloody circus. Tell the world how these bastards treat their customers!!
January 2nd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
The situation is outrageous. I am in UK as my Mum died, have had no roaming service since Christmas Day, Vodafone have been quite dismissive of any emails I’ve sent to customer service. Why cant they just tell us what’s going on? I’ve been a customer for 10+ years and when I said I was going to move to another provider there response was ’so what?’
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:02 am
Moira, the circus continues with NO ROAMING. I suggested they post some info on their web site so we know what is going on. No such luck. Seems like the whole outfit has gone on leave for the silly season! Certainly no-one seem to know what is going on and certainly no-one seems to care. I can’t understand whay this is not a Consumer Affairs issue as they so no meet any of their advertised promises. I have now been without roaming for 10 days and this is a joke when you have to stay tuned to a business. I guess if enough people scream then we may see some action - but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
January 3rd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
For me it’s not the roaming but the fact that it has had a follow on impact on international texting. I have been unable to contact my husband and daughter in Indonesia with any confidence for 10 days! Not to mention important business texts not getting through.
Nothing on the site and nothing helpful from customer service beyond: ‘we are working on this’. I have experienced and understand 1 day outages over busy periods like Christmas Day and NYEve .. but 10 days!!!
Can anyone suggest a more reliable provider I can port my number to?
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Hi Sue, I’ve contacted Vodafone Australia and am awaiting feedback from them, as soon as I know anything you’ll know about it too!
10 days of intermittant network access is a joke, as a Vodafone customer I recommend just buying a local pre-paid SIM card from one of your local providers and throw it in the bin when you leave the country. That’s your best option.
There’s no carrier you can port your number to on such short notice, but after this stint I understand your reluctance to stay. I have the same feelings about Vodafone Australia after their treatment.
Henry, yes, this is a joke! The more people that let Consumer Affairs know the better, let me know how you get on. I’ll be e-mailing them tonight with my concerns on visitors behalfs.
Any updates from the ground, is the network back on for European roamers?
January 5th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Roaming is back on in the UK, service started again just after lunchtime on Thursday however I often still get a red phone with an X meaning no incoming or outgoing.
Also there is now a message in the “help” section
I’ve been emailing back and forth to Vodafone customer care with no real progress - no refunds to be given either.
Here’s one of the many replies I’ve got back;
Response (Emma) 04/01/2008 01:41 PM
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your response.
Due to unprecedented levels of international traffic being carried on the Vodafone network during this Christmas Holiday period, Vodafone is experiencing periods of congestion impacting International Roaming customers connecting to the network or delivering TXT.
Vodafone is actively implementing network changes to alleviate this issue. Initial changes have been made, with further enhancements being implemented in a phased approach to ensure network quality is maintained. Customers should continue to experience improvements as the changes come into effect.
Your request for compensation is denied as per the Standard Agreement for the supply of the Vodafone Mobile Digital Service. Included in this agreement is the following:
“Vodafone is not liable for any indirect, special, economic or consequential loss or damage or loss of revenue, profits, goodwill, bargain, or opportunities or loss or corruption of data or loss of anticipated savings incurred or suffered by the customer however caused, whether:
caused by Vodafone’s negligence or otherwise: or
Whether or not Vodafone was aware or should have been aware of the possibility of such loss or damage.”
For full terms and conditions of the Network Service Agreement please log onto http://www.vodafone.com.au.
Vodafone understand this is not the outcome you were seeking, Vodafone appreciates the feedback given by its customers.
January 5th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Tim, Emma spun their Network Service Agreement on you, ouch!
Vodafone is a public mobile carrier relying on customers to keep them going, hell, if you’re global roaming you’re likely paying 3x as much as their traditional customer!
Time to pick up the phone, it’s direct. Speak directly to their complaints department, go up a few ladders and get someone on the line that’s not going to palm you off, that’s just plain rude.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
i am disgusted at vodafone ,i have left for a holiday on 28th december 2007 to los angeles usa , i phoned and set up global roaming ,it is now 6th january 2008 i just got global roaming to work but only can ring australian land line numbers no mobile numbers i pay over $2000 per month in my vodafone bills , i expected better service ,i have been paying over $18 per minute using the hotel service to ring from our room,,all ican get from vodafone is that they are having some problems ,,,,i am disgusted
January 11th, 2008 at 8:51 am
For some reason all my online customer care dealings have been replied by “Emma”, if you look back at my first post she claims a refund is not possible due to the Network Service Agreement - however she has now made a “goodwill” credit on the account of $15, no refund of line rental though.
I have now escalted the issue further up the complaints ladder - will see what that brings.
January 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Was not able to talk to my son who is travelling in Malaysia , Hong Kong, Japan since 25 Dec 2007. Today is 19 Jan 2008 and still can’t talk with him. Holy crap, regrets in signing up with Vodafone Australia. I have written to them to have my last payment refunded and when I cancel my contract with them, I want no penalties charged to me for the lack of basic service which they could not provide in the contract.
Class action needed here, should wake them up for the stress they cause to everyone of their customers.
January 20th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
You are right Lindsay. Class action!
The amateurs and thieves continue to cause me headaches. Again today I worked my way thru their (PAID!!!) phone menu sysyem and was on hold for 15 minutes and then just dropped off. How can they get away with such false advertising??? They still extoll the virtues of their global roaming on thir web site. Has anyone contacted us (even by a simple SMS) to apologise for their shortcomings and the inconvenience they have caused many people as a crucial time of he year. I hope everyone votes with their feet as I am doing…
January 24th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I have also been disgusted with Vodafone’s International Roaming Service. Last year I was in Europe for 2 weeks, having ’set up’ global roaming beforehand - only to find out that it had NOT in fact been set up at all. I ended up having to phone Sydney, during their office hours of course, and after relating my story to one person after another (who of course never tells the person they are palming you off to what you are calling about). So you repeat your story 5 times, and I ended up with $144 worth of phone bills just to this so-called Customer Care to try and get roaming set up properly.
I have just returned from a short trip to Singapore. This time I had forgotten to set it up prior to arriving there. After attempting to phone Australia and aend Txt messages, I received Vodafone messages saying roaming is not set up and “to call the area code of the country you are calling from, followed by blah blah number. Short story is, after you call the code and number they advise - you get to listen to the original SAME message; i.e. the message saying roaming is not set up and “to call the area code of the country you are calling from etc. etc. etc.” Neat trick eh. Cat chasing it’s tail. I am about to email Vodafone and tell them I am switching to another provider - I don’t know whom yet, but absolutely any other company must be better.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
I was going to the US and had arranged to roam with vodafone and of course they said ‘yes sir’ and of course it didn’t work. I bought a T-mobile sim and 1000 national US minutes for $100 and the coverage was good for me except they charged me 1000 minutes in a few minutes. 15 minutes in a store and I was recharged again. The time in the shop cost me $150 and being unable to use the mobile even more so it didn’t represent a value business relationship to me.
I cannot recommend T-mobile or vodaphone.
March 19th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Vodafone Australia. What’s going on…?
April 15th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
im in africa at the moment and my vodafone mob is not delivering texts sent by loved ones back home in australia.
it also does not connect to very few of the providers here. when i was with optus travelling it would always connect up to who ever was available.
it is really terrible and i will never roam with vodafone again. once my contracts up thats it. unless they do something serious.
also agree about the ridiculous cost to call customer care. i needed to get thorugh and the waiting time was so long, and so expensive i gav eup.
anyone wanting to roam with voda- dont. what a joke.