Vodacom
reviews and complaints

I am a prepaid customer with Vodacom and for some unknown reason when my airtime balance reached R4.00 I am unable to make phone calls, send sms basically use my phone. I have phoned Vodacom to ask what the problem is and they said I must put my phone off switch it back on? That of course does'nt work. My wife has the same problem with her Vodacom prepaid phone. Why? Is it to force you to buy more airtime?

Siete

Arriving at OR Tambo International Airport on 30th April 2011, for a stop over in JoBurg on the way to do a job in Ethiopia I walked out of the International Arrivals and straight to the Vodacom Shop a few Metres outside to buy a replacement Cellphone sim card.
The young lady working there did the usual thing I have seen being done in Vodacom shops before, activated the simcard and supposedly installed R29 Airtime. After the long flight from Perth I wasn't much interested in how this happened and just wanted to get out of the airport ASAP. Of particular note was the fact that no ID was requested to do this... Bit of a major security breach there!
I was picked up by my lift and proceeded to the lodge where I was staying. When I couldn't make any calls the Lodge Manager (have not been to RSA for a while) had a look and informed me that there was no Airtime installed at all. Smelling a rat I got a lift back out to OR Tambo, the next day. Finding a European supervisor I informed him of the situation and he gracefully refunded my R29 Airtime. The young lady in question was off sick that Sunday... Vodacom, what about my R200 being refunded, considering the simcard probably cost R5 outside the Airport! It would have been a nice little earner for her during the World Cup I am sure. I don't think she would have had a job if she came in on Monday. My number is +27 [protected] It is a nice number anyway. In the departure lounge heading to Addis a young Indian lady working for Tourism South Africa was advised about this. Is it going to make any difference?

Brian
Perth
Australia

I had an outstanding amount from my Jan statement on my Vodacom acc. I paid this to get my handset reactivated. At the end of Feb Vodacom did a DOUBLE debit on my account, for the amount that had already been paid! Because of this the debit order bounced. My other debit orders also bounced because of their mistake. I now have to pay Vodacom an R85 penalty fee for insufficient funds in my account, R115 bank penalty for the Vodacom debit order bouncing, and penalty fees for my other debit orders that bounced because of their mistake.

I phoned through and all the operator did was send me an SMS saying the outstanding amount had to be paid that same day. This was late afternoon and I couldn’t get to the bank. They then disconnected my line. What should have happened:I should have received an apology, had my line reconnected, been credited the penalty fee, plus bank penalty fees. All I get is arguments and arrogance when I phone through to try and find a solution. They were supposed to phone me back and haven’t.

My bank account and credit record is is now in disarray and I’ve lost money, and a knock to my business for their mistake. Shocking ‘service’…

Attempting to top up my data bundle with Vodacom South Africa
1. 12h30 Called to ask if I could top up my data package on the phone
2. Was told no I cant I must do it online or at a Vodacom store
3. I was advised to pay via my bank online (absa) and that I could choose a data package online
4. I was advised of the following packages:
a. 600 mb package at R189
b. 1.2gig package at R289
5. I went onto absa but there were no data bundles available
6. I was given the choice “airtime” or “voucher”
7. I called back to say that I could not buy a data bundle via absa website and could someone help me
8. 13h00 (reference) : BELINDA said I can top up on the phone
9. But she couldn’t access my account
10. So I held and held…
11. She then advised me that the bundles I was quoted on earlier were not available and that these were the new prices:
a. 500 mb R149
b. 750 mb R220
c. 1 gig R249
12. She eventually (after being on the phone for about 30 minutes) told me that she couldn’t help me on the phone, so while she was on the phone I purchased R149 worth of “airtime” via absa.
13. She then said I would have to remove the sim from my laptop and put it in my cell. As I have a blackberry I said that that was not ideal
14. She said I should then use the sms facility on my laptop to CONVERT the R149 to data bundle. I said I had to go to meeting. She promised to sms me the method to use to convert. I did not get an sms.
15. So from 12h30 until 13h30 - I still didn’t have my data
16. I called again
17. 18h30 (reference): EUGENE I called again to check how to convert the “airtime” to “data bundle”
18. He told me to send an sms from my laptop to get the conversion done
19. We tried “MyMeg 500” to no 100.
20. I got a response saying that the data bundle was no longer available
21. He then said. Oh those packages are no longer available (after both calls earlier in the day had quoted me different packages)
22. So then Eugene advised I use “MyMeg 600”
23. I am still waiting for the return sms
24. It is now 19h00
25. No return sms. No bundle
26. I told Eugene that I had to have the bundle through by 7pm for urgent work.
27. I told EUGENE it was crazy the absolute crazy calls I had had with Vodacom and that it was ridiculous
28. So he HUNG UP on me by transferring me to “customer service survey” (basically that is HANGING UP ON A CUSTOMER)
29. I still have no data bundle its after 7pm and basically I cannot do my work
30. I have spent almost 2 hours trying to sort this out.
31. I paid R149
32. No one is helping me!

I ported my number from vodacom to mtn before contract expired. I pay premature cancellation of contract fees etc. My number was then ported. 4 months later they still take service and call charges by debit order. They put my contract on another number without my concerns, and refuse to give proof of the calls made on my cancelled contract or refund me. It is far more than my average usage was all the previous 12 months. What now?

I had a default with Vodacom for slow payment and managed to payoff account October 2010 and when i read from trans-union about default they advised it should be a year to be removed and know it has been almost 2years and i cannot buy anything for something that i closed a year ago. when calling their legal team **082 1949** no answer and Eventually The guy by the name of Michael answered the line and after i gave him my reference he dropped the line after taking my details and said he will transfer me to correct. Never recommend vodacom to anyone ever again. Then called 082 1905 and i spoke to the very rude lady, and she said she won't do nothing and line dropped and i was advised to log a call with transunion, while vodacom is the 1 that blacklisted me for account that i closed long time and did not even waste time blacklisting it took them an hour to put my name in bad records and they can't even take it out.
Dutch

Hello, I have been buying airtime from Vodacom and it would dispair without me using it. I went to my closets vodacom store and they couldnt help me with the problem and I phone the vodacom careline and they were also useless.. in the meantime I am loosing money/airtime.. and i also received a message from this number [protected]) saying that money is being deducted from my call account and I went to vodacom again and they said I am subscribed to something, I told them that I never subscribed to anything.. and they didny even try call the number to check, so when I phone the number it said " it does not exist" I mean seriously!
Vodacom has DISSAPOINTED me big time on time dilema.. I always thought highly of them but not anymore..

PLEASE HELP ME..

I have had the same cellphone No for approx 3 years now and with Vodacom’s network coverage being unavailable last night i went online to try find out a way to advise them once again of our change of address which has not been changed.
When i registered i noticed that the system was welcoming me back as somebody else – Theresa Fraser and this is not my name. I have been receiving phone calls for this person for the past year and thought that they had dialled the wrong No. Strangely enough the account and details are correct and rec’d timeously every other month. We have however moved and changed our address on-line and have not received the account this month, can only assume it still went to the old address!

I also noticed that i’d rec’d a message (sms) via my 3G vodafone stating that i’d won a competition and should phone [protected] and quoted a Ref No that i should use when i phone during working hours. I have tried several times this morning to get hold of Vodacom but the moment i get through to the Consultant the phone rings once and then cuts off.

Vodacom south africa is blocking phone lines even after rica! I registerd my phone and even got a confirmatory message that I had successfully ricad, but today 30 june 2011 they have blocked my line!

29 June 2011
Complaints Dept
To Whom It May Concern,
Im very shocked and disgusted at the level of all services received from Vodacom, dating back to the day I signed the contract for My Gig 2 contract (over a month ago) I’ve just received a bill for over R2700, I’ve enquired with Vodacom to forward me an itemized billing report last Friday 24th June to investigate this (spoke to Mandisa Ref: S2-DDW3KK95ED – call logged around 3pm) after 20 minutes on that call I was told that there is an additional fee to receive the itemized billing report from 1 May til end May and can expect the report within 3 days. It is now 3 working days and I have still not received the urgent requested report. I again call Vodacom data dept and spoke to Siabonga today, after 18 mins on the phone to be told there was a note to my file saying awaiting fax from me - What expected fax should ultimately stop the receiving of my report. Mandisa said I can send a fax to them to include itemized billing going forward and will not impact the receipt of the requested itemized report as there is an additional charge of R22. Still No Report and the call was subsequently closed - unacceptable. Today’s phone call logged with Siabonga who said no reference number needed he will get their accounts dept to email me the itemized billing, after 18 minutes I said if I do not get a report by the end of today, I will reverse all debit orders from my account until this is investigate, rectified and resolved to my satisfaction. Ive just been informed that another logged call is required as the accounts dept needs a fax from me anyway to forward me the requested report.

My 2nd complaint would be the branch of Vodacom Cresta Shopping centre, whose sales rep ensured me there will be cut off after the daily limit has been reached (limit: 2G per day 2G per night- he didn’t even mention after 12pm at night the other 2G kicks in). I made it very clear to him that I do not want unnecessary charges on this contract at the time of singing and questioned am I only going to pay the R246 per month fee and I do require the cut off if I go over the 2G (day data) but he did not tell me what I actually needed to know is that to email Vodacom accounts dept and have the call limit set at a lower cost. I’m going to fight this until all these extra costs on my account have been reversed or credited. I refuse to pay for something that I specifically asked for not to happen. I’m currently in contact with the Branch Manager in Cresta, Ronel Jacobs – she is only willing to try request a re-imbursement for only R1134 as the sales rep did used the incorrect contract to start off, the form should have been signed off at a max limit of R1250 not R2500 per month. I’ve made it very clear that this is serious and the information provided by her sale rep was false, limited information, the documentation he completed was not done properly and incorrect and did not explaint how to proceed with lessoning this mandatory maximum fee . I hope someone at head office from Vodacom can deal with this matter to accommodate client satisfaction and customer rights. I have not received the itemized billing yet to prove to me that I went over the 2G. Apparently there was a sms sent to say I’ve reached my limit – which I did not get and Im sure I would have stopped using the internet if I received such a message. The sales rep also ensured me I will be billed on the current cell phone account and not separately as it is today with different statement dates.

Hope that this is escalated to the right people concerned and a call back with a solution to this problem.

Kind regards
Debbie Woods
Cel: [protected]
Tel: [protected]
Email: debbie.[protected]@pfizer.com

I am having the exact same problem elmarie and plenty others it seems, with vodacom ! I have been on a my meg 600 top up and they keep telling me its not. They tell me im on just the normal my meg. I told them I want proof of usage they again told me this was not possible.In 2 years I have never been charged and have been cut off at 600mb as per contract signed. (Initailly my meg 300 top up) they now tell me I have never been on that contract and need to pay... R881 - over and above my r249. I used 1.9 gig over and above my normal. All I get is "mame you used it you must pay"... I really an truelly hope all conversations I have had in the past month (06 june to date) have been recorded as they say on the 082155 number. I have since found out that I have been triple charged for my blackberry subscription. To date have had no explanation except pay? I cant stop the debit order as I run a business from that number. I have to top it all off been given a cn for r175? Without any explanation?>? No one can help an no one I think wants to... I too am at wits end. I do not have the money and set limits on all my contracts for obvious reasons. This is against the law as far as im concerned, they are stealing money from me. I dont know who to talk to to help with this. I went to the store that I did the migration with (N1 city, ct) and they believe this do not have any signed docs of the contract? Thats obvious because I didnt sign anything as the computers were off line? I was however assured that the migration would be done when they were back on line. This was done but somewhere something has gone horribly wrong? Where to now? All accounts I have with them are faulty/incorrect and no one will take responsibility. Do we all just have to pay because they say so. I dont care for the colour change they leave me fuming "red"...

I received my blackberry at the end of january and hicell standerton. I was able to pay in r200 and could receive a black berry 9800 but because they were on back order for 6 months I didnt want to wait so long, so I decided to take the bb 8250. I have had several problems with my bb since I got it. At times it has no signal or is constantly on gsm. When my phone is on gsm I can't receive calls, bbm's, make calls, whatsapp or facebook on my phone. I took in to the vodacare in potchefstroom, they fixed it and gave it back to me. The problems persisted. But this time more problems were added. The phone froze, it stopped ringing and the network still didn't work. I took the phone back 2 weeks ago and they had to send it through to vodacom to get it fixed. I then received a new 8250 because my old one couldn't be fixed. I received the phone on the 6th of june. Today (7 june) I took it back because the network still didnt want to work, the phone has trouble going on the web. My bbm messages and whatapp messages take about 2 hours to go through. You can imagine the inconvenience. When I took in back to vodacare today, the lady said that she can send it back and they can try to fix it.In potcherstroom I stay in the "bult" area. They lady says that there are network problems on the bult. That is unacceplable. Vodacom is probably the largest service provider in south africa, I would assume that such problems should not be happening! I am very dissapointed in vodacom. I asked the lady at vodacare if I can't pay the extra r200 (Like I wanted to do in the first place) or whatever and get a new 9800, by which she replied that I should go to vodaom in the mooi rivier mall. When I got to vodacom there was a guy wo didnt know anything, he was playing games on his phone when I got there. He said that they cant help me, I should go to vodacare, when I went back to vodacare the lady said that they (Vodacom) should be able to do it. Whose problem is it? Not one of they thought to pick up the phone and phone someone to ask what can be done. What happend to the customer care? She took the phone in again, but I know that I will probably get a new one with the same problems. Most of my frieds have the same problem with edge but very little go to complain because of the inconvenience when the phone is sent in. So I ask you, instead of sending me the same phone over and over again, can't I pay the extra money and get a 9800 or 9300 with 3g that would actually work. I took the bb because of all the "free" services but now I can never use any of those services thanks to the bult that doesnt have edge. I am wasting money on phoning or sms'ing where I could just bbm or whatsapp most of my friends. I would like to know if I could cancel my contract, i'm tired of struggling! You can take my bb, just release me of my contract! Mtn and cellc has much beter network coverage where I live. My neighbour is mtn and has always got edge. I dont know who to go to anymore, because the people in potch are useless, all they can to is send my phone to be fixed but that is not the problem. The network coverage is the problem, and that is, after all, your problem. My dad has been a trusted customer for a long time and we have never had problems. Now nothing seems to go right. It doesnt seem right that I have had the phone for 5 months and it has been sent in three times.

I have already received 5 reference numbers. That ridiculour. And everyday its the same story "we will get back to you in one working day".

I am sick and tired of vodacom. Ive been struggling to get a respond out of them for three months. But now I have decided to post in an all the customer complaints websites, local and national newspapers so that everyone can become aware of their pathetic service.
This is not the type of service I will expect from the countries "leading service provider"!

I have been a vodacom customer for more than 12 years.In about the year 2000 I paid r 5000 as a deposit for international roaming. I trusted that vodacom would be honourable and given that I had paid the deposit in good faith, they would return it back to me upon my request. I didn’t have a copy of the deposit slip, as it is 11years after the fact. However it was a requirement that I had to pay the deposit in order to be granted international roaming, and I have it on my contract.

I spoke with a number of vodacom employees who admitted that they could see proof of the deposit in the system. I would like vodacom to listen to the call between myself and charity nwedamutswu on the23rd of may 2011, charity was the only staff member who was helpful and tried to assist me.

Vodacom’s finance department are refusing to return the deposit, they state that they have no records (Bs) of my payment. They don't acknowledge that one of their own employees stated that she could see proof of my deposit on the system, sorry vodacom but I have a reference number for that call - sz-da321-1204w.

I do not accept that the onus of proof is on me, vodacom have my deposit in good faith (And they have a record of it & ndash; unless they suddenly decide to lose the recorded phone call). What kind of company keeps no records? I have spoken to the head of finance one last time asking her to look again before I report them to the saps for thief and to icasa & ndash; the cellular arbitrator.

Vodacom are dishonest and have no honour, please don't open a contract with them and never pay them a deposit as they will refuse to return it to you. I am going to spread this news all over the internet - watch this space vodacom you liars! Why are vodacom being so dishonest? What are is causing vodacom to give such shocking customer service and being deceitful? I would like vodacom to listen to the call as it proves that vodacom know they have my r 5000 deposit on their system.

I have a complaint about the service got at vodacom east london south africa. I applied to uprade my contract last year july 2010 and they approved so I got a laptop. I asked them to make sure that the airtime that I use to internet is controlled and when the free one is used I can topup and they agreed. To my suprise I got r2000 worth of bill in september and that affected my financies to such an extent that my car was not paid. I phoned them and know one seemed to help. My bank account get so messed up as a result I could not keep up with my monthly payments.

My contact no is [protected] and the contract no with vodcom is [protected]

Applied for a new vodacom contract on 2009 September the 6th. I signed a contract for per second billing. After a year I enquired why my account seems high on which I was inforned that the my contract was submitted as per minute and not per second. I lodged a formal complaint at the vodacom call centre on which on 2010 November I faxed a copy of the contact to them. I received a sms from Vodacom to sconfirm that the contract was rectified and before December 2010 they will let me know how they will reimburse me for the year the breach of contract took place. Today is 15 June and after I lodged a complaint against the complaint not being settled due to the reimbursing, I received a sms which they wabted a copy of the contract again! Nobody can assist me at vodacom and after today being transferred to 16 different consultants I an desperate for help and resolvment of this issue Ref nrs as follow; s2-DDM2E-EONXR and S2-61Z3J-JVACN and S2-D2L33-3LFYL please help me?

To whom it may concern

Claim on phone number & ndash; [protected]

I have been a vodacom subscriber for about 10 years, my phone account comes out to over r3000p/m.
I put in a claim last year for my iphone 3gs, in october according to the service technician at vodacare, the mainboard was damaged.
I put in a claim (As I am paying for insurance with vodacom) , they (Cellsure) called and said I can pay and excess and pick up an iphone 4 @ any vodashop.
I was busy and did not go the current day, however, I put the curret phone on my laptop to try and make a backup.
The phone started working.

So I did not claim and kept on working with the phone.

I have 4 contracts with vodacom.
I put my wifes sim card in my phone and vice versa.
(As I am the owner and I pay for the contracts and insurance)

Anyway, the phone stopped working for about a month now.
I went to vodacom customer care sandton city, they gave me a letter and said I should contact cellsure.
I now try and claim, the 1st lady told me from cellsure that she I can get a phone as the previous claim was still open.
I told her the story that this is a new claim as the phone started working and it is now dead ?
She said I should email my forms to [protected]@cellsure.Co. Za, as I did no-one came back to me..

I left it for a week, I retried this time I got through to shwelezile, she said I should email her the forms as I did as u can see below..
Today I called back no-one handled my call I spoke to michael, he gave me he’s email address, I sent him the forms..

Now he calls me back and tells me my claim is rejected, as I had my wife’s sim card in the phone….

I have been a vodacom contract subscriber for over 10 years, I pay in excess of r3000 a month…

If u want vodacom to lose a client like me its your choice..

Let me ask u a question, if u have 2 cars and pay insurance on both of them can u not swop batteries on the cars without voiding your insurance ?

Ps & ldquo;”u guys were gonna give me a new phone last year (Previous claim) , and my wifes card was in there at the time as well””

Please look out on hellopeter.com and every other complaints website.

I have upgrated with a new phone few months ago and the manager at the sasolburg branch asked meif we want insurance, and we said yes, because it is an expensive phone and we bought it for our daughter. The phone is a sony ericson aino. When the phone fell and we took it to the vodacom branch they said there was no ionsurance on the phone, I complained thet and they filled in the forms a second time. When my daughter took the phone in again on 30/03/2011 for a repair and she asked them if they activated the insurance and they told her no, there is not any insurance on, so she told them again to activate the insurance on the phone. Today they told me the phone came back from repairs and it is a "br" beyond repair... Now I don't have insurance that I aked for 3 times. I must pay for a phone that I can't use anymore... If they did their job as they should this would not be happening to me. Please assist me with this.

I went for a simswop on 25-05-2011 and submitted the forms because it is a Corporite number. I paid at 11:00. I was told that it takes 24 Hours to be activated. On 26-05-2011 I went back at 16:30. I asked the proof of the fax witch was fax on 25-05-2011. I was given a transmission report with the date 26-05-2011.. The excuse was that the setting are wrong on the fax machine. I asked for a refund and copies of my letters to travel to Polokwane to do the simswop. They refused to refund me. On 27-05-2011 at 17:15 I switched my cellphone on. A message from Vodacom that my simcard will be activated within two hours. If I wich to cancell the request, I must dail 111. In 3 days I lost an income of R12000.00. I know nothing will come after a complain.

Hi there... I, along with many others in the upper highway area of kloof, gillitts and hillcrest and the general public whom I deal with daily, have all complained about the fact that there is never signal from vodacom. Ive even gone to the extent of putting my sim card in another phone to eliminate that, but I continually drop calls all day, everyday! I thought we are paying for a service, yet everytime I drop a call and have to phone back, im getting charged again instead of per minute, and it all adds up. If this continues, I will move across to another cell phone service provider.
Johnno

After writing numerous letters and complaining since 2007 about the poor reception in the ispingo beach area we still have not received any better reception. We have been promised that reception will be improved but to no avail. I live in 3 bellevue road ispingo beach. No matter what phone u have still network problems with voadacom yet those who have mtn are able to get reception in the area. So fed up.
Cell phone no. [protected]
[protected]
[protected]
[protected] (Migrated)