Vodacom
reviews and complaints

I have been a Vodacom pre paid customer for over 5 years and was contacted by one of their sales consultant to offer me a "value added service" where I would be debited R45.00 a month from my bank account and get R75.00 airtime a month. with 23 free sms. I told her that I was unsure of my bank =ing details as the numbers at the back of my card had faded away with time. She said I should give her what I think the numbers are and did not make me aware firstly that I was now entering onto a contract and not a ore paid servie as she termed it and secondly that should the debit order be rejested by the bank I would be made laible to pay R85.00 for the rejected debit. I have since paid vodacom the rejecrted debit fee twice and voiced out mu disatisfaction. I advised that I wold like to cancell this service and was given the after sales contact number early April. I called yhe after sales call center ( a charged call where I was placed on hold for over 30 min to talk to a consultant). I explained the situation to a gentleman at the after sales call center who advised that the matter will be resolved and theat Vodacom will revert back to me with in 24hours . I was never contacted by anyone from vodacom and just assumed that they had cancelled the service as requested. On 1 May when I checked my airtime balance I realised that Vodacom had now recharged me yet agin with R75.00 and did not cancell the contract. I contacted vodacom call center where I was told that no cancellation had been loged and that I had to contact vodacoms cancekllatoions call center. When I called the Vodacoms cancellation call center I was told that they can notcancell the "contract " and that I had to contact the after sales call center. I have been trying to get hold of the afrter sales call center for the last 2 days with no luck(0821945 and [protected]). They have been placing my call on hold (voice recording ) and after an hour of holding the hang up the call. they also offer a call back service ( apperently a consultant is suppose to call you with in 1 hour) which I have used but have not been yet been contact by anyone to date from Vodacom. I am tiredof being given the run arround. Does any one know of a complaints boaurd or something that I can log my complaint with ? I just want my cell phone number to be returned to its original pre paid state where I bought my own airtime and had no worries.

I have never received a pathetic service i've received from a company that claims to be the sa leading network company before. I have noticed authorized debits orders that went off my account on the 18/03/2011 and on the 30/03/2011, when I enquire with the bank (Fnb) they told me it was vodacom. I have to call them and find out what was that for.

I called vodacom so many times, maybe a day I used to call more than 4 times not they keep on putting me through from one department to another. No body is useful to resolve my query. After a very long time, vodacom told me that they debited my account wrongly because there was an indian guy who took a contract phone with elite mobile, and he gave them a wrong account number. Because I could get any help via the vodacom contact centre because I used to call - provide them with the reference number they've given me but most of the agents used to tell me that the reference number does not exist, and when I gave them my cellphone number, they tell me that no complaint was logged and they cannot help me without the correct ref number, I decided to send an email to the customer care. And my complaint was escallated to accounts department. I have been communicating with a lady by the name of zanele ngwevela. Zanele send me an email on the 12/04/2010 saying I will receive my refund within 12 working days, even today I haven't received anything. When trying to send follow-up emails she is not replying.

I have sent a lot of follow-up emails since this complaint has been logged. I have logged the complaint on the 29/03/2011 but even today it has never been resolved.

The reference number they gave me was s2-d5p3q-q5eou

In the past 2-3 months I have been struggling with Vodacom 3G services, connections is always disconnected and even when the connection is active sometimes there's no data (no internet surfing possible) until manually reconnecting again (manually disconenct and connect). After reconnecting, surfing is again possible but only for a few minutes then no data is possible again. And as said, connection also disconnects by itself. This problem is all through the day, even using the service at night (off peak) the problem exists.

Before this, I have been using the same modem/aircard dongle at the same place/location and it was better. Now, it seems that Vodacom coverage has shrunk and even worse, the data throughput is unstable in connected mode.

The solution seems to be manually setting the modem/aircard to GSM and then the problem seems to disappear. I have done this many times when I need to urgently send an email while 3G connection is not possible but staying in GSM is just too slow. I feel cheated when using GSM because I am buying data bundle and the faster the connection the better for me since I am paying per data usage (Mb).

I have tried searching on the Vodacom website where I can submit this complain but it seems that there is none.

To Vodacom management, please fix your network! Don't wait until Cell C and MTN take you over...

To whom it may concern

I am very unhappy with vodacom as I am a new customer and feel that I have been treated unfairly. I took out the blackberry contract sometime last year. As I was leaving for thailand, I went to the vodacom shop in stellenbosch and asked them if I could give over the contract to my friend. They said yes and we did al the paperwork. The next month the monthly cost went off my fnb account again and I immediately went back to ask why?They told me that my friend's monthly income was not enough and that he could not take over the contract from me. Could they not have notified me? As I was not prepared that the monthly cost would go off my account, I did not have sufficient funds and ended up paying more than double the normal amount. I was very unhappy and asked someone to help me. The lady said that the only other way my friend could take over the contract was to telephonically change the banking details. Which I then did. I then left for thailand and my friend and I thought everything was fine. He emailed me last week saying that he was double charged and then completely cut off. So now neither of us is paying for the contract and I am getting bad credit. I feel that this is all vodacom's mistake and I dont understand how my friend cant just pay the monthly bill?Please help?I am sitting in thailand and cannot do much from ths side?I dont know who to talk to and who to get in touch with? Someone please help?
Kind regards
Evani taylor

I am totally disgusted with the service delivery and processes at vodacare (Vodacom customer care) in sandton city. I sent my phone for repairs on the 4th of april 2011. I did hear anything regarding the cost of the repairs until I called on the 13th of april 2011. (10 days just for a quote, let alone the repairs). I was then quoted a ridiculous figure of r2931 for a phone which cost r1999 brand new. I do not dispute that, as this is their deal they give their "clients". I immediately requested the phone back and was promised delivery on the 15th of april 2011 (12 days after first sending the phone in). I was then notified that the phone has not been received by the vodacare sandton city, after specifically promising it will ready to pick up.

I then requested to speak to the store manager or the store owner, I was advised the store manager was away ill and then the store owner was busy. I requested that he/she call me once done (After 5 calls to the department). I then received a mail, stating my phone is not there and it will be ready on monday the 18th of april 2011, 15 days after first sending the phone for repairs and not a single thing has been done to the phone.

The service is totally putrid and I will not recommend utilising vodacare sandton city's.

Vodacom has been overcharging me since December 2010 till today 2011/04/07 and even thow I phone them everyday and vodacom tells me they are sory about there mistake they and Paul Macpherson was supose to call me and if I call him he is never avalible they softlock my line but vodacom owes me money.

Is that how customers are being treated in south africa?

Spread the word. Dont let vodacom steal from us anymore. stand with me and fight back

I signed a contract 13th March 2011 for a Laptop/3G contract. My problem is that I am very unhappy with the Laptop received. It was recommended because of the i5 processor and large hard drive size. I have never had an HP laptop before so am unsure if this is a once off or if all HP laptops are so "user unfriendly"! I am unable to even view a YouTube video, tells me to download software which I do, and walla - still not able to view anything! On installing software - rather basic I think - my little logbook, keeps telling me there is a problem, yet I have installed in on my "old" dual core Dell, My hubby's Mercer and my Desktop at work without a slightest hitch. I use wireless at home, but when traveling would like to use the 3G provided, and guess what - that doesn't work, or maybe it does if you have an HP degree? I inserted the 3G into my Dell and was connected immediately. When attempting to install an HP 1010 (very basic) printer - was unable to do so and said I have to download drivers from the internet, and being able to help myself on all other computers, believe me, after struggling for an hour, again used my "old" Dell. My mouse, built in one and external one, was jumping the whole weekend so I was unable to use the laptop. The service I received from Elaine Manager at the Tzaneen branch in obtaining the laptop was stunning, just a pity I am now unable to reach her on a phone and my working hours are such, that I cannot afford to stand in a over-full shop for half an hour, I have walked out on more than one occasion, before being able to speak to anyone. My request, please could you exchange this 1910 computer for a Dell or Samsung with the same specifications. Thank you

I have three contracts with vodacom, two cell phone and a lap top computer. These have been in place for about 3 years. My accounts are usually in the region of about r1800.00 per month (All 3 inclusive). On the 30th march 2011 I received a phone call from vodacom accounts department informing me that there has been over usage on one of my numbers. I was informed that vodacom, without my knowledge, upped my limit and I was informed that my account had been overused by r11000.00 (Eleven thousand rand) over two months. I have not received an account from vodacom for 3 months. I asked the telesales lady who gave them permission to up my limit she said that vodacom do it as they please. I then questioned why I was not notified of the over usage when it was r1000, 00 over, she could not give me an answer. I requested that a supervisor or someone with authority call me for answers, I am still waiting. Todays date is 04th april. To my disgust that very day of the 30th march my cell phones were suspended. When I enquired (At the vodacom outlet in cresta shopping centre) I was again confronted with no answers. I rely on my cell phone for business therefore I had to pay an amount of r4880.00 before my phones were put back on. I questioned why my phones were cut when I was only informed on the 30th of the 'over usage' and still had till the end of the 31st to pay my bill. This is really not acceptable that I can be victimised by a corporate company and cannot get any answers from anyone. I have also put a complaint on hellopeter. I am a single working person that is struggling to make ends meet, paying a r11000.00 for a cell phone bill is totally unacceptable. I also enquired why both my cell phones had been suspended when the over usage was from my other cell phone. Please please can somebody help me on this matter
Regards

Carole downs
[protected]

False advertising and an arrogant assistant manager

On sunday my wife and I went to vodashop in centurion mall to go and have a look at getting us new phones on contract. We got to the shop, walked around having a look what they have, and came across an htc phone that was going for r135 per month but now was marked down to r99 per month, I asked the sales lady please can I see this phone in the display cabinet although it being only a display unit and not the fully working one I then asked her if she has a pamphlet that shows the specs of this phone and she handed me one, I then asked her why is this phone so cheap and she said it’s on promo... I immediately asked her to please check stock of this phone as we want to take two
She had a look and said they don’t have stock but they will be getting stock on tuesday or wednesday, I stood there almost for about 15 mins looking at this phone and reading the specs and thinking wow this is a really nice promo and its cheap. I told her ok ill go and have a look at [protected]@reds to see if they have stock, on arrival at [protected]@reds I asked the guy from vodashop please check stock, he had a look and said they are also out of stock.
I then did ask him to confirm if they also have it going for r99 per month and he almost fell of his chair, saying there is no way that this phone will ever go for that price. I then told him but this is what I saw at centurion mall and that was the price. He told me to go there and demand that phone for that price. All the way back to centurion mall, we spoke to the sales lady, which then called her manager. I told him what the problem was. He said that the phone was in the wrong display and someone made a mistake putting there, which I wasn’t happy about. Their negligence is not my problem, because that is false advertising. I told him if that is what you are advertising then I want it for that price and he again just said no and went on blabbering that someone made a mistake and they won’t do anything about it.
I then demanded the regional shop manager or store owner number and he gave me a land line number of a guy that I can only phone during the week, I said I wanted a cell phone number and he said that he will not give it to me. I told him the manager from [protected]@reds said I should demand on this package for this htc desire hd for r99 and he went on saying stuff in his own language to the other staff that I did not understand, although I know for a fact he did say something about me, as I am not stupid... Not once was this, & ldquo;so to say assistant manager”, nice to me or explained it to me in any proper way, I also asked him please put the phone back where it was as I wanted to take a photo to prove this was incorrect but he was more than arrogant to me and my wife and kept on speaking in his language to the other people in the shop.

So not only did we get a ### service but we also got an arrogant racist manager that never wanted to help us from the beginning. I personally phoned 3 other vodashop branches and they all told me they should rectify the problem and give me the phone for that price of r99 per month. Vodacom makes a ### load of money but they are not willing to pay for the mistake they made, what ever happend to the customer is always right, what happend to excellent service delivery. I want the htc desire hd for r99 x 24 months

Vodacom managers are racist and arrogant and not verry helpfull at all.

I upgraded my phone to the iphone4 32gig. I paid the amount I was suppose to pay as well as the R150-00 admin fee in the shop. mr Maass told me that if the phone had any problems within 7 days after receiving it i must bring it back exactly as i received it and it would be replaced. Mr Maass also mentioned that the iphone4 cannot be repaired by Vodacare. I signed all documentation and mr Maass proceeded to do a sim swop to the new sim card for the iphone4. I left the phone with him at the shop and after about 2 hours returned to collect the phone.

The phone was on but i immediately noticed it was on silent. I consulted the operational manual on what the procedure was to deactivate the phone from silent mode.
After doing all that is mentioned in the manual i went back into the Vodacom4me shop in Vaal Mall and was assisted by another one of the consultants that was at the store as mr Maass had already left. This consultant also tried to assist me but could not deactivate the phone from it’s silent mode. I phoned the iStore at Menlyn Pretoria and followed all the instructions given to me but to no avail. Upon arriving at home in Potch the same day we searched on the internet for a possible way of solving this problem. We found manywebsites of iPhone customers complaining about the same problem, e.g. http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/97379 . According to them the only way of fixing the problem was to plug and unplug the headset continuously until it works. This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE to me as a new expensive phone like iPhone 4 was not to have such a problem.

On 20 March 2011 we drove BACK FROM POTCHEFSTROOM to the Vodacom4me store in the Vaal Mall in order to exchange the phone. Upon our arrival Hellen Mokoena at the store informed us that the device could not be exchanged. I insisted that the phone must be exchanged as mr Maass told us the previous day that it would not be a problem to exchange the phone if it had a problem. Hellen then informed us that the phone would be sent to Vodacare in order to fix it. I then informed her that mr. Maass said that the iPhone could not be fixed by Vodacare, only by Apple. She disagreed and we had no other option than to hand the phone in to be repaired.

Helen then said that the device would be sent to Vodacare and that only they could decide whether it would be exchanged or not. On 20 March 2011 Hellen again did a simm swop in order for me to use my old phone.

I am EXTREMELY DISSAPOINTED with the service I received from Vodacom4u and specifically with mr. Maas lying to me. He lied about the fact that a device could be replaced if it was faulty and returned within 7 days. Mr Maass also lied when he said iPhones are not sent to Vodacare to be fixed. . I run a business and a phone is crucial to me. If the phone is fixed, I was told, I had to travel FOR THE THIRD TIME FROM POTCHEFSTROOM TO VANDERBIJLPARK ON MY OWN EXPENSE to collect it. If this is the way Vodacom treat customers I don’t want to be counted one of them! I feel so strongly about this, I will not rest until I have reported this to the highest authority at Vodacom and Apple.
They have since said that they will replace the phone with a second [protected]@d one and should there be costs involved in fixing it i will be held responsible.
I am not interested in a second hand phone. No one would. I paid for a new phone
J Redelinghuys [protected]

I did an online purchase of a vodacom contract. I received my phone and sim package on Friday 25/03/2011. I went to a vodacom shop to try activate the sim as I could not get through to the 0821945 activations centre. The shop told me the sim card/phone number was invalid. The number on the sim package is 20 digits long instead of the required 10 digits. How on earth am I supposed to use the phone if the number is invalid! I tried calling sales to check on this - no reply. I tried activations centre again - sat on hold twice for about 10-15 min each time. The last time I was being put through and it asked me to participate in a survey or end the call - so I said yes, I will participate... they dropped the call anyway! Then I tried customer care - they could not help so they would put me through to activations... fat help that was, they STILL don't answer the call - just keep telling you your call is being transferred to the next operator.. Yeah Right!
I am so flipping annoyed - I cannot resolve this it seems. Why have customer services if you cannot provide them?

My husband and I immigrated to australia almost 6 years ago. We had a contract mobile phone. We faxed a letter through to vodacom telling them that we will be immigrating and that we want to cancel our contract. We had to pay an astronomic amount to cancel this contract. We phone vodacom to let them know that we will use the phone and will pay the account and the cancellation fee the day before we leave sa. We phone vodacom, they gave us the last payment bill amount, we went to standard bank east rand mall, if I can remember correctly, on the 5th of december 2005. Pay the amount, in cash, at the tellers. We had our receipt and off we went. A few years later, vodacom advised us that we did not pay the phone bill. To get the payment receipt out of std bank is difficult but to speak to someome at vodacom, that can understand, is even more difficult. My husband spoke to a lady and she had the nerve to even tell him, if he pay the "bill" we will get 70% discount. Now I ask you with tears in my eyes, what is going on with vodacom? So please, vodacom, check your records accordingly. I cannot recember the mobile number and I cannot rembember the full acmount of payment, but surely your records of that day will show that a certain person paid his bill.

Vodashop boksburg : I bought a blackberry curve 8520 from jonathan (Sales director) last year in may 2010.
For the past 3 months, my bb has been giving me enormous problems. My alt button, a button and some of the other buttons just dont work anymore. My phone switches off at any given time and screen also freezes. When phone is switched off, it can not be switched on at the power button, but I need to take out the battery and reset the phone in order to get it switched on!
When I contacted the sales director, he didn't even respond to my message, but passed it on to linda. Well I sent linda 4 messages before she replied saying "she was still in talks with customer repairs" they gave me no answer as to what to do with my phone and I explained the urgency of the situation that my work and travel entitles me to be on email constantly.

I am extremely disappointed as they were very quick to sell me my blackberry, but I had no response as to a solution. They asked for my contact number, which I gave, but was never contacted. After 3 days jonathan claimed to be in training. Well he could forward my email to linda... Couldn't he even response via email to me?
Shocking service!

My previouse ref no is... Pc z128 2vc7j (509956)
Kim thornton is who sorted this matter out,
Due to vodacom having problems with their towers vodacom ended my contract [protected] for my meg 500 as I was not recieving signal as vodacom admitted their towers were down... My account was discontinued on the 4 february 2017.. As of that date I was cut off imediatly as per my request.
Now I get debited this month in march for r268, 99 what the hell is going on with vodacom, the last 4 months iv been paying for a service I cant use and when you agree and end my contract u still charge me... I want this money put back into my account asap... Iv never been so angry before when does vodacom ever stop... Last complaint u all gave up to help and finally when I kept on u did
Sort out this money u owe me asap im fed up with this

hi
i have a problem with cellphone signal in my area, sometime my gate remote also just stop working, i dont know why, it happens every now and then, could some one help, i think we have a bad spot or the frequency is clashing, how can solve this problem, please refer to someone, my area is glenvista 75 ferox drive
thanks
kiran bhowan
[protected]

My wife and I are both with Vodacom and have had enough of them wasting our money. She will SMS me with something important only to have me receive the SMS an hour or more late. Sometimes it will go through fine and then at times it will not even go through at all. Make no mistake though, the money will always be subtracted though and this ****** me off. It's like paying tax to the government (paying for something you don't get). Right now it is 08:25 and she just mailed me to tell me she SMS'd me around 7 and then again at 8. Neither SMS had yet been received. Now we can phone each other instead of SMSing, but why should we waste more money? Vodacom excells at taking your money, but ***** when it comes to providing a proper service. No wonder they're a company that doesn't respond. I've noticed quite a few friends who have changed over from Vodacom to other providers and now I know why.

I admit in neglegting to pay my account end feb, but made a double payment end march. Now my number is deleted and they expect me to pay r1200.00 reconecction (Deposit) ! This is absolutely rediciouless. I have paid my due and don't have the service! I am paying for sms bundles that does not accumilate and I will loose it! Nobody at vodacom after numerous calls even try to assist me, the only thing they say is that it's my problem. I want to make an appointment with icasa and show them how we get taken for rides. This will not stop here today!

I have experienced high data useage on my data bundle for two successive months. I have tried reporting this matter to Vodacom Data Accounts Dept (082 155) for the last two months and everytime I call (at least thrice a week), I spend a minimum of 40minutes on the phone listening to the now most annoying 'on hold' tune, with still absolutely no one answering the phone after the wait.

I even tried calling the [protected] number this morning and everytime I get cut off. Now another month has passed with my bill again in excess of R2500, when in the past my average was a managebale R800 to R1000.

Is anyone working at the data accounts call centre, or has the recession hit them too, that they've had to let staff go! Vodacom is quick to debit and penalise subscribers, but very rarely are they ever available, let alone their call centre staff when me as a subscriber has a query!

I want answers as to WHY my data useage is as high, what's hapenning when I don't even use the data on my phone as I have internet at work and at home!

I am extremely frustrated and this undoubtedly is the last straw having been a 'stupidly' loyal Vodacom customer for the last 11 years.

I am a huge data user. My average bill for 3g data at home is roughly r3000 per month.

Vodacom is unfortunately the only service I can use currently for the following reasons:
1. Telkom has no open ports in my area, and deem it 'not viable' to upgrade the exchange yet
2. Neotel doesn't cover my address.
3. Screamers covers my address, but slow speeds.
4. Iburst cannot guarantee connection speed in my area.

So - I am stuck with vodacom that charges r800 per 3gig, of which I use at least 4 per month.

Yet, try to download a 400mb playstation 3 game update, without exception - the connection will drop as soon as you get to 380mb, and forced to restart.

Why am I paying, why is it not vodacom's fault if my downloads drop, and just forced to buy additional premium (If not more) rated data?

We all know the answer: we are the only service provider you can use, so suffer, small unimportant insignificant home user that pays at least one salary for us per month.

I had the misfortune of entering a vodacom 4 u store 11379 hillcrest corner durban to ask for the data bundle on my contract to be increased.
I was met by bruce ngma chewing gum. I requested what I had come into the store to do, and he promptly told me to call the care line as it was free and I should sort it out with them. I then asked him to call if that was the only way it could be done. He continued chewing gum, and made a call. He had no idea what size bundle to upgrade when he commenced the call. When I asked to give me the costs of the different data bundles and sizes, he replied he couldn't do that either, as he had lost his brochure. I then asked him to check my contract and information to determine what my data usage for the last month had been and if at all that would indicate what size data bundle to upgrade to. He replied that the computers in the store do not allow them to see such information again this information would come from the call centre. I then got annoyed and asked what was the value of a store if you had to call the call centre. Another lady that assisted me with my upgrade previously became available and came to assist. Her name is mishica raidass and she managed to look up the amount of data I used, cancel the existing data bundle, upgrade to a larger size and purchase a data bundle for the duration of the month all in 2 minutes. All the while our friend bruce was slouching across the counter chewing gum, totally oblivious to anything happening around him. My gripe is that it should not be possible to have such a badly trained, lazy and obnoxious individual dealing with the public. The image of this store is at stake. I would recommend the store to anyone based on mishika's service the first and the second time I went there, but what if they ended up with incompatant bruce. He needs to be removed from front of house immediately.