Vodafone customers are getting used to the relative poor performance of the Vodafone network, so they weren’t overly surprised when a technical error meant they couldn’t send or receive SMS messages for hours on Sunday. To make up for it, Vodafone are offering all customers free SMS for an eight hour windows on May 1.
In a blog post on Monday, the Vodafone team informed customers of its free SMS plan:
We apologise for the technical fault that occurred yesterday and resulted in many customers experiencing difficulties in sending and receiving text messages. We know how important it is for you to remain in touch with your family and friends, so we will be offering a free SMS day to all Vodafone customers on Sunday, 1st May (8am-8.00pm AEST).
Given that anybody on a cap plan is unlikely to really benefit form an 12-hour window of free text messages, you have to seriously wonder whether or not this will help maintain customers, or whether the last network failure was the one that sent customers looking for a new Telco.
[Vodafone]
Lincoln
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 10:21 AMi’m still having shitty reception down in Torquay. 3g is gone replaced with a slow Edge connection. Still getting crazy phone drops while my phone tells me I have full bars….
Is there any tips/tricks anyone can share that will get me out of my contract early? I’m pretty much done with Vodafone, been with them over 10 years and still getting nothing….
Thanks in advance!
Chris
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 4:14 PMBest tip would be to change carrier :P
Telstra have been fine for me
Sam O'Donovan
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 10:25 AMI’m still happy to stick with them, network performance has improved heaps since upgrades began at the start of the year. If this little hiccup means more people leave well then I guess performance is only going to get better.
Blake
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 10:37 AMSMS pricing is the biggest rort. This will cost them nothing. Nothing at all.
Greg
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 12:02 PMYou sure about that? Last I checked loss of revenue is still a loss if you normally charge for the service.
Of course, if you meant that it doesn’t cost them anything to carry SMS messages in the first place, well… welcome to 1996.
Jim
Friday, April 29, 2011 at 7:24 PMNot true! If you SMS onto another network, e.g. international or Telstra or Optus, it costs them for every single SMS. More than you’d think! Its called Interconnect. A lot of silly assumptions on these telco threads!!
Of course, if you SMS to someone on their network, its costs effectively nothing ( data transmission only).
-Jim (telco slave)
Gary Tong
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 10:42 AM“We will be offering a free SMS day to all Vodafone customers on Sunday, 1st May (8am-8.00pm AEST).”
That should be 12 hours, and not 8 hours as you’ve said at first paragraph.
Tim
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 11:14 AMYes, as I am on a cap, this means nothing to me. It was terribly annoying not being able to SMS anyone on Sunday, same with my friend.
jack
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 11:25 AMNot happy with the service, call dropouts and sms failures on a frequent level. Their response was even worse. First they said it was my handset. I told them we are having problems with 11 phones. Then they said it was my local area. Most of these phones are on the road and interstate. Derr, ah we’ll call you back…. Just tell it the way it is Vodafone!!!
I have heard they they have changed the connection/infrastructure to a cheaper one. Anyone know if this is true? Anyway time to change.
Jack
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 11:27 AMI actually work at Vodafone and I do agree that we’re shit, but the company memo says it’ll be better by Q1 next year! Yay…
Keith
Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 12:05 PMEh I just think more customers should make it hard for Vodafone and go to the TIO – it’s really the only way Vodafone listen or get anything decent out of the problem.
Jay
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 11:44 AM12 hours free for not offering SMS in a 24hr period. If it was a week, or a month it shows that they are apologetic and want to make up for it. This is like hey, take this for free and we are even to charge you for it.
It is totally unacceptable. Not at all a gesture of apology from Vodafone.
M
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 1:26 PMConsidering it was only down from 2:30pm till 9:00pm not 24 as you’ve stated, 12 hours is actually more then they needed to offer.
Chris
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 4:15 PMThey need to offer a service 100% of the time – customers who put up with shit deserve it – move to a carrier that works.
like Telstra! :)
Mitch
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 12:29 PMI asked them an interesting thing about this over Twitter, and got a response from them.
Twitter’s blocked at work so can’t get the direct link, but it’s the most recent tweet on my account – http://www.twitter.com/mitcho1989
And Vodafone’s reply will show up when you click on that tweet on the web version.
ballinor
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 12:53 PMUseless network still in Melbourne CBD overall.
During Australia Open there was NO NETWORK (Optus, Telstra and 3 for some strange reason were fine). Last year at AFL games at the MCG, data would not work (SMS would work 60% of the time) but seems this year that data does work.
Q1 2012 is a bit late for me.
M
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 1:31 PMYou’re surprised by slow data and congestion at massive sporting events? It’s nothing new that most networks will struggle when you cram more people then normal onto the tower.
Hell I couldn’t use my Telstra mobile at the F1 this year, do I blame them for it? Of course not, it’s a standard occurrence.
Nathan Jones
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 1:38 PMHad the same thing at Future Music. Friends on Telstra and Optus had occasional problems but mostly rock solid. My phone was effectively a paperweight for 90% of the time I was there. They just keep stuffing up, I can’t wait until these network upgrades come, I’m heading to Telstra.
Mitch Dahl
Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 9:04 AMNah I have to admit I had nothing but trouble with my Telstra phone at Future Music, in Brisbane. Lost everyone and couldn’t make phone calls, couldn’t send texts but I kept getting texts coming through saying that I missed calls from people.
I’ve heard switching to 2G can solve it though, with everyone having iPhones these days, 3G networks get pretty crowded at events like that.
Richard Djordjevic
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 9:53 PMWhen my contract expires in two or three months I’m leaving. As the article mentions, this doesn’t really help people on Cap plans an awful lot unless you go near your limit already. As it is, I wanted to send SMS on Sunday, not go ballistic on some other designated day.
If they want to compensate customers offer them something they can use. This might be ok for prepaid customers, postpaid should probably get something off the bill or whatever instead but even if its just 5 or 10%. Doesn’t help Easter is a major date on the calendar and besides XMas, that was the longest time off most people will get in a year.
blah...
Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 6:54 PMmy friend is on prepaid with Vodafone but he isn’t able to send the free texts… he keeps getting the system errors…
urs
Friday, May 6, 2011 at 9:56 PMVodafone is shocking… again tonight on the 6/5/2011 I have had absolutely no service for 4 hours which is ridiculous. I am used to LOW coverage on the north coat of NSW and having to text rather than talk and I accept this as part of being in a regional area (10 minutes from the goldcoast- regional WTF but!!!) but no service no texting no calling in or out at all for 4 hours so far is f%$%king a joke!!!
Bob
Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 10:24 PMwhy cant u let texting be free and calling u have to pay or everything can cost 20c each text and call 50c for each min
Bob
Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 10:27 PMmake texting 5 or 10c each and call 20 or 30c every 30mins