The Vodafone Class Action Has 10,000 Angry People Signed Up

Remember that Vodafone class action lawsuit? The law firm at the centre of the action said that it had 23,000 people interested in pursuing legal action against the troubled telco at the time. So how many does it actually have? Less than half that.

More:

Why It’s Not Fun To Kick Vodafone Anymore…

The financial backer of Piper Alderman’s lawsuit against Vodafone says that the class action has attracted “over 10,000” ex-Vodafone customers. Just doing the maths based on the law firm’s own claims that 23,000 ex-customers had registered their interest, that means the class action really has less than half of the people it wanted to get.

So how much will these people get?

It’s hard to say, but it’s worth noting that there are three very simple terms and conditions that Piper Alderman and LCM — the backer — have set out around awards (emphasis our own):

• Piper Alderman is the legal firm that will be representing you in court
• LCM are funding this Class Action, there is no risk to you nor will you bear any cost
If successful LCM will take 33% of the award and have its funding costs repaid – you will receive the balance

So LCM, the funder behind the action, will take a third of the balance as well as its own costs away from the case.

It’s also important to warn people out there who are registered for this class action that scammers like to jump on these and ask for your bank details under the guise of ‘depositing money in your account’. Don’t fall for that.

ACCAN isn’t exactly pleased with Piper Alderman’s lawsuit, adding that anyone still frustrated by Vodafone’s service ought to keep it out of the courts and save it for the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

Teresa Corbin, head of ACCAN, told us in a statement:

Vodafone’s 2010 network issues and its poor handling of the matter are undeniable. The company has compensated many affected customers, but around 1.5 million customers have since left Vodafone altogether.
We suggest that those not satisfied with Vodafone’s response to their complaint contact the TIO, which is a free, independent service set up specifically to resolve complaints between providers and their customers. Vodafone has invested heavily in its network since the well-publicised issues and has seen a significant reduction in complaints to the TIO. This class action will take a long time to play out and consumers are not guaranteed any compensation.
Our fear is that the action could turn into a lawyer’s picnic; consumers are likely to be better served by Vodafone investing the money into its network as opposed to fighting this class action.

Are you signed up to the class action?


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