Vodafone

[Serena Blanchflower]

After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and am
looking for a new ISP. Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone is
looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the time
being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).

I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1] For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to get
it right. This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a straight
like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation email, they
failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money option :(

[Kosmo]

Post by Serena Blanchflower
After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and am
looking for a new ISP.  Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone is
looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the time
being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).
I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1]  For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to get
it right.  This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a straight
like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation email, they
failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money option :(

We had a period with Vodafone many years ago and it is my view that from
that period that Plusnet are better at technical support but that
otherwise if you continue to use that technology the actual service is
indistinguishable. I seem to remember that they were unable to get
invoices and payments to actually match so invoices which had been paid
were listed as unpaid - which looked odd but as they never chased me for
unpaid amounts was probably a technical glitch.

I think I went from them to Plusnet and have only moved on because
Zzoomm dug the pavement up and the higher speed is only of marginal
benefit, although some things do download faster (mainly TA).

[Kate B]

Post by Serena Blanchflower
After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and am
looking for a new ISP.  Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone is
looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the time
being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).
I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1]  For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to get
it right.  This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a straight
like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation email, they
failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money option :(

I've been with Vodafone since the mid-90s for mobile phone, mostly
inertia but they have also always matched any lower proces I might have
found elsewhere. When I came up here I added my broadband and landline
to my mobile package. I say landline, but it only lasted for as long as
the broadband came in on the copper line - once the fibre was connected
the copper was switched off, so I technically have a landline but only
over VOIP and it's never been connected. Voda have mucked me about
shockingly over the years but have always eventually sorted things out -
they do have a decent technical team but you have to be very persistent
to get connected to them. The actual fibre broadband seems fairly
rock-solid - better than Virgin in this area, and at least as good as BT/EE

What I worry about is if I ever need to contact anyone in a power cut.
But we are nearly all in this boat these days, aren't we?

[v***@gmail.com]

Post by Kate B
I've been with Vodafone since the mid-90s for mobile phone, mostly
inertia but they have also always matched any lower proces I might have
found elsewhere. When I came up here I added my broadband and landline
to my mobile package. I say landline, but it only lasted for as long as
the broadband came in on the copper line - once the fibre was connected
the copper was switched off, so I technically have a landline but only
over VOIP and it's never been connected. Voda have mucked me about
shockingly over the years but have always eventually sorted things out -
they do have a decent technical team but you have to be very persistent
to get connected to them. The actual fibre broadband seems fairly
rock-solid - better than Virgin in this area, and at least as good as BT/EE
What I worry about is if I ever need to contact anyone in a power cut.
But we are nearly all in this boat these days, aren't we?

I think now and then they tell me there is a fastr service and do I
want it and B says we are fast anyway so no.and then ours gets a bit
faster anyway.

[Chris]

Post by Kate B

Post by Serena Blanchflower
After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and am
looking for a new ISP.  Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone is
looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the time
being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).
I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1]  For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to get
it right.  This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a straight
like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation email, they
failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money option :(

I've been with Vodafone since the mid-90s for mobile phone, mostly
inertia but they have also always matched any lower proces I might have
found elsewhere. When I came up here I added my broadband and landline
to my mobile package. I say landline, but it only lasted for as long as
the broadband came in on the copper line - once the fibre was connected
the copper was switched off, so I technically have a landline but only
over VOIP and it's never been connected. Voda have mucked me about
shockingly over the years but have always eventually sorted things out -
they do have a decent technical team but you have to be very persistent
to get connected to them. The actual fibre broadband seems fairly
rock-solid - better than Virgin in this area, and at least as good as BT/EE
What I worry about is if I ever need to contact anyone in a power cut.
But we are nearly all in this boat these days, aren't we?

I wanted to keep landline : now I know a cordless landline isn’t as clear
as a copper was, I half wish I hadn’t made a fuss about it. We’ve never
got on with cordless. We had an early system: it was tinny. I also find it
sometimes cuts out talking to non VOIP lines: whether it’s me or them, I
know not. The only plus is that a lot of people who’re deaf, can’t get on
with fobiles but can, sometimes, manage cordless to cordless: Spanish
neighbour you met, Kate, for one.

Oh, and I still don’t know how to operate the damn thing except making and
receiving calls and listening to answerphone. Fortunately hardly anyone
rings me up any more.

Mrs McT

[Nick Odell]

On Sat, 17 Aug 2024 17:38:42 +0100, Kate B <***@nospam.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

<snip>>

Post by Kate B
What I worry about is if I ever need to contact anyone in a power cut.
But we are nearly all in this boat these days, aren't we?

I think we have to rely on a mobile phone and hope that the power-pack
at the cell-tower lasts a little while.

Regular readers will know that I have gone over to mobile broadband. I
still have my MiFi gizmo - which can be powered from its own batteries
- but I've recently put the cellphone SIM into a proper little mobile
router. Advantage: dual-band wifi all over the house. Disadvantage: no
battery backup which is why I keep the MiFi on standby. I also have
one of those solar power banks which would keep a MiFi or a mobile
phone running for a few hours more but to be honest the capacity of
the solar panel isn't sufficient to keep a system up and running just
to keep the power bank topped up when its on standby.

Nick

[v***@gmail.com]

On Sat, 17 Aug 2024 10:07:31 +0100, Serena Blanchflower

Post by Serena Blanchflower
After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and am
looking for a new ISP. Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone is
looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the time
being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).
I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1] For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to get
it right. This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a straight
like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation email, they
failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money option :(

I've been with vodaphone for a while. It seems to work ok and I have a
landline and internet from them. At renewal time this year i think it
went up and i phoned and said I was looking for a new supplioer as
they reware new clients and they found they could do it for slightly
less than last year, which ended up the same more or less.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Serena Blanchflower
After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and am
looking for a new ISP.  Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone is
looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the time
being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).
I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1]  For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to get
it right.  This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a straight
like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation email, they
failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money option :(

I'm sorry you have had this problem - but since I have recently 'renewed
my contract' with Plusnet, I thought I had better check...

They are doing exactly the same thing to me. (i.e. they say I am 'out
of contract' on the old contract, and thus expect me to pay them more
than double the correct sum.

This despite an email from them at the end of July, confirming the new
contract details.

Grrr!

[Serena Blanchflower]

Post by Serena Blanchflower
After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and am
looking for a new ISP.  Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone is
looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the time
being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).
I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1]  For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to get
it right.  This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a straight
like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation email, they
failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money option :(

Many thanks to everyone for the useful info. A key factor, for me, was
wanting to keep my old-style landline, for the time being, rather than
being forced to migrate to a VOIP line. When I lose my landline, I'll
drop it completely but, before that happens, I need to make sure that
everyone I want/need to talk to has got my mobile number. There are
still a small number of people I need to wean off using my landline number!

Because Vodafone advertised that it came with a phone line, I started to
sign up with them, until it became clear that this meant a VOIP number,
rather than traditional line rental! At that point, I backed out and
decided to stick with PlusNet, at least for the next 18 months.

I've just had a long call with PlusNet and, with luck, have had my
contract renewed, and a refund for the excess money taken since my old
contract ended.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Serena Blanchflower
After Plusnet fouled up renewing my contract, once again[1], I've
decided that, rather than try to get it working, I've had enough and
am looking for a new ISP.  Judging from the comparison sites, Vodafone
is looking like my best option (I want to keep my landline, for the
time being, so the likes of Zen, or Trooli are off the table).
I thought it would be good to check with umrats who have experience of
them, whether this is a choice I would be likely to regret!
[1]  For the past several contract renewals, they have messed up the
billing and it's taken several months, and numerous phone calls, to
get it right.  This time, I thought I might be OK as it was just a
straight like-for-like renewal, but although I got a confirmation
email, they failed to renew me but just switched me to the silly money
option :(

Many thanks to everyone for the useful info.  A key factor, for me, was
wanting to keep my old-style landline, for the time being, rather than
being forced to migrate to a VOIP line.  When I lose my landline, I'll
drop it completely but, before that happens, I need to make sure that
everyone I want/need to talk to has got my mobile number.  There are
still a small number of people I need to wean off using my landline number!
Because Vodafone advertised that it came with a phone line, I started to
sign up with them, until it became clear that this meant a VOIP number,
rather than traditional line rental!  At that point, I backed out and
decided to stick with PlusNet, at least for the next 18 months.
I've just had a long call with PlusNet and, with luck, have had my
contract renewed, and a refund for the excess money taken since my old
contract ended.

Thank you for raising this Plusnet problem.

I've now been told that they have cleared the snag which prevented the
new contract being implemented (although the web site _still_ says I'm
out of contract) and would I accept a £2 per month price reduction?[1]

When I looked at the details, I found that they had taken excess money
from me a week _before_ my old contract ran out - so I've raised that
with them as well.

[1] Which just suggests to me that I should have haggled more when I
took the contract out.