This deal was too good to be true (Vodafone Network)

Member Name: Coxy1974

Product:	Vodafone Network
Date:	17/01/07 (503 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fine until you actually require some help from their customer services

Disadvantages: Wil lie to avoid doing what they contractually should

I have been with Vodafone since 2003 and had been very happy with them but had noticed that my monthly bill was starting to increase. I looked around and decided that Orange was a better deal so I rang Vodafone in January 2006 to cancel my contract. They more than matched the orange offer and threw in a better phone. The only thing was that I would be tied into a new 18 month contract. It didn't concern me as my experience with them had always been good so I consented and within 24 hours I had my new phone in my sweaty mits!

It was the latest Motorola V3i in a silvery blue colour and I couldn't wait to try it out. I set everything up and programmed in all my numbers etc and played around with it all evening. I thought it was excellent and had already downloaded a real ring tone.

About a week later I noticed that the back of the phone was loose and this meant that the battery would sometimes pop out. I rang vodafone and they said they'd send me out a new phone. All was going well until I got the 'new' phone. It was scratched and clearly not new at all so I refused to take delivery of it and kept the one I had. I rang vodafone to tell them but all the guy on the phone would say was that was all I was entitled to because it was over 14 days since I'd took delivery of the original phone. When I reported the fault I'd actaully had the phone 10 days and because of delivery delays I was now out of the 14 days. The customer services rep nor the customer services manager could understand that as their system apparently had no notes on it from me making the original call. In fact the manager suggested I may be confused over when I made the original call. It took me threatening to sue them for breach of contract to actually get a new phone out of them.

This phone was no better really. The back fitted on but I noticed that the phone would not be on when I took it out of my bag to use. At first I thought I must have forgotten to switch it on but it became more frequent. I rang again customer services at Vodafone and this time asked to speak to a manager immediately. He suggested that maybe I didn't turn the phone on and off enough times during the day to catch the signal and updates. Is this complete tosh?

He agreed to send me a new battery and also a new charger to see if this was the problem. Alas when I received these they were actually for a Nokia phone. When I rang back I spoke to a different person who said that I had a Nokia 402 phone registered with them. Now I remember having a 402 - very trusty, sturdy brick like thing but we're talking 1998 I had that and it was with Orange. I asked for a completely new phone but was told this was not possible as this new fault with the new phone was occurring outside of the 14 days of taking delivery of the original phone - how confusing?

I tend to keep calm in these situations because I know how call centre staff are trained to deal with irate customers. I asked to speak again to a manager who refused to authorise a new phone and said if I cancelled my contract then I would owe them £180 for the phone and £240 to see out the contract which would be payable immediately or the contract would not be terminated.

I decided the best course of action would be to terminate the call and put down my request in writing. I went onto the Trading Standards website and read up on the mobile phone conract legislation and then wrote my letter. I received a phone call from a senior customer service manager to discuss my requirements within 3 days of sending the letter.

I did get the new phone and I am on phone number 6 which, touch wood, seems to be OK apart from a little thing of switching itself off during phone calls. Ironically the same customer services manager rang me to see if everything was OK with my new phone and it did it then right in the middle of the phone call.

I've had new batteries, chargers and phones and yet Vodafone refuse to change the model of phone I have (which clearly has problems) in favour of a more reliable one.

They wouldn't have done anything at all if I hadn't taken the time to read up on where I stood legally and submitted my requirements and the law in writing.

Summary: Leaving as soon as my contract is up