Vodafone - The Best (or Worst) Network Provider in the UK? (Note added about itemised billing.) (Vodafone Network)

Member Name: Argon

Product:	Vodafone Network
Date:	19/05/09 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent network coverage.

Disadvantages: Pitfalls of being tied into a contract. Customer Care can be great - or terrible.

Good old Vodafone... I've been with them on contract since 2003, and have mixed views on their services.
I initially went for Vodafone as they were offering a good selection of good handsets on contract - at a time when handsets were relatively expensive on PAYG.
My original contract was very basic, and after one year I was entitled to an handset upgrade. As a customer "retainer" I was also offered many more minutes for the same money, provided that I sign an 18 month contract. This was fine, and I could see no financial advantage in switching. During these times I received excellent customer service.

Over the last few years, I have noticed that the contract terms have been increasing in length, with 18 and 24 month contracts becoming the norm. Unfortunately, being tied in to a contract this long means that there really isn't any "way out" if something better comes along in the meantime. Similarly, with a handset upgrade - you would be stuck with the same phone for this length of time, unless you buy a SIM free handset.

I was considering cancelling my contract last year, as there are now much better PAYG deals available, and I didn't need a handset upgrade or any more minutes. However, I bartered to get a higher-spec Nokia handset. This malfunctioned through the infamous "water damage" after only eight months! Vodafone's great customer service ended as soon as I tried to resolve this situation:
I rang Customer Care to inform them that my phone was faulty. They supplied me with a pre-paid package to send away to the repair centre.
My phone was returned after about a week, with a note saying that it was irreparably damaged as it had water ingress/damage. I have always taken great care of my phones, so this came as a real shock!
I phoned Customer Care, who said that there was nothing that they could do. They suggested that I should take it to a Vodafone shop, which I did.
In the shop, I was given no assistance whatsoever! The sales guy said that he would dispose of my faulty handset for me, if I would like to choose another one, which I would have to buy! On reading the small print, there is nothing that I could do - No phone, no repairs, no offer or replacement and no way of cancelling my contract unless I forked out the remaining balance then and there!
I left the shop with a cheap handset. On returning home, I noticed that the salesman had broken a clip on the back cover of the phone when he used a biro to open it!
Another call to Customer Care... They said that a spare cover would be in the post that day, and they agreed to reimburse me with some mileage allowance. This is the sort of Customer Care that I like!
Unfortunately, the spare cover didn't arrive after a fortnight - so I called them again. It arrived a couple of days later.

I wrote a letter to Vodafone stating how disappointed I was with the service in the Vodafone shop, and how I was not at all pleased with the quality of handsets they are forcing people to be tied into. I received a reply in somewhat broken English, which said that there was nothing that could be done, however I should have been offered £50 towards a new handset, if I extended my contract by three months!

(It is interesting to note that in May 2009, Vodafone are offering a much more reduced number of handsets, and there are very few Nokias available, so I would say that reliability issues may be under some scrutiny by Vodafone.)

To conclude, I will most likely leave Vodafone once my contract expires. There are much cheaper deals (even without signing up to a contract) out there now. Vodafone would have to offer me something very special, if they are to retain my custom.

However, on the flip side of this is the fact that, for me, Vodafone offers the BEST UK coverage. I have been able to use my phone in the most unlikely areas of the UK, including rural parts of the South West and Wales! So many other network providers simply don't have this level of coverage, and certainly not in remote locations.

Other services, such as 3G coverage are still in their infancy, unless you live in a large town/city. Unless you spend a lot of time online on your phone, then 2G coverage is much more economical as far as battery life goes!
Other services, such as Vodafone Live! are OK, but generally just provide a way of earning Vodafone extra revenue.
Prices? As with any network provider, there are so many variables, and you have to analyse exactly what you want from your usage, rather than what they are offering. Vodafone offer some very good deals, but it is well worth shopping around to find a package that suits you.

ONE THING TO ADD:
From June 2009, network providers are charging for ITEMISED billing.
I had this as a "free" service which I do not pay for, as it was included in one of my package upgrades. I received a letter from Vodafone in May, stating that I would be charged £1.50/month if I didn't cancel my request for itemised billing. I called Customer Care and was assured that I could NOT be charged, as it was free and included in my contract with them.
June's bill arrived: guess what? I'd been charged for itemised billing!
I called Customer Care, and I have to admit that they did go to some lengths to work out 1) why I'd been charged, 2) reimburse me and 3) how to stop the charge for itemised billing.
It turned out that this ISN'T a Vodafone charge, but an incentive by the Government to "Reduce paper use"!!! The Government take the £1.50 (inc. VAT), not Vodafone. This is the same for all Itemised Bills (from whichever provider/company! Itemised billing is now only available ONLINE. However, Vodafone are happy to send out a paper summary of the bill/monthly charges, if requested - free of charge!

Summary: Excellent 2G coverage, but Customer Care can be hit and miss.