[Hands0n]

Well, with 54 pages at the time of writing, the Vodafone eForum is positively alight with protest after protest at their announced intended changes to their mobile "Unlimited" data tariff. See the full discussion here -->http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/topic/57718-mobile-internet-will-the-500mb-allowance-be-enough-for-internet-usage/

For those of you who are wondering what the fuss is all about, or maybe have just climbed down out of the tree, up out of a hole or just landed from Mars it is basically this. Vodafone have said that their "Unlimited" mobile data tariff that is 500MB per month with a FUP (Fair Use Policy) is to be changed to one with a fixed cap of 500MB instead. Should you go over that 500MB by a single byte they will charge you an additional £5 per 500MB after that.

The response has been incandescent.

Today I am picking up the odd thread here and there in the media reporting that Vodafone are having second thoughts about the new 'penalty charge' for that is exactly what it is. There is suggestion that they will use a several strikes and you are out rule instead. But nothing has been actually confirmed by Vodafone yet.

I suspect that even the mighty Vodafone are taken aback, if not shocked, at the backlash in the eForum. It is very negatively charged in there and usually Vodafone's eForum mods would have deleted the thread and any offspring that arise. But on this occasion they have let the thread run and run, very unusual for them.

The charges are supposed to commence on 1st June and Vodafone are compelled by law to give 30 days notice, so they are already in breach of OFCOM regulations. However, Vodafone claim that they only need give 14 days notice. Clever legal-types will no doubt be able to pick the bones out of that one.

The next few days will be very interesting indeed. Will people power win out? Or will the mighty Vodafone ignore its customers opinion and press ahead regardless?

Watch this space...

[miffed]

I have been watching with interest to see if the consensus swings to being able to cancel on these grounds , I remember in the similar Orange thing a year or so ago , Orange originally tried to deny obligatiation , but eveuntually rolled over - and then changed their minds !!
I am hearing of people telling Vodafone that they want to cancel , and Vodafone respond telling them that they'll review the situation in 3 months !!
(By which time the customer has accepted the situation by use of the services !!) All a bit nauughty IMO - 500mb is a among the crappest (for want of a better word ? perhaps not :) ) on the market anyway , but to apply they charges anyway really shows where keeping the customer happy laysin Vodafones list of priorities ....Which is WELL below screwing them out of as much money as humanly possible.

You know what Vodafone customers are like though ! They'll be happy to give Vodafone an extra few quid

[Ben]

It must be such a small proportion of subscribers that significantly flout the current 500MB FUP; given the terms of the FUP already give them the ability to charge extra, why don't they just isolate the biggest offenders and enforce their own FUP?

I think 500MB included and then £5/500MB thereafter is pretty reasonable for on-handset usage. But the change is unnecessary and I'd certainly prefer to see the current FUP remain but be properly enforced.

[3GScottishUser]

I got a text yesterday from Vodafone about changes to their data roaming pricing.

The idiots provided a lovely dead URL for explanation!

Needless to say I'll be using a local SIM to access the net abroad and Ive had my Vodafone PAYG Dongle unlocked for this purpose in advance!

Vodafone's pricing policy seem to be to try and recoup losses of revenue in the EU from other destinations outwith the EU.

[miffed]

I sort of agree with you Ben TBH , on reflection (if they MUST charge extra) then blocks of £5 , which you are duly notified of , seems pretty fair I suppose . But as they ARE moving the goalposts I'd like to have seen the Cap raised from 500mb to 1GB , just as a goodwill gesture or sweetener

I can't help but think that this sends out all the wrong signals though ! I though the days of trying to make customers too scared to use services were long gone ? Apparantly not !

[Ben]

I got the text from Vodafone, too, and the link sent me to the Vodafone corporate website?! Frickin' morons, how hard can it be to get a 160 character text right, particularly when you're a damn mobile operator?

Made my eyes go all sorts of a-rolling.

[chagle]

I use barely 50MB a month, just light emailing / surfing / App store. So I would think 500MB for the average user would be more than enough.