Vodafone set to charge customers with higher fees: 'Cheeky doing'

In a surprising move that has left many customers reeling, Vodafone, one of Australia's largest telecommunications providers, has announced a significant price increase on their mobile phone plans.

This unexpected hike could see customers shelling out up to $48 more per year for their mobile services, a change that has sparked a wave of discontent among the company's user base.



The news broke on Wednesday, 21 February, when Vodafone customers received an email notifying them of a $4 monthly increase to their mobile plan, set to take effect from 27 March.

The company justified the increase by citing the need for investment in its network.


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Vodafone has announced a price hike on its mobile phone plans. Image source: Facebook/MiGoldCoast.


'At Vodafone, we continue to invest in our network, technology platforms and security infrastructure to provide a better experience for our customers while handling an increasing amount of usage on our network,' their email read.

The company also assured customers that their monthly data allowance would see a corresponding increase.



A spokesperson for Vodafone explained that the price hike would impact many of the company's existing postpaid mobile plans.

'These changes have been made in response to the continuing high costs of doing business and to support ongoing investments in our networks, technology, and security,' they said.

Despite the increase, Vodafone maintains its commitment to offering value to its customers.

As part of the changes, the company is increasing the monthly data allowance for most impacted postpaid plans.

Customers affected by the price increase will receive at least 10GB of extra data, with some customers receiving more than 60GB, depending on their plan.



This move followed a similar trend in the telecommunications industry, with Telstra, another telco giant, increasing the price of phone packages by $2-6 per month last year.

This forced Australians to pay up to $72 more annually for their phone plans.

Brad Whitcomb, Telstra's small business executive, justified the decision by aligning it with the annual consumer price index.

'Like most businesses in Australia, we are also responding to increasing costs,' Mr Whitcomb said.

'We know price rises can be hard for some people, especially when cost of living pressures are high.'

'We want to be clear on why we’re doing this and what’s available if you need support.'

'Increasing our prices means we can continue investing in the things that matter for our customers,' he said.



Vodafone's sudden price hike has left many customers stunned and questioning the legality of the move.

'Cheeky doing while still in contract,' one person commented.

Meanwhile, a new set of rules is set to relieve the burden of many Australians as it offers a lifeline to those struggling to keep up with their bills.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has introduced a new industry standard, effective 29 March, that will require telecommunications companies to do more to proactively identify customers experiencing financial hardship and prioritise keeping them connected to services.

The new code broadens the definition of financial hardship to capture a wider set of circumstances.

It also requires telcos to offer financial hardship customers a minimum of six different options of assistance.

You can read more about the available assistance here.
Key Takeaways

  • Vodafone customers will face a price increase of up to $48 per year for their mobile phone plans.
  • The price hike was communicated via email and is associated with the company's investment in network capabilities, given increased usage.
  • Alongside the increase in bills, Vodafone will also boost monthly data allowances for affected plans.
  • The price increase followed a similar move by Telstra last year, which also cited rising operational costs and continued investments in their services.
What are your thoughts on this price increase, members? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
 
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How can they do this whilst on contract. I dont need extra data either, i am on lowest plan you can get. Same as AGL whilst on a contract, they decide to reduce the incentive for selling back to the grid. You cannot win.
 
It seems that with all these companies which require that we take out a contract, the contract applies one way only. The customer has no rights to alter the contract, cannot opt out without penalty, cannot change the amt of data (which many of us don't need/use). However, the companies can change the price they are charging for whatever service they are providing whenever they desire & the customer has no recourse. A contract is between 2 parties & both are required to honour that contract (hahaha). It's time for Consumer Affairs to get involved in this disaster & force the companies to honour the contract at the price when contract was signed.

I have refused to go with companies which require contract periods because of this constant breaching of their side of the contract.
 
How can they do this whilst on contract. I dont need extra data either, i am on lowest plan you can get. Same as AGL whilst on a contract, they decide to reduce the incentive for selling back to the grid. You cannot win.
Your not on contract with Vodafone only month to month . This is how all their plans are , it's the phone that you are paying off over 12 to 36 months which you can also payout at any time
 
VODAPHONE is about to receive a call to cancel my account.
I'm sick and tired of the increases.
I called them after the last price hike and they reduced my monthly payment... they can get stuffed this time unless they reduce to monthly payment, not increase it.
 
Telstra bumped their mobile and home charges recently citing investing in infrastructure but this is just a furphy. More $$ equals bigger bonus. Home up 5% and mobile 16.7 % but they increased data which I wouldn't use.
 
More money for them but, what about those living in country areas? Little or NO internet, and little mobile connection but still jack up their prices. The telcos need to spend money and provide country people with better connections or should I say A connection to the internet.
 
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How can they do this whilst on contract. I dont need extra data either, i am on lowest plan you can get. Same as AGL whilst on a contract, they decide to reduce the incentive for selling back to the grid. You cannot win.
1 of the many things you agree to with the T&C's under contract are annual price increases, usually in line with CPI, as do govt's in this country. Reduce the size of your data plan if you want to save. Far too many people have more data on their phones that they never use and still have a massive internet plan at home. Use the data on the phone to pig back for access to the internet at home and equally reduce your home plans.
 
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My husband and I are with Vodafone. Ours went up a while ago but we haven't received a recent email about an increase so it would seem it is not across the board. Some earlier, the rest now perhaps. We are on the lowest possible as far as we are aware and it covers what we require. Not fancy users of phones. There to use when required, not for games and social media.
 
When I bought my mobile phone I paid outright for the phone and had a prepaid account which until recently I was happy with as I rarely use it but now the contract has changed and I am allowed 300mb of data which I do not use as I have my laptop for internet. With this system I get less phone call time. NOT happy about the change . I only want phone usage, not an excuse to jack up the price and add data. I am with Telstra
 
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I’ve never used voda phone.. I have used Telstra, but not for over 20 yrs.
both are higher than other carrier.
currently I use circle.life. I’m on a $10 a month plan and receive 5gb..they’ve upped that to 8gb with no extra charge.
my husband changed from Telstra as in our area we can’t get great service with Telstra..and it’s rather expensive. We live at Glass House Mountains.
Hes now with Dodo on a $10 a month plan…and only because circle.life no longer have the $10 plan.
we don’t really use our phones for internet.
our internet provider is Superloop..it’s $59 per month..the service in our area is not the greatest for internet..as we are still using the copper wire service..but in saying that, we get the best service from Superloop. And it’s slightly faster than others.

shop around, decide what best suits your needs..never buy a phone on one of the telco plans, buy a phone outright, that way you save, and aren’t locked into contracts.
hubby and I both have apple phones.
i highly recommend, SUPERLOOP, circle.life, and Apple.
Im unsure about Dodo as yet as he’s only had this service just over a month.,
 
TPG has also decided to get out of emails and offered " The messaging company". If you don't want to join then you will lose all your info. If you accept then you are at their mercy so to speak regarding service costs in future, when the renewal is due!
 
1 of the many things you agree to with the T&C's under contract are annual price increases, usually in line with CPI, as do govt's in this country. Reduce the size of your data plan if you want to save. Far too many people have more data on their phones that they never use and still have a massive internet plan at home. Use the data on the phone to pig back for access to the internet at home and equally reduce your home plans.
Smart thinking #99..... I do just that......
 

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