2011-06-26

Vodacom's prepaid accounting very poor [resolved, for now]

Source: ITWeb
Update: Vodacom called me within 90 minutes after I posted this message on HelloPeter.com and sorted out the problem, very politely and in Afrikaans. That's good service! I still believe they have issues with their systems, though –possibly related to the way the different access methods interact with their main database.

I am very dissatisfied with Vodacom's prepaid accounting system. On Saturday 2011-06-25, I transferred R389 from my main telephone to my data number 079 344 5422. I got an SMS message on both phones, saying that the transfer was successful and giving the reference number as 111C2Y1X10GGXT. Yet when I do a balance enquiry via *111# on the recipient number (which I have tried about ten times) I still get a balance of about R29 some twelve hours later. The receiving number can make and receive calls so it is active on the network. How is this possible and where is the plethora of government watchdogs and consumer authorities if something like this is even possible?

When I logged on to my main account on Vodacom.co.za this morning, I briefly saw my old (pre-transfer) balance on the screen. I am sufficiently technical to understand how this is possible but how can they allow it to happen?

My reason for urgently needing Vodacom data is that my Telkom ADSL line has been down for nearly four weeks now. The two companies are starting to resemble each other – a generally excellent network combined with customer service and accounting systems that are very, very shoddy. Perhaps Vodacom should stop spending money on changing their colours and start fixing their systems!