EXCLUSIVE By James Bryce

AN EXPAT is demanding compensation after being left without an internet connection for three months.

Richard Jones, 68, is angry at the lack of action being taken by internet service provider Vodafone, which charges him 49 euros a month for the connection.

It comes after the Olive Press reported in our last issue how the Spanish government has promised to get tough with the telecoms industry.

The retired licensee, from Mollina, claims the service should provide download speeds of up to 21.6Mbps but insists that he rarely receives a signal stronger than 0.78Mbps.

The problem – ongoing since April – has left Jones relying on internet cafes in Antequera.

Vodafone told Jones, from Milton Keynes, that the problem was his dongle – a device used to provide internet access in the absence of a wire connection.

But when he got a new one for 76 euros the problem was the same.

“I’m so frustrated that I have to pay out this much for a service I’m not receiving,” Jones said. “I’m paying out top whack to get internet but it’s almost non-existent.”

Despite receiving compensation equivalent to one and a half months free, Jones claims the company refuses to pay the rest until the problem is resolved.

“They tell me there’s nothing they can do, but that it should be fixed soon,” he said. “They tell me I need to speak to customer services but they’re not interested. ”

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8 COMMENTS

  1. We had the same problem, including having our mobiles cut off as they wouldn’t separate the internet and mobile bills.So when we refused to pay the bill for our non existent internet,we were unable to pay our mobile bills. Vodafone then sold the debt to a debt collector who instantly sent out threatening letters. and The debt then escalated dramatically. However we refused to pay and they eventualy went away.

  2. Vodafone pre-paid dongles are the same (Useless).
    I recharged my vodafone dongle for 50 euro for unlimited use and it lasted 6 days.
    I have been down to my vodafone shop in El Zoco (Calahonda) for the last 3 weeks asking every day what is the problem?
    They both shake their heads and say they know there is a problem but do not know what the problem is.
    Vodafone customer care lead a lot to be desired!
    I have called cuctomer service at least 5 times with no help or answers.
    I have now moved to Orange (It’s only 35 euro for the same service.
    Vodafone…Good Riddance…Never again.

  3. Richard Jones i Right… I have the same trouble with my Dongel. First week it worked fine according to the requirements and details they sold it for. Then the connection went slower and slower and now it is just horrible.

    I called a few times with the help desk, but they can not find anything. “No, it is not the Dongel. It must be something with the connection. No, we don’t know what…”.

    I see only one solution: I stop my contract with Vodafone Spain (also for my mobile phones) and try another provider. Not that they will do better, but just because they haven’t proven jet, to be worse then Vodafone ES.

  4. I’ve had a vodafone dongle for just under a year now. It has worked fine, fast with only a few drop outs now and again, until two months ago. Now I am getting such slow speeds it may as well be going backwards. Why? I have no idea. The amount of tourists suddenly in the area? Atmospherics? It doesn’t explain why it was working fine at the same time last year.

    I have not tried to contact Vodafone as I have heard that they are unhelpful. But I will be cancelling the contract before the term is up as I am not paying an extortionate amount of money for a service I am not receiving.

    I think it is awful for a provider to fail in its service in such a dramatic way. They must know there is a problem. I am in Calpe near Alicante and it is interesting to hear that the same thing is happening elsewhere. If they have network issues or bandwith problems they should announce it. In all languages and by letter. No excuse.

    Goodbye Vodafone.

  5. Perhaps collectively, if that’s at all possible, ‘we’ should go viral on facebook/twitter and all other social sites constantly keeping up a barage of complaint wrt vodafone and other errant phone providers who think they are entitled to what amounts to ‘legalised theft’.

  6. To all the commentors saying the unlimited vodaphone is slow.
    There is no such thing as Unlimited anymore.
    It was a promotion called BONO and it ended 3 months ago.
    For your 50euros you now get a maximum 2Gb download per month and when you excess that you go to 128kb which is twice the speed of dialup.

    To Richard Jones.
    Get a longer cable and tape the dongle to your window.
    In my living room i get less than 1mb.
    In certain parts of the bedroom with a longer cable and the dongle taped to certain parts of the window i get upto 8mb download.

    You need to make it work for you and find the hotspot in your house.

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