Vodacom
Exploitation of contract customers for caller ID

I recently activated two new Smart S contracts with Vodacom. Upon activation I was perplexed to find caller ID was not working. When contacting Vodacom's customer care line, I was informed this is an additional service billed at ~R10pm per contract!

Advertising of the contracts (LG G2 on Smart S) made no clear reference to caller ID being an additional service. It may be additional charges for caller ID are disclosed somewhere in the offer presented but it is certainly not emphasised. I find this rather disgraceful. Legally Vodacom may be in right but in substance Vodacom appears to be underhanded.

I think Vodacom is abusing their contract customers by seemingly advertising an all-in package and then trying to ladle additional charges into the contract once it has been taken up. Further, I think Vodacom may be missing a trick insofar as their likely desire to limit customer churn (Vodacom is unlikely to retain me beyond my contract term).

Finally, I would like to understand why Vodacom believes they are not in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act with regards to imposing additional charges for caller ID (which one would think costs Vodacom next to nothing).

Company: Vodacom
Country: South Africa
City: Johannesburg

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