Vodafone Offers Early Contract Exits

After Ofcom warned customers about additional charges overseas, Vodafone is letting people end theirs early.

In April, Vodafone introduced new roaming charges for over 60 countries, outside the EU. They told customers via text. Ofcom intervened as it was concerned about the ‘clarity of that text message’. In a statement, Vodafone said its customers ‘like’ its products.

Vodafone’s Roam Further charges, introduced in 2017, mean customers on a monthly contract would be charged a fee of £6 per day to use their phone in countries like the US, Canada and Russia.

The changes mean customers will be charged this fee, even if they send only one text message. Which is ridiculous.

Previously, the charges varied depending on the country, but now it’s a flat fee all around.

Mobile companies are required to give customers a 30-day notice of any contract changes likely to be of ‘material detriment’. It must let customers end their contracts without penalty if they don’t agree to the changes put in place. In response to Ofcom’s concerns, Vodafone sent another message to its customers, giving them 30 days to leave their current contract.

It said it had identified 55,000 customers who were likely to face ‘material detriment’ following the new charges that are to be introduced.

In a statement, the Vodafone Roam Further would apparently ‘remove the fear of bill shock’.

“We took on board Ofcom’s views about notifications and will be sure to follow them,”

Recently Ofcom came down on phone companies after they were adding additional charges to contracts that had ended. Companies were still charging for the phone and the tariff the consumer was on.