Vodacom Service Charter

This service charter is developed in accordance with ICASA’s End-user and Subscriber Service Charter Regulations

Contracting with Vodacom

When you contract with Vodacom we will inform you of the following contract terms and conditions as well as Vodacom’s complaints handling procedure:

• deposit;
• connection fee;
• administrative fees;
• insurance costs;
• in and out of bundle rates for voice, SMS and data services;
• hardware costs;
• the possibility of tariff changes during the contract term;
• rules for early termination of a contract prior to expiry of the contract term;
• rules for the carry-over of voice minutes and data;
• fair usage policies; and
• date and period of invoicing.

Promotions

Vodacom will provide you all relevant information in clear and simple language, across all platforms used to communicate the promotion. The information provided to you will include the following:

• terms and conditions of the promotion, including eligibility and fair usage policies;
• duration of the promotion;
• obligations of the end-user at the expiry of the promotion and
• all applicable fees associated with the promotion.

International Roaming

When roaming internationally Vodacom will send you a welcome message via SMS or any agreed method with the following information:

• Service care contact details;
• voicemail retrieval number and applicable rates;
• roaming networks available;
• charges applicable to incoming and outgoing voice, data services and SMS's; and
• a summary of the terms and conditions for roaming.

Vodacom will ensure that all of its terms and conditions, including deposits, credit limits and tariffs in respect of international roaming are:

• sent to you upon activation of international roaming;
• stated clearly in simple language on its website and must be easily accessible.

Vodacom will send you its terms and conditions via an agreed method with you when you have activated international roaming.

Billing

Itemised Billing

If you are a postpaid customer, Vodacom will provide you with a detailed itemised bill upon request indicating the following information:

• bundled calls (i.e. inclusive voice minutes on your tariff plan),
• specifying for each call, "0 cents" for in bundle calls, date, time, duration and recipient number;
• calls incurring a charge, specifying for each call, date, time, duration, recipient number and cost;
• bundled SMSes (i.e. inclusive SMSes on your tariff plan), specifying for each SMS, "0" cents for in-bundle SMS, date, time and recipient number;
• SMS incurring charges, specifying charges applicable, date, time and recipient number;
• in-bundle data (i.e. inclusive data of your tariff plan), which will specify for each data session, "0" cents for in bundle data, date, time and, the total data used;
• out-of-bundle data specifying charges applicable date, time and total data used;
• any additional charges incurred by you will be listed in the detailed itemised bill; and
• the applicable billing period with clear start and end dates.
• Vodacom will make available to you online systems to enable you to access and retrieve your electronic statements.
• The detailed itemised bill will be provided at a cost related to the mode of delivery.

Provision of Pre-Paid Usage Report

Vodacom will provide its pre-paid customers with a usage report within 14 days of a request, after the necessary validation to confirm the authenticity of the end-user. The usage report will be sent via e-mail or by post in accordance with the prepaid customer’s request.

We will keep your billing records for a minimum period of three (3) months, unless a longer time period is prescribed in other applicable legislation.

Any charges levied by Vodacom for the provision of a detailed usage report to prepaid customers will be limited to cost recovery.

We will get confirmation from you for acceptance prior to billing for:

• applicable out-of-bundle rates; and
• subscription to third-party services.

Voice, SMS and data services

Usage notifications

We will send all Prepaid, Top Up and Postpaid end users notifications when they have used up 50%, 80% and 100% of their data depletion. We will send all Prepaid, Top Up and Postpaid end users notifications at 50%, 80%, and 100% of voice and SMS depletion.

Data services

Roll over of unused data

We will provide all Prepaid, Hybrid and Postpaid end users with an option to roll over unused data before it expires.

Transfer of unused data

We will provide all Prepaid, Top Up and Postpaid end users with an option to transfer unused data before it expires to other end users on Vodacom's network.

Option to buy additional bundles: data

We will provide Prepaid, Top Up and Postpaid end users with an option to buy additional Data bundles at any time.

Option to buy additional bundles: voice and SMS

We will provide Prepaid, Top Up and Postpaid and end users with an option to buy additional bundles at any time.

Out-of-bundles management

We will obtain consent from Prepaid, Top Up and Postpaid end users to any out -of-bundle data charging before permitting any out-of-bundle data usage by an end user and subsequent out-of-bundle charging. As an end user, you are able to block your account from using data at out-of-bundle rates.

Quality of Service Requirements

Vodacom will provide you the following minimum quality of service requirements.

Availability of the service

Vodacom will have on average 95% network and service availability over 6 months for fixed, fixed wireless and mobile services.

Installation and activation of services

Fixed services

Vodacom will activate 95% of its fixed residential services within 30 days from the date of request.

Vodacom will activate 90% of its fixed business services within 30 days from the date of request.

Fixed wireless services: Vodacom will activate 95% of its mobile services within 48 hours.

Mobile services: Vodacom will activate 99% of its mobile services within 48 hours.

Fault clearance

Fixed services: Vodacom will clear 90% of its faults within 5 days.

Mobile services: Vodacom will clear 95% of its faults within 24 hours.

Service upgrades and network outages

We will notify you via SMS, Social Media platforms, or on the Vodacom website at www.vodacom.co.za, seven (7) days before, of any planned service interruptions due to service or system upgrades unless you have opted out of receiving such notifications.

We will you via Social Media platforms, SMS and on the Vodacom website at www.vodacom.co.za, of any major network outage that results in poor quality of service as soon as it occurs.

Complaints

• You must first lodge a complaint with Vodacom or an agent of Vodacom by calling 082135.
• You may only lodge a complaint with ICASA in the following instances:
  • When you dispute the outcome of the resolution of your complaint; and
  • When Vodacom has failed to respond or has not adequately to your complaint within the prescribed period. Should we fail to resolve your complaint within 14 days, the complaint may be escalated to ICASA by contacting them by using the following details: telephone: 012 568 3000/3001, email: [email protected].

Vodacom’s complaints handling process

Vodacom will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 48 hours and allocate and communicate a reference number to you telephonically, via text or by email.

We will resolve all complaints within 14 working days of receipt of the complaint.

A complaint will be considered closed by ICASA when you are satisfied with the outcome of the resolution proposed by Vodacom or after your complaint has been referred to ICASA’s ADR Committee and the ADR Chairperson has communicated that it has been closed in writing.

Vodacom is entitled to demand payment for the subscription fees except for the disputed portion of your bill.

Billing complaints

Where you have lodged a billing complaint, Vodacom may not:

• suspend your service while your disputed bill is being investigated
• hand over your account to collection agencies and impose penalties or charge interest on the disputed unpaid portion of the bill until your complaint has been closed.

Disputed complaints lodged with ICASA

Vodacom will acknowledge receipt of a complaint received from ICASA within 48 hours and resolve such complaints within 14 days. We will also provide feedback to ICASA on how the complaint was resolved.

Rebate

You are entitled to a rebate if you have not received services which you contracted for with Vodacom and for which you have effected payment. The rebate is limited to the days of service lost prorated against your subscription.

For dropped calls on our mobile network we will reconnect you at no additional cost.

Vodacom service care line

For any queries you may call us on the following numbers:

General Customer Care enquiries - 082 135

Vodacom Business - 082 1940

Cancellations - 082 1958

Fibre-to-the-Home - 082 1904

Sales and upgrades - 082 17844

Vodacom Repairs - 082 1944

Subscriber Collections - 082 1946

Vodacom Insurance - 082 1952

Vodacom will answer any service calls within 3 minutes.

You will also be assisted at any Vodacom retail store by speaking to a store consultant.

Impossibility of performance

In the event that we are unable to provide you with service due to circumstances beyond our control for more than 2 hours, we will:

• as soon as we become aware of an outage notify ICASA in writing and issue a public notice to affected end-users and indicate the timeframes within which you should expect the service to be restored.