Traditionally the use of cellphones and other electronic devices were banned from in-flight use due to the fear that these devices might have an impact on airplanes’ communication and navigation systems. Back in 2004 the American FCC (Federal Communications Commission – their version of ICASA) started looking into lifting the ban on in-flight voice and data services. The American FCC now, some 4 years later, gave their OK to allow in-flight data and voice services over the previously (little) used seat-back telephony frequency.

Interestingly enough, the airplane manufacturer Boeing, had launched an in-flight data (wifi) service on Lufthansa flights back in 2004 after receiving the go-ahead from the German communications and aviation authorities. This service was also later rolled out on some Asian (ANA, Japan Airlines, Korean Airlines, Singapore Air and more) and Scandinavian airlines. Br!ghtshark himself incidentally made use of this service in 2006 on a flight between Cape Town and Frankfurt (updating his travel blog from 39′000 feet), just before the service was discontinued end of 2006 (due to financial reasons – it seems that being first in the market isn’t always a sure bet).

At this stage almost all carriers, even South African Airways, are in the process of petitioning their respective aviation and communication authorities to allow onboard wifi and cellphone usage. In a market where profit margins are under severe pressure and the uptake of technology is more and more, the additional revenue which carriers can generate from add-on services could be most valuable. The South African CAA is likely to listen to the request of SAA, as they subscribe to the regulations passed on by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The South African CAA has also indicated that the committee that considers changes and additions to flight regulations, are willing to listen and consider changes to the communication regulations.

A lot of travelers however approach this technology with some wariness, since the skies used to be one of few quiet zones were travelers could have some down-time before hitting the next meeting in the next city. Also, many a traveler is concerned about having to sit next to a person in heated conversation the entire two hour duration of a JNB-CPT flight. It is also not only the travelers that are concerned, but also the legislatures (maybe because law makers themselves are frequent travelers): in the US there is a draft bill being tabled (in typical American fashion of loving acronyms, it is called the “Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace”, or HANG UP Bill) which will make voice calls illegal (sms’ and accessing the internet will still be allowed though).

With the large number of wifi-enabled devices out there (from PlayStationPortables, to Nintendo DS’ and smartphones), it is possible that market forces could outweigh the peace-and-quiet-brigade. Br!ghtshark himself would not mind to be able to listen to streaming audio and watch youtube rather than the boring seat-back entertainment, if he could be spared the incessant chatter of some Suzy discussing her make-up and pooch for a two hour long flight. Bring on the wifi!

In a similar bad customer experience brightshark recently had, he posted his experiences online. When people now search for such things as “absa credit card”, “absa customer”, “absa service” or “absa fnb”, they all land here, here and here. A full 30 of them per day. That’s 30 generation x-ers which the marketing geeks have to win over again by spending millions of rands (it was already R96m 5 years ago*).

Now, over to my moan (entire email correspondence recreated here):

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 27 August 2008 07:07 PM
To: [Vodacom-Rep2]
Cc: ‘cc_ct@vodacom.co.za’; ‘consumer@icasa.org.za’
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO XXXXXXXXX)

Dear [Vodacom-rep2],

I should probably not be surprised that I did not receive any reply, nor even a courtesy telephone call, from you or anybody else at Vodacom in respect of my email below – I am getting quite accustomed to this kind of service from Vodacom. It is obvious that any sense of urgency on the side of Vodacomis completely lacking, bar for illegally deducting monies from customers’ accounts.

I will now proceed to publish this whole tirade on my blog. I will also proceed to post this item on hellopeter.com: hopefully I finally get some joy from some third party at Vodacom.

I also foresee that I must now actually put my attorneyship to use and issue summons against you – something which I will have no qualms in doing.

In this regard, I now hereby formally demand payment from you, as a duly authorised representative of Vodacom, in the amount of Rxxx.xx together with interest thereon (as at the prescribed rate in terms of the rules of the Magistrates Court), calculated from 01 August 2008 to date of final payment as well as damages in the amount of Rxxx.xx, to be paid by no later than close of business on Friday 29 August 2008.

Please advise what your chosen domicilium citandi et executandi is so that I may proceed with the necessary, failing which I will issue summons against Vodacom in terms of the Companies Act read with the rules of the Magistrates Court Act.

Should I furthermore fail to receive any joy from your offices by close of business on Friday 29 August 2008, I will also proceed to lodge a formal complaint against your offices with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, in terms of the ICASA Act, 2000.

I again invite you to raise communication with my telephonically or otherwise should you wish to for once and for all settle this matter amicably, as per my email dated 8 August 2008. My number is [083 xxx xxxx].

Sincerely,

[br!ghtshark]

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 25 August 2008 09:29 AM
To: [Vodacom-rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO XXXXXXXXXX)

Dear [Vodacom-rep2]

Thank you for contacting me for the first time ever without me having to raise communication with you first.

In this regard, I would now look forward to a reply to my email dated 18 August 2008 (copy attached hereto for your easy of reference), which you do not address at all in your response. I will not accept the mere passing over or ignoring of my communications.

In all fairness, your offices have now been “working through the query” since 14 July, SIX WEEKS AGO. I fail to understand how you can still now forward me communication stating “IF we owe money”. This is poor customer service to the extreme.

In summary I now look forward to a PROPER reply spelling out the following to me (also raised in my email dated 18 August 2008, to which I had not yet received a courtesy of a reply):

“

1. WHEN will I receive the credit on my account

2. WHEN will my money be returned to me

3. HOW will my money be returned to me

4. HOW will you make good for all my inconvenience and frustration (you will note that (1) I initiated communication on 14 July and (2) you still deduced the money from my account some 2 weeks later and (3) I never received any feedback from Vodacom without me initiating communication first numerous times).

You will note that the credit has been pending since 21 July. Also, on top of this, my account was surreptitiously debited with the outstanding amount, despite me raising your error long in advance.

“

Should I fail to receive a proper response by close of business on the 27^th instant, I will proceed to reproduce the whole tirade (including all email correspondence) on my blog. In a similar bad service experience, I also reproduced the experience that I had with Absa on my blog, same now receiving some 30-odd pageviews per day (incidentally when people google for absa credit card, etc). I trust that I will now for once and for all have joy from your offices and that the aforesaid would not be necessary.

Sincerely,

[br!ghtshark]

From: [Vodacom-rep2]
Sent: 23 August 2008 03:58 AM
To: [br!ghtshark]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO XXXXXXXXX)

Hi [br!ghtshark]

I apologies, I am still working through the query, but if we owe you money it will credited to you

Regards

[Vodacom-rep2]

Strategic Accounts

( Mobile:      +27 82 xxx xxxx

* Email:      xxxxxxx@vodacom.co.za

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 15 August 2008 22:09
To: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO XXXXXXXX)

Hi [Vodacom-Rep1],

Am I getting my money back, or is there now going to be a permanent credit on my account?

Regards,

[br!ghtshark]

From: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Sent: 15 August 2008 10:49 AM
To: [br!ghtshark]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO XXXXXXXXXX)

Mr [br!ghtshark]

I have again requested the credit to be passed to your account from our admin helpdesk.

Regards

[Vodacom-Rep1]

Customer Relations Consultant

Vodacom Business

Tel       : +2711-xxxxxxx

Mobile : +2782xxx xxxx

email   : xxxxxxxx@vodacom.co.za

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 08 August 2008 12:47 PM
To: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO XXXXXXX)

Some Rxxx-odd. Please refer to your own records for the details.

From: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Sent: 08 August 2008 12:42 PM
To: [br!ghtshark]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxx)

What was the amount that was taken off?

[Vodacom-Rep1]

Customer Relations Consultant

Vodacom Business

Tel       : +2711-xxxxxxx

Mobile : +2782xxx xxxx

email   : xxxxxxxx@vodacom.co.za

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 08 August 2008 12:33 PM
To: [Vodacom-rep1] [Vodacom-rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxxx)

Thank you. Please advise me once I’m able to have my money returned to me, alternatively regular feedback on the status and resolution of the issue.

From: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Sent: 08 August 2008 12:28 PM
To: [br!ghtshark]; [Vodacom-Rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxx)

Mr [br!ghtshark]

I apologise for not replying to your previous email.  I’m currently busy with the credit controller as we need to do journals on the account.

I will supply feedback when I receive confirmation from the credit controller.

Regards

[Vodacom-Rep1]

Customer Relations Consultant

Vodacom Business

Tel       : +2711-xxxxxxx

Mobile : +2782xxx xxxx

email   : xxxxxxxx@vodacom.co.za

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 08 August 2008 12:23 PM
To: [Vodacom-rep1]; [Vodacom-Rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxx)
Importance: High

Dear All,

Yet again another week went by without me even receiving the courtesy of an acknowledgement of receipt of my email, never mind an actual response to my email.

The lack of customer service is shocking. Now I know why cancelled my Vodacom contract and moved all three my personal accounts to MTN 4 years ago.

I look forward to a response or a telephone call on 083 xxx xxxx to resolve this issue as soon as a matter of urgency.

Sincerely,

[br!ghtshark]

(B.Comm, LLB – Admitted Attorney of the High Court)

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 01 August 2008 08:48 AM
To: [Vodacom-Rep1]; [Vodacom-Rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxx)
Importance: High

Dear Anna-Marie,

I just received an SMS from my bank that my account was debited by yourselves for the wrong outstanding account amount (as per the emails hereinbelow).

Please advise why, despite me raising this issue long in advance, my account was still debited with the outstanding amount. I have no intention to run over my 3G account limit (I monitor the usage religiously) since I have access to a MTN 3G card as well – this means that I will never utilize this “credit” on my account.

In my opinion this is very poor customer service especially since I have made the effort to avoid this situation timeously. In this respect I expect to be reimbursed, together with banking charges and interest (calculated daily, compounded monthly) as a matter of urgency. This is not even to mention and calculate the inconvenience, wasted time and effort in me having to address Vodacom’s inability to manage their systems correctly. To say that I am not impressed is putting lightly.

I now look forward to receipt of your positive response.

[br!ghtshark]

From: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Sent: 21 July 2008 04:19 PM
To: [br!ghtshark]; [Vodacom-rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxx)

Good day [br!ghtshark]

I have given instruction to our admin department to rectify the account.  I will give you feedback as soon as its been resolved.

Thank you

[Vodacom-Rep1]

Customer Relations Consultant

Vodacom Business

Tel       : +2711-xxxxxxx

Mobile : +2782xxx xxxx

email   : xxxxxxxx@vodacom.co.za

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 18 July 2008 07:01 PM
To: [Vodacom-rep1]; [Vodacom-Rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxxx)

Dear All,

What was the outcome of the meeting?

Regards,

[br!ghtshark]

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 17 July 2008 01:19 PM
To: [Vodacom-rep1]; [Vodacom-Rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxx)

Thanks a lot.

From: [Vodacom-rep1]
Sent: 17 July 2008 08:56 AM
To: [br!ghtshark]; [Vodacom-rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxxxx)

[br!ghtshark]

We have a meeting with [br!ghtshark-employer] this afternoon to sort out these problems.  After the meeting we can start address the issues to sort out the problem.

[Vodacom-Rep1]

Customer Relations Consultant

Vodacom Business

Tel       : +2711-xxxxxxx

Mobile : +2782xxx xxxx

email   : xxxxxxxx@vodacom.co.za

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 17 July 2008 08:50 AM
To: [Vodacom-rep1]; [Vodacom-rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxx)
Importance: High

Hi all,

I have not yet received any response or feedback from any person at Vodacom about this.

The courtesy of a response from Vodacom would now be welcomed.

Regards,

[br!ghtshark]

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 16 July 2008 11:43 AM
To: [br!ghtshark-colleague]
Cc: ‘[Vodacom-Rep1]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxx)
Importance: High

Hi [br!ghtshark-colleague],

The wrong simcard numbers have definitely been allocared to the wrong people as you will see from my email below. I have simcard # xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in my possession. I have no idea who [xxxxxxxx] is.

Please have Vodacom swop the two simcard number allocations around as well as sort out my account: I do not want to be liable for the account of Rxxx.xx. Or, at the very least, reverse the charges on my account and allocate my simcard to my account.

Thanks,

[br!ghtshark]

From: [br!ghtshark-colleague]
Sent: 16 July 2008 11:40 AM
To: [br!ghtshark]
Subject: FW: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxxxx)

Hi,

Please check below.

Regards

From: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Sent: 16 July 2008 11:32
To: [br!ghtshark-colleague]
Cc: [Vodacom-Rep2]
Subject: RE: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

[br!ghtshark-colleague]

Again if you check your list you will see that the simcard number xxxxxxxxxx has been allocated to [br!ghtshark] and we have linked that simcard to his K account on our systems.

The details below with simcard xxxxxxxxxxxx belongs to [xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] and its linked to a sponsored K account on our systems.

Please advice.

[Vodacom-Rep1]

Customer Relations Consultant

Vodacom Business

Tel       : +2711-xxxxxxx

Mobile : +2782xxx xxxx

email   : xxxxxxxx@vodacom.co.za

From: [br!ghtshark-colleague]
Sent: 14 July 2008 09:49 AM
To: [Vodacom-Rep1]
Cc: [Vodacom-Rep2]
Subject: FW: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxx)
Importance: High

Hi,

Please assist in correcting the below

Regards

From: [br!ghtshark]
Sent: 14 July 2008 09:44
To: [br!ghtshark-colleague]
Subject: 3G Account incorrect (ACC NO xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Importance: High

Hi [br!ghtshark-colleague],

Our telephone conversation earlier today refers.

It seems as if the wrong simcard was linked to my account profile as I received a bill with SMS charges on it whilst I had certainly not sent any SMS’ from that number.

My details are as follows:

Account number: xxxxxxxxx

Cell no according to account: xxxxxxxx

My cell no: xxxxxxxxx

My simcard no: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My device IMEI: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Please also advise how I should now proceed with the account due of Rxxx.xx?

Thanking you in anticipation.

Kind regards,

[br!ghtshark]

When consumers enter into a cellphone contract with a mobile operator, the operator would subsidise the handset considerably in exchange for locking a consumer in for two years. Normally a consumer would have no choice other than buying the phone outright (and then not be entitled to a subsidised handset or special offer monthly fees) or by going ahead and biting the bullet by taking the subsidised cellphone and then being locked in for two years

The new regulations that were published on 17 June 2008 (coming into effect on 17 August 2008) will force mobile operators to provide the consumer with options of a 6-, 12-, 18- or 24-month contract and clearly show the amount by which the handset is subsidised.

This flows through to the requirement that mobile operators must now clearly indicate on your monthly cellphone bill what amount of the subsidy is still outstanding as well as what you will be liable to pay if you would want to cancel your cellphone contract.

If you would decide to go ahead and cancel your contract (to get your hands on that shiny iPhone of course!), the regulations would assist by prohibiting the cellphone providers from charging exorbitant “cancellation” fees (the cancellation fee must in effect be proportional to the remaining contract fees and remaining handset subsidy) to end your contract.

Lastly, mobile operators would now be required to send subscribers a monthly sms to inform them of the amount of “free minutes” that is still available.

When you have navigated the admin surrounding your contract and get to signing up for your iPhone, you can now rest assured that according to the new regulations, a so-called “connection fee” would also not be allowed.