[Resolved]  Vodafone — Excess charges of SMS on Friendship Day(2nd Aug 09)

Generally I don’t check my phone bill, but when I saw Aug 09 bill, i got doubt. Even though I didn’t use much I see bigger amount. When I checked Itemized bill, I shocked to see the charges made by Vodafone.

I've sent friendship message at 10.28AM to my friends, which is of 221 characters. As its exceeding 160 characters it should be treated as 2 SMSs. In the Itemized bill, I found till 10:41Am it has been treated as 2SMSs(which is correct) after that same message treated as 4 SMSs. There is no change in Message, its same message and sent at once to my friends.

1. I called customer care Helpdesk, they asked me to contact corporate care by email.
2. I sent mail to Corporate care and got response in 2 days stating "no discrepancies".
3. I sent mail to understand what they mean "no discrepancies". No reply
4. I sent mail again to understand what they mean "no discrepancies". No reply
5. Contacted Customer care helpdesk ( long holds and disconnects)
6. Requested to visit Vodafone store, so went to store and explained the issue, they requested one day time.
7 Went to Store next day, again they asked for one more day.
8. Went to store after two days, again they asked one more day.
9. Got worried and called customer care helpdesk, no useful info after long hours of hold and discussions. Customer care people asked me to send mail to Corporate care helpdesk.
10. Sent mail to Nodal office, corporate care & customer care helpdesk.
11. Got mail from corporate care giving waiver of 63/- and mail from customer care stating "no discrepancies".
12. Sent separate mails requesting explanation of excess charges.
13. No response from them (Customer care & Corporate Care).
14 Send mail again keeping CC to Nodal officer.
15. Got call from Vodafone, stating they gave waiver of 63/- for the excess charged SMS.

What I want to raise a concern here.

First of all no good service from Vodafone customer care. Secondly wantedly they charged the Excess on SMS to take advantage of Friendship day messages. If same can be done across the India, they could have earned chores of rupees in few minutes. No explanation from their end, except stating everything is OK at their end.