homer
Well-Known Member
We spent last summer in Greece (on our yacht) and decided that an internet dongle would be useful. Unfortunately, we chose Vodafone. We visited their shop in Corfu town and bought an internet SIM card for our unlocked dongle and opted for a contract as this would work out cheaper over 3 months. I was assured that I could cancel the contract at any time. The paperwork took little more than an hour(!) I would have liked to have tested it but was told that it would be another hour or so before it was operational and we wanted to be getting on and so set sail. Tried it an hour later – wouldn’t work. Still wouldn’t work 2 hours on. So diverted and stopped at Kavros and cycled 3 miles (uphill) to another Vodafone shop. The woman there fiddled around for an hour or so trying to get it to work and eventually announced that the fault must be in our dongle and we would have to buy a new, Vodafone dongle; 49Euro please. Not at all sure that she was right but decided it was worth a try so cycled back to boat (3 miles there, 3 miles back) to get more money. New dongle was installed - another hour or so faffing about (with a couple of phone calls for technical help) – still didn’t work. Me; “Ok, so we will cancel the contract and have all our money back.” She; “You cannot cancel the contract within 2 months, nor can you have a refund on the dongle.” Me; “But the woman in the first shop said I could cancel any time.” She; “You can only cancel within 2 months if you cannot get a signal where you live.” Me; “Ok, we cannot get a signal here.” There was no signal in their own shop! – we had to go outside to test the thing. She; “You will have to call them on a Vodafone ‘phone to prove that the signal is weak.” Me; “I don’t have a Vodafone ‘phone.” She; “You will have to buy one. We have some very good ‘phones here.” Me; “No way. You have sold me something that does not work. I am entitled to a full refund.” She;” We are about to close the shop.” Me; “We are not leaving until the thing works or we get a refund. How about telephoning your boss and letting me speak to him?” With no good grace, she did that. I explained the problem (again). He spoke to the woman and instructed her in a very basic set up procedure (select “contract” rather than the default, “pay as you go”) and, hey presto, it worked. No apology for the 4 hours wasted.
When we left Greece, it was not straightforward to cancel the contract. (I have been advised that sometimes, the only way to stop them taking your money every month is to “lose” you credit card and get a new one.)
This summer we are back in Greece again. Not much the wiser, we decided to get a Vodafone “pay as you go” SIM rather than go elsewhere and have to buy yet another dongle. Surely that would be straightforward. So, into the Vodafone shop in Leros and bought a SIM card (showed them the dongle we already had and explained we had bought it last year). Took it back to boat. Did it work? No. Back to shop. Woman did all the things I told her I had already tried (re-booting etc.) Still didn’t work. Then, she; “This is an old dongle. They update the software every 6 months, so a new SIM will not work with an old dongle.” Me; “So you knew when you sold me that SIM that it would not work with my dongle?” No response to that. Then, she; “I can update the software but it will not fit on the dongle, I will have to put it on your computer. I will need a memory stick. Do you have one?” Me; “ Not on me, back on the boat.” (on the other side of the island). She; “You will have to get it.” Me; “By the time I get back you will be closed for the afternoon.” She; “Yes, you will have to come back after 5 o’clock.” Me; “But I don’t want to stay here tonight, we plan to sail elsewhere.” No response so I stand and wait. After a while she starts rooting through a drawer and finds a memory stick. Me; “You can use that one.” She; “No, this has vital data on it and I have no back up.” Me; “You can copy the data onto my computer and then copy it back afterwards.” No response but after a while she starts to copy the update, using that memory stick (without having to delete anything first). With the update installed it finally works. Nothing approaching an apology, just “I have fixed it for you.” As if she had done me a favour!
(Shortly afterwards, I met another Brit who had had the same experience. He ended up having to go back to the shop (13Km away) 3 times.)
The SIM card was meant to provide 15 days internet access (for 20Euro, which does not compare well with Turkcell who give 30 days for 30TL (about 13Euro) but Greece isn’t Turkey!) However, after 12 days it stopped working and just showed the “time expired” screen. On day 14, I was about to take it into yet another Vodafone shop when it started working again. I still went to the shop to complain and was put through to their “help” line. I explained the problem and asked for re-imbursement for the 2 days I had lost. I was told that since the problem no longer existed, there was nothing they could do. That’s help for you. It then stopped working again on day 15 (same problem) – 3 days lost out of the 15.
There are other networks available in Greece (Wind and Cosmote) surely they have to be better.
When we left Greece, it was not straightforward to cancel the contract. (I have been advised that sometimes, the only way to stop them taking your money every month is to “lose” you credit card and get a new one.)
This summer we are back in Greece again. Not much the wiser, we decided to get a Vodafone “pay as you go” SIM rather than go elsewhere and have to buy yet another dongle. Surely that would be straightforward. So, into the Vodafone shop in Leros and bought a SIM card (showed them the dongle we already had and explained we had bought it last year). Took it back to boat. Did it work? No. Back to shop. Woman did all the things I told her I had already tried (re-booting etc.) Still didn’t work. Then, she; “This is an old dongle. They update the software every 6 months, so a new SIM will not work with an old dongle.” Me; “So you knew when you sold me that SIM that it would not work with my dongle?” No response to that. Then, she; “I can update the software but it will not fit on the dongle, I will have to put it on your computer. I will need a memory stick. Do you have one?” Me; “ Not on me, back on the boat.” (on the other side of the island). She; “You will have to get it.” Me; “By the time I get back you will be closed for the afternoon.” She; “Yes, you will have to come back after 5 o’clock.” Me; “But I don’t want to stay here tonight, we plan to sail elsewhere.” No response so I stand and wait. After a while she starts rooting through a drawer and finds a memory stick. Me; “You can use that one.” She; “No, this has vital data on it and I have no back up.” Me; “You can copy the data onto my computer and then copy it back afterwards.” No response but after a while she starts to copy the update, using that memory stick (without having to delete anything first). With the update installed it finally works. Nothing approaching an apology, just “I have fixed it for you.” As if she had done me a favour!
(Shortly afterwards, I met another Brit who had had the same experience. He ended up having to go back to the shop (13Km away) 3 times.)
The SIM card was meant to provide 15 days internet access (for 20Euro, which does not compare well with Turkcell who give 30 days for 30TL (about 13Euro) but Greece isn’t Turkey!) However, after 12 days it stopped working and just showed the “time expired” screen. On day 14, I was about to take it into yet another Vodafone shop when it started working again. I still went to the shop to complain and was put through to their “help” line. I explained the problem and asked for re-imbursement for the 2 days I had lost. I was told that since the problem no longer existed, there was nothing they could do. That’s help for you. It then stopped working again on day 15 (same problem) – 3 days lost out of the 15.
There are other networks available in Greece (Wind and Cosmote) surely they have to be better.
) however it works. I can stand next door to a friend with Vodaphone phone, he will have no, or limited signal. My OTE, Cosmote signal will be full strength.