From Paul Rigg

Thursday, 9 May 2013

It seemed to go off yesterday at Slack Top at around 1830. It's been off ever since so if they've been up there since 0930 I am surprised.

I suspect that there is more than one transmitter off as there also appears to be a problem in HX2 (ie Lud Foot)

There's a form on Vodafone's website at

Which has more on it.

From Lulu Brown

Thursday, 9 May 2013

I rang (from landline, luckily was is free number:) to no avail, as a PAYG customer, there is no refund and advisor stated the network could be down for 72 hrs!!!

From Colm Osiris

Friday, 10 May 2013

Nearly three days now, and with no sign of this mast being fixed, I've been told three different things by three different people!

When I asked how come their masts can't let them know when they're having problems, I was told that as they have over 90,000 sites, only the main ones (the 'mother' sites) do that, and it would be too difficult to do it for every site. Are we convinced?! Surely it's only a question of scale, and what can be applied to one level should be applicable to another, like fractals, or even the internet itself!

I also asked about 3G coverage, which is non-existent around here, and was told that the more people that go their page and express a preference for 3G in our area, the more the chances of us getting it, but there are no plans for it at the moment.

From Simon Hayles

Saturday, 11 May 2013

I emailed BT Mobile saying I had no signal and got the reply;

"Unfortunately the Mobile Technical Team are not available through email, below are their contact details. Mobile Technical Team on 0800 032 2111"

In other words: "Please phone us and tell us if you can't make calls" Priceless!

From Lou Comerford Boyes

Saturday, 11 May 2013

Got through to Vodaphone this afternoon and they told me that engineers were still working at the site and it was not possible to give an estimation as to how long it would be before coverage was restored

I asked about a refund, and the advice I received was 'when coverage is restored, ring again and you will be refunded'. I really pushed to find out what form of refund and the means of me receiving it..... 'in the form of a credit to my phone' but when I asked how this could possibly count as a refund for a contract DD, she said 'you will receive a reduced bill next bill, but you have to ring again once coverage is restored for this to be arranged'. So lets see. Quoting the ref number in the first post of this thread helped with her locating the issue.

From Ralph Nimmann

Monday, 13 May 2013

All morning Mon 13th May and still ongoing (2pm time of this post!): no Vodafone / Lebara Network signal in Hebden Bridge!? I may have started already yesterday evening.

I guess some folks may have some financial setback because of this and wonder if anyone got through re. compensation?
Ralph - 01422 292051 - website

From Hugh W

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

I got an email from Vodafone this morning (14th) saying they have no idea when this will be fixed. I quote:

"we have no further information to give to you and no timescale. It is a high priority case with us, however we have to wait for the Hub to be replaced as that is a major fault on the site."

This suggests to me that, like many others, Vodafone puts lots of resources into smart advertising, sports sponsorship and so on, and very little into infrastructure. I mean, a week into a major cock-up and they still have no idea when it might be fixed?

For those of you who want to vent your anger, the Vodafone chief executive's email is vittorio.colao@vodafone.com (I got this from a public forum the last time VF's service went down for several days, Xmas 2011). To be honest Vittorio probably doesn't monitor it, but someone does, hence my email exchange with the "director's office" this morning. Laughably they tried to phone me first, on my mobile!

From Ralph Nimmann

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

What's going on? Since Sunday evening still no signal in Hebden Bridge on the Vodafone / Lebara network?! It's Tuesday noon already.

I guess it's a sign - getting prepared to use telepathy... ;) Ralph Nimmann - 01422 292051

From Astra Jackman

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Was told this morning by a team repairing damage to walls (?) after last week's fires that the loss of signal in HB is due to two phone masts being damaged in moor fires on evening of Wednesday (8th) and early morning of Thursday (9th) last week. This seems to tie in with loss of signal.

From Gwendoline Goddard

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Removing the battery and sim card then replacing them after 2 or 3 minutes seems to do the trick - voila! Signal restored.

From Ann Brown

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Removing the battery and sim and then replacing after a couple of minutes worked for me too!

From Graham Heafford

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

When I contacted them yesterday as a  PAYG customer, they offered free credit as compensation - wait for it, 5p!

From Nichola C

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Have you got reception now? I haven't!

I emailed Vittorio and the reply was that it would be fixed today. I still have no reception and it will be the 9th day tomorrow. I've tried the removing battery/sim tip but it hasn't worked.

Have most people got reception now? If so, they have only 'fixed' the problem up to a point as I had adequate reception 9 days ago.

I had previously called their customer service only to be given some drivel about how the mast would be 'even more wonderful' than it was before!?

Clearly it is not. As my mobile is still not working!!

I shall definitely be switching providers.

From John Baker

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Nichola and anyone else, if you're still without network then it's not due to the mast fault, which is now fixed.

You will probably need to reset your connection to the network. If you're on Android, go to settings/more settings/mobile networks/mobile provider. Let it scan for an available provider. It will find Vodafone. Select it, and then your phone should connect to the network and you're good to go.

If you're using a different OS then the process will be similar, but with different menu options.

From Deborah H

Thursday, 16 May 2013

After a lengthy and frustrating conversation with two vodafone helpline people who gave me instructions to check the available networks on my phone.

When Vodafone did not appear to be one of those available they concluded that it was my sim card which was out of date and have now sent me a new one. I tried the taking the sim card out and replacing it trick to no avail.

However, when I walked up to Heptonstall (from Hebden) I had a signal again, then two days ago the signal stayed even after I'd walked back down into Hebden Bridge.

Vodafone told me I wasn't entitled to any compensation because it was the fault of the sim card being too old (which was rubbish because it's the exact same age as the one my son who lives in London has, since he set up our contracts at the same time and he hadn't lost the network) and not a problem with the network. After reading all the above comments however, I'm going to chase them up again.

From H Potts

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Hi, I've been without mobile coverage since last Weds/Thurs though I do get occasional 'blips' of connectivity, suggesting there is a signal but that it's weak. Also I have an old SIM and the re-boot doesn't help. I phoned Vodafone for the second time today. They told me that the mast issue has still not been resolved, were very apologetic and are giving me a £10 discount on my next bill. They are also sending me a new SIM tomorrow, waiving the £2.50 delivery charge. I'll likely stay with Vodafone, since ordinarily their coverage better than many others in Hebden

From Lorraine C

Thursday, 16 May 2013

I still have no coverage at all at home (Mytholm), but limited coverage in the town. I contacted Vodafone yesterday who said that while one fault had been resolved, there was still an outstanding fault with another site (which appears as 4819, unresolved on the faults board). Again, no timescale could be given for resolution, and I was just told to ring them again once I had a service and they would arrange for a refund of the days without coverage. Luckily I don't rely on the phone for business purposes, and feel really sorry for those who do.

From Colm Osiris

Friday, 17 May 2013

This afternoon at 2pm, I will have no had no signal for ten days. I've tried the switch-it-off-and-reset-the-SIM trick - that's always the first thing they tell you to do, and I'm glad it's worked for some, but not for me.

I'm not on pay-as-you-go, but I'm not a business customer either, so presumably I still don't rate very highly on their priority list!

But I reckon we're well past refunds, and into compensation territory now. 5p is outrageous, pay-as-you-go or not. I shall be phoning them this afternoon, so I'll report back!

From G Golden

Friday, 17 May 2013

There still is a fault today (Friday at 11am)

I have been offered £10 and a refund of £6.50 for 10 missing days.pretty pathetic but better than 5p. How insulting!

A fault is one thing but the way vodafone have treated their calderdale customers is unforgivable

And so for that reason Vodafone

Your fired!

Lucky for me my contract is up and I've ordered a sim from a different network so can flip vodafone the bird with some satisfaction

They know many are contractually tied and hope will have forgotten about this when renewing contract hence the pure apathy from them.

From Deborah H

Saturday, 18 May 2013

I lost signal again for the past few days although the sim removal trick has just restored it this time.

I contacted Vodafone via the chat facility again earlier this afternoon and was told that no fault had been reported for this area....!!!

Last time they told me it was my sim at fault but

I thought the fact I had signal up in Heptonstall should have proved that wasn't the case. I gave him the case number quoted above, but he asked for the number of another customer without a signal, and the make and model number of my phone.

Eventually after informing him of all the problems others were having in this area of which people had most definitely reported, he then told me a case has now been opened. When asked about compensation wrote this;
"Aditi: We will compensate only when we see there is a fault. Not before that"

So, seems they still didn't know there is a fault despite all the calls and messages and even a previous case number and engineers doing whatever it is they are doing to fix it. No-one has told Aditi apparently. I'll be changing providers this week I think.

From Andrew B

Monday, 20 May 2013

Over the years I think I have covered every service provider. They all seem to have these periods of poor service and only sort it when people vote with their money and move networks.

If anyone is considering changing suppliers; last year I left O2 and moved to Orange (Orange and T-mobile now form part of the EE network, we get service from both companies masts) and also receive a 3G internet signal, and signal in a property where previously I didn't. To date, I have had no issues at all.