To think I shouldn't have to shell out for Vodafone when i can't help working from home?

[Maria53]

I have been working from home for a month now using my 4G router and for the first time have gone over my allowance. Clearly this is due to the fact I am working 9-5 and zoom calls are sucking up a lot of data.

Vodafone added on more data for me, which cost £12 and still I was cut off again before the end of working day at 4.40pm.

I called them 2 days ago, was on the phone for an hour and they told me I cant change my plan because I am locked in for a year. They also said I would have to start paying £50/£60 per month - I currently pay £25!

I informed my boss what was happening but she didnt say much. Who is responsible here? How can I be the one having to shell out for this when the situation is outside my control?

So many people with little understanding of broadband issues for some people.
'Just get landline broadband'
'Broadband is like water and electricity'
Not if you live rurally. Our broadband is not fast enough for zoom. Never will be. The phone exchange is 'too far away'. Speed is about 0.1mbps. I cannot WFH on my broadband- my work understand this so I have a dongle.
Trying to get my kids schools to understand this is more difficult.

If I’ve understood, your boss hasn’t said no to claiming the expense but also hadn’t encouraged you to claim either. I would send a concise email showing the additional cost and the fact you have to pay for a year. Ask directly but politely about the options available are to either get data through work or claim via expenses. I don’t have this issue but my work have covered the cost of loaned equipment such as a monitor. I appreciate my employer as a good one but I think for all basic costs should be covered.

You are not actually supposed to use home internet packages for business use at all

Where do the terms of service say that?

They don't. They may limit their liability for work-related losses, but they don't tell you you can't use it for work.

OP Vodafone should change your tariff if you are happy to lock yourself in for another 12 months. I would have thought it was in their interests for you to renew early.

I changed my husband's mobile phone tariff to one with unlimited calls the other week as he still had a monthly number of minutes. It was actually about 50p a month cheaper! So don't assume it will cost more.

In my previous jobs I could have claimed back a proportion of my broadband costs for WFH but I never bothered. It is not considered like electricity!

So many people on this thread willing to subsidise their workplaces, how many of these would also think it was reasonable if your employer asked you to pay them for your employment?

How about if you work in public services? WFH they use their own broadband / electricity without claiming back. Everyone is taking a hit at the moment, we're in this together.

Good news I think. A nice guy at Vodafone has upgraded my plan to unlimited max for an extra £8 per month so I hope that resolves the problem. Took 3 calls to vodafone to find someone to help me!

Totally agree with you @JustAnotherPoster00.

Also all these people justifying it saying you would spend X amount on travel anyway. This does not account for the fact we may be back in the offices in a few months while getting tied to a more expensive deal out of our own pockets for a foreseeable year or so once lockdown is over.

Anyway thanks all for your replies, hopefully I wont have any more problems, will have to see.