The Infinite plans launched by Vodafone sound brilliant, but it pays to read the terms and conditions to examine what’s required and what you could be charged extra for. Not everything can be used to your heart’s content, but the unlimited use of everyday services like national calls, SMS and access to social networking sites are great value.
 
Essentially, you can choose between a month-to-month no-contract, 12-month or 24-month contract, each with various levels of minimum spending. 
 
Data limits can range from 500MB to 4GB, but all data must be used through your phone handset only. 
 
What to smile about
 
On a Vodafone Infinite plan, you can use the following services as much as you’d like:
 
• National voice and video calls (to phones on Vodafone and other networks)
 
• National and international standard SMS (up to 160 characters)
 
• National and international standard picture, video and audio messaging
 
• Calling Customer Care
 
• Leaving a voicemail message
 
• Accessing Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FourSquare and MySpace
 
The limits 
 
The table below shows the fees for certain services included in your plan – and this is not necessarily unlimited. For instance, if you’re on a $45 infinite plan, then you’re entitled to $45 worth of receiving voicemail, making calls to 13/1300/18/1800 numbers, re-routed calls and calls to National and International Directory Assist. 
 
In other words, there is a limit to using some services and this depends on which type of plan you’ve signed up with.
 

 

The fees your plan covers
 
Plan type $45 month-to-month and $50 plans $60 month-to-month and $65 plans $80 month-to-month and $85 plans $90 month-to-month and $100 plans
Receiving voicemails $0.35 connection fee + $0.50 per minute $0.35 connection fee + $0.50 per minute $0.35 connection fee + $0.50 per minute Unlimited
Calls to 13, 1300, 18 and 1800 numbers $0.40 connection fee + $1.20 per minute $0.40 connection fee + $1.20 per minute $0.40 connection fee + $1.20 per minute $0.40 connection fee + $1.20 per minute
Re-routed voice call $0.28 per message $0.28 per message $0.28 per message $0.28 per message
Re-routed SMS or PXT $1.10 connection fee + applicable national/international call rate $1.10 connection fee + applicable national/international call rate $1.10 connection fee + applicable national/international call rate $1.10 connection fee + applicable national/international call rate
Calls to National or International Directory Assist $0.37 connection fee + $0.82 per minute + local rate of the country $0.37 connection fee + $0.82 per minute + local rate of the country $0.37 connection fee + $0.82 per minute + local rate of the country $0.37 connection fee + $0.82 per minute + local rate of the country
International roaming Not included $0.28 connection fee + local rate of country $0.28 connection fee + local rate of country $0.28 connection fee + local rate of country
International voice calls Not included $0.28 connection fee + (1.5 x local rate of country) $0.28 connection fee + (1.5 x local rate of country) $0.28 connection fee + (1.5 x local rate of country)

 

 

The extra charges
 
On top of that, there are penalty  fees to watch out for. 
 
There are early exit fees if you end your 12-month or 24-month contract early; fees vary depending on the minimum level of spending you’ve chosen. For example, if you’ve chosen a minimum monthly spend of $85, the early exit fee would be $85 multiplied by the number of months remaining on your contract.
 
Once you’ve used up your data allowance, additional data attracts a fee of $0.25 per MB (when using 50KB per session).
 
You can switch from one Infinite plan to another, although you will lose any outstanding credit from your existing plan. If you’re changing to a less expensive Infinite plan, you will be charged with a ‘plan change fee’.
 
-- By Stephanie Hanna

 

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