Free mobile internet from Vodafone isn’t all that free

So Vodafone is running a promotional campaign tomorrow, allowing users to use the mobile internet for free. It’s calling it Free Mobile Internet Friday. And claims like that always make me highly suspicious. There’s no such thing as free.

What’s the deal?

According to the Vodafone website and advertising: “Go online on your phone all day Friday 27 November and mobile internet won’t cost you a thing, all day long. You can take advantage of this offer whether you’re a pay as you go or a pay monthly customer on a consumer price plan. And if you have a mobile internet bundle, the data you use on Free Mobile Internet Friday will not count towards your monthly data allowance.”

Sure. And what else? Boom! Terms and conditions apply. Let’s have a look:

VODAFONE FREE CHRISTMAS VMI TERMS AND CONDITIONS

▪    The Promotion is only available for browsing WAP sites on your mobile (Eligible Data). Eligible Data usage during the Promotional Period will not count towards your normal daily or monthly usage allowances.

No downloads, folks. Don’t expect the “per byte” data charges on apps, movies or music to be free. Only browsing isn’t charged for - probably streaming as well

▪    Data accessed through Mobile Broadband, Mobile Broadband Via your Phone and / or BlackBerry email and internet is not eligible for the Promotion and will be charged at your standard rate during the Promotional Period.

This point is just to clear some things up. The word mobile in “mobile internet” doesn’t refer to the same thing as the word mobile in “mobile broadband”. One is your phone, the other is a dongle. Also, sucks to be a Blackberry user!

▪    All data usage is subject to fair use limit of 25MB a day. If Vodafone believe your use is excessive, we may ask you to moderate your usage. If you then fail to do so, we reserve the right to charge you for the excessive element of your usage at your price plan’s standard rate and/or remove you from the Promotion.

So if you do manage to rack up over 25MB of data by browsing websites, Vodafone might just drop the “free” part and charge you anyway. Enjoy your “free” mobile internet! Just don’t go to YouTube.

What we think?

Ultimately, I have to admit that my comments above are a little unfair. You have to bear in mind who this service is being aimed at. It’s not targeting heavy data users or people who regularly access the web from their phones. It’s aimed at people who DON’T use their mobile internet. This isn’t a bonus for web users, it’s a hook for the uninitiated. But it still ain’t free. And if someone decides that tomorrow is the day they’ll finally try out the mobile web, and they get stung on their bill because Vodafone was a bit loose with the definition of the word “free”… well, that doesn’t help anyone.