Mobile operator Vodafone is to increase its pre-pay call set-up fee from 5 cents to 9 cents from 3 September, a spokesperson confirmed today.
Vodafone downplayed the impact of the fee increase and said that the rate change will only impact a small proportion of Pay As You Go calls.
Call set-up fees, or call connection fees, are fees charged for all calls outside of a calling plan. For example, if you had free evening or weekend calls and you make a call outside of those times.
Spokesperson Christine Heffernan told Siliconrepublic.com that approximately 75pc of national minutes on the Vodafone network are free and the increased charge will not apply to these calls.
“For the small proportion of customers’ usage impacted, we estimate this will then represent a 5pc increase in the cost of their calls.”
The spokesperson said that the rate change is “limited and targeted” and that overall the company has delivered 20pc price reductions into the Irish market in the last year.
“Specifically in relation to pay as you go customers, Vodafone gave away €5m free call credit as part of the Cheer Up Your Top Up campaign in January and will give over €3.5m worth of mobile phone vouchers to Pay As You Go customers next month,” she said.
