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Vodafone is one of the best-known names in both mobile phone and broadband provision in the UK and the wider world. However, even with a large, successful corporation things can sometimes go wrong. What does that mean for your account?

In this guide you find out how to fix some common issues with your Vodafone contract. We will cover bill paying, wifi, broadband and mobile data issues. If you can't fix it yourself, this guide will also show you how to get the information you need to get a swift resolution from Vodafone help and support.

Vodafone Payment and billing issues

Not being able to pay your next bill, or having missed your most recent one needn't be a huge drama. Of course, not all billing problems go against you, what if you've been overcharged, or charged for an add-on you didn't use? Either way you need to get in touch with Vodafone as soon as possible in order to advise the company about your problem. Let's look at how you can get your Vodafone contract in order.

If you have missed a payment or are struggling to pay your bill

The first thing to do is to contact Vodafone's dedicated accounts office. You can do this by calling 191 (free from any Vodafone devices). Or you can dial 03333 040 191 from any other UK landline or mobile.

One you've made contact, Vodafone will be able to:

• Change the date of your monthly payment – A useful option if you've changed job or the date on which money is paid into your bank or building society account changes
• Move you to Direct Debit – A Direct Debit will ensure that you don't forget to pay your bill
• Remove additional services – You may have signed up for add-ons when you had more money in your account. Vodafone can help you get cancel them
• Help you sell or trade in your old devices – Yes, Vodafone will offer to help you make some capital by selling your old phone, tablet or router

You have to keep in mind, however, that if you don't contact Vodafone, and you run up a debt, your services can be reduced, then disconnected. You will still have to pay off your existing contract and you will also have to pay a reconnection charge and late payment fee. Vodafone will also pass your details to credit agencies who will downgrade your credit rating.

Check your Direct Debit

Setting up a Direct Debit to pay your monthly Vodafone bill means that you are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee. This means that if you move bank or building society then your DD follows you. If, however, something goes awry due to a technical error or you've simply not got enough money in your account, you must get in contact with Vodafone as soon as you can. You can do this using your account space on the Vodafone website or calling 191 (free from any Vodafone devices). Or you can dial 03333 040 191 from any other UK landline or mobile.

What if you've been overcharged?

Not all billing problems result in you having to pay out. Sometimes you can be overcharged for a service, or charged for an add-on that you didn't order. Either way, if you've kept track of your Vodafone account details, checked your bank or building society account for any unexpected debits on a regular basis, you should contact Vodafone on 191 if you have a Vodafone device, or on 03333 040 191 on any other UK phone.

Problems with your Vodafone Broadband

Like many other companies in the UK, Vodafone's broadband works using the Openreach network. If you have any problems, however, it's Vodafone you need to talk to. But before turning to help and support, there are a few ways to fix problems yourself, and to arm yourself with the information you need to save some precious time when you do contact Vodafone support.

• Status check – The problem with your broadband might not be confined to you. The first thing to do is to check the status of Vodafone's network. Vodafone does provide an online 'status checker' for its mobile phone, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G signals. So if your broadband is provided using a data dongle (and your smartphone's signal), then this page will help you out. If your broadband is supplied by cable, however, you can search online for 'Openreach service status'
• Have you paid your bill? – It's sometimes easy to forget billing dates. So, using your account page on the Vodafone network, check to see if your most recent payment has gone through. If not, contact Vodafone immediately
• Use your Vodafone app – Vodafone has an excellent app that enables you to carry out a lot of simple diagnostics on your home network. It will only be useful, however, if your wifi is working as it should
• Is the problem with your wifi or your broadband? – Problems connecting to the internet might be closer to home than external network issues. If you're connecting using wifi, you should carry out this quick check to see if it's your broadband connection or just your wifi that's at fault. Connect a computer directly to your Vodafone Wifi Hub using a network (ethernet) cable. Disable the wifi on your computer and try to connect to a website. If you can, then the problem could be with your wifi signal. Turn wifi back on your computer. Reset your hub using the reset switch. Try connecting using wifi again. If you still can't use wifi, it's time to contact Vodafone help and support
• Turn it off and in again – Your Vodafone hub can cause problems for many complex and technical reasons but one swift way for you to sort a multitude of them out is to switch your hub off and then on again. Do this by turning it off at the wall. Waiting for two minutes (so that it powers down completely) then turn it back on. Wait for another two minutes (for it to connect to the internet) and try connecting again. If you're still having problems connecting, contact Vodafone's help and support online
• Unplug your phone – Because your Vodafone hub shares a microfilter or double wall socket with your landline phone, it could be the landline, the microfilter, or the landline cable that's causing interference. Simply unplug your landline cable and try your broadband again. If there's not a problem, then your phone is the mostly likely fault

Problems with Vodafone home wifi

Most people connect to the internet at home using wifi. So when the wifi is inconsistent or not working at all, this is a big problem. Here are a few quick fixes to get your wifi back and running.

Move your Vodafone Hub

Wifi signals are easily interrupted by solid (and even not so solid) objects like doors, walls, piles of magazines, even indoor plants. So, if you're getting weak or non-existent wifi, try moving your Vodafone hub to a more open location in your home.

Weak wifi

If your wifi signal is great in some rooms but not so good, or not there at all, in other rooms then think about investing in a wifi booster (also called a 'range extender'). These are small boxes that, as the name suggests, take your existing wifi signal and boost its reach (they won't give you 'more' wifi). Wifi boosters can be bought online and are usually quite simple to set up and use.

Problems with your Vodafone landline

Your Vodafone hub will share a socket or a microfilter with your landline. This can sometimes cause problems with either or both connections. Here are some quick checks for you to see what the issue might be.

• Test your phone on its own – Unplug your microfilter, then plug your landline cable directly into the phone socket. If all works well, then the problem could be with your hub, your hub cable or your broadband itself. Contact Vodafone help and support politely explain the problem
• Check 'call divert' – Make sure you've not turned on 'call divert' or 'call blocking' and then haven't turned it off
• Check the batteries – No one remembers when they last changed the batteries in the landline handset. Try replacing them with fresh ones and see how your landline works

Problems with your Vodafone mobile

Vodafone has a good reputation when it comes to its mobile phone provision. However, sometimes things can go wrong. Here are a few quick fixes, and ways to gather the information you need to get a quick resolution from help and support.

• Make sure your account is up to date – If you're paying monthly, keep an eye on your bank account and your Vodafone account to make sure you're up to date with your bill paying
• Check the status – If you're having a problem with your mobile signal, first check with the Vodafone network status page that the problem isn't a wider issue. You can also see if the problem is being fixed
• Vodafone mobile signal problem – Once you've checked that the problem isn't a wider network one, it's time to move your phone. Mobile phone signals can be blocked or obscured by objects like trees and buildings. Try moving to a more open area
• GigaCube internet problems – If you're using a Vodafone GigaCube to provide wifi in your home by sharing your phone's signal, but you're having problems, try disconnecting a few devices that are using it for signal, the GigaCube could be overloaded
• Vodafone Sure Signal problems – Vodafone Sure Signal used to be a way to make phone calls in an area with poor mobile phone reception. It worked using a special Sure Signal box. It has been discontinued and replaced with Wifi Calling that can be set up on your smartphone

Getting Help from Vodafone

Vodafone's website is packed with resources including step-by-step videos, that will help you to solve your most common problems. However, if you're still not sure, or need more help then try the following:

Customer service phone numbers

You can talk to a customer service representative by calling 191 (free from any Vodafone devices). Or you can dial 03333 040 191 from any other UK landline or mobile.

Online chat

Vodafone provides live online chat with a representative who will guide you to the most appropriate resources to solve your problem.

Use social media to speed up response times

Vodafone has social media accounts with both Twitter and Facebook. A polite request to either of those can result in a speedy response or at least you'll be pointed in the right direction for more help.

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