KEY POINTS:
New Zealanders holidaying across the Tasman have been unable to use their Vodafone cellphones for eight days after the company's Australian network failed to cope with a sudden increase in usage.
International cell traffic soared 2.5 times the volume expected by Vodafone Australia, leaving Vodafone NZ customers roaming
via the Vodafone Australia network unable to make or receive calls and text messages from loved ones over the holiday period. Instead their phones had "no network" messages on display.
The meltdown was initially thought to be a result of congestion from the annual surge in traffic over Christmas and New Year's but was later attributed to the shortage in international capacity.
Vodafone NZ spokesman Paul Brislen said Vodafone in New Zealand and Australia buys international capacity from supplier Optus.
"It seems they've just been completely swamped in Australia with demand for capacity on the international circuits."
It was not possible to buy more, he said.
"There simply isn't any more international capacity. It's just a matter of waiting until the demand calms down again."
One dissatisfied Vodafone customer, posting on the geekzone.co.nz website, wrote: "Roaming being down for one day is one thing, but over this period of time it can be considered a real inconvenience. And should customers have to change networks to try and get coverage?"
Another wrote: "What I find disappointing is the lack of ownership exhibited. After all, customers are paying Vodafone NZ for service and support ... Customers should not have to know or worry about what supplier Vodafone uses. Really, is it that hard for Vodafone NZ to own the issue for these Vodafone NZ customers?"
Mr Brislen did not know how many people were affected but said Australia was the firm's top destination for global roaming, with more than 50 per cent of customers headed there.
"Not everybody in Australia from Vodafone NZ will be roaming on Vodafone Australia - quite a few of them are roaming on other networks ... and they're working fine."
He stressed that it was an issue affecting Vodafone Australia's network. It had nothing to do with the almost annual Christmas and New Year's Day congestion problems on the New Zealand network, he said.
"This hasn't happened before. This year here in New Zealand we've weathered it quite well. There's been congestion but certainly nothing on the scale we've seen before."
He said the company would deal with claims of compensation on a case-by-case basis.
"With international roaming in particular, the whole process is really out of our hands and we make that quite clear in the terms and conditions."
CAN'T GET THROUGH?
Vodafone customers using the global roaming service through Vodafone Australia have been cut off for eight days.
The problem occurred because Vodafone Australia was swamped by demand for international calls.