Phone Bills in Advance???

[BrightSparkles]

It doesn't happen with every network, I'm with 3 on a monthly cap and my phone charges are debited the following month after they were incurred.

It is very frustrating if they do not advise you that it is going to happen, although it is probably written in some terms and conditions in fine print somewhere if you look hard enough.

Yep - I came home and checked my contract and NO WHERE does is state that I will be charged in advance. I have been with carrier ever since I have had a contract phone and i have NEVER had this. I had 2 others check the contract and niether of them can see it written in the contract or terms and conditions either.
So know i'm certain I will be fighting it.
It may not see allot to some and to me i'd have to pay it anyway - but now it's the principal of it.

[briggsy's girl]

depending on your phone carrier, it will be part of the standard form of agreement, generally available on their website. when you sign the contract you are signing the agreement to that SFOA

[Fuzzywuzzy]

I'm pretty sure BG, unless I am missing something on my bill.

Just looked at my last bill issued on 9 Dec, payment due on 30 Dec. It states under service summary that it's the $49 cap from 10 Nov to 9 Dec, then goes on to list call details

[briggsy's girl]

3 might be different - the other major ones all charge in advance though

[appletree]

Back in the day when i worked in customer service for a major telco it was completely standard, and was also part of the conditions that the customer must be told when they sign up for a new contract, it was also bolded and quite clear in the paperwork signed and if you signed up over the phone you were required to be recorded agreeing too it.

I regularly received calls from unhappy customers who had not been told when they purchased in store, so i used to offer them a credit for the months access in advance and submit a complaint about the dealer who sold it too them. DF, who still works for that company, was telling me just last night that they have changed it so it is almost impossible for customer service to credit a customer anymore though, there is no way i would have coped with my job if i that was the case for me, i used to credit customers left, right and centre!

Good luck! You could always try an ombudsmen complaint, or at least threaten them with one

[BrightSparkles]

After being on hold for an hour, I managed a credit on the account for the full amount - after allot of complaining and arguing. The person on the other end was so condesending telling me that I should have known thats what I was signing. i have gone back through everything I have, contract here at home and read the terms and conditions and the SOFA on the website and still cannot find it anywhere where this is written.
Appletree - the thought has crossed my mind and should it happen again I will be.