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I signed up to a new phone/.contact on saturday and today get a bill for $58 :o How did I spend that in 5 days????? I rang The phone company to be told that my bill is charged month in advance. I argued with them until they at least halved that because a) I was NEVER at any stage told it would be charged in advance and b) I don't think I should have to pay it in advance when I haven't used the service.
Has anyone else had this??? It seems strange to me.
That's really weird - do they try to predict how much you'll spend or something? :o
Sent from my iPhone so forgive the speelung misstacks ;)
My parents had this happen with the telstra all in one bundle, they weren't very happy to get a phone bill for the past month plus the upcoming month at the same time
Optus do that, always have done. I've always been informed of it prior to taking out/updating our plans. It all evens out in the end and if you were to leave the company, you'd get a credit. It's their way of protecting themselves a little.
I had that for the first month on my new contract (I swapped from pre-paid) but they did warn me and mine's a capped plan.
Mines a capped plan to - i guess what i was angry about was at no time was i notified of it..:
Yep, I'm with optus and have had my monthly charge (not the calls made just the charge) paid in advance.
Network access fee has always been charged in advance as long as I've worked with Telstra (12 years now!) as well, and is on all the T&C for new phone contracts. Any usage over and above what's included in these plans are charged in arrears.
actually come to think of it, my first bill was for 2 months - one for the use before billing - the first month - and the second month in advance.:
you are charged your access fee/contract fee in advance, calls and call credits in arrears. it happens on every mobile service and has done forever. you will also find if you look at your home phone bill, you are charged calls in arrear, but your line rental in advance
it's exactly the same as what happens with house rental - you pay in advance.
you pay your access fee to use the network before hand, and your calls afterwards (and any call credits are applied after you've made them
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.
are you sure even your access is in arrears? i've not looked at a 3 bill, but i worked for telstra and had phone with optus before that (and my TL at telstra used to work for Voda) - they all charge access in advance, calls and credits in arrears
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.
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
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
3 might be different - the other major ones all charge in advance though
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 :)
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.