Gold plated mp3s :(
June 3, 2010 1:43 AM Subscribe
Help me negotiate with my phone company when I feel that I've been unfairly billed for data useage.
I purchased an iphone plan with 1.5g of included data and then added mobile tethering (mobile as modem) for an extra $10 a month. The company provides an iphone application to monitor data use, and states on the app that this can be delayed up to 24 hours. I used this app at least every few days to keep track of where I was at, and daily in the last week of the month, as I was paranoid about going over the limit as I'm not earning a lot of money right now. My billing period is from the 4th to the 4th of each month.
1. On the last day of my first billing period (Mar 4 - Apr 4), I was WELL under the data limit (according to the app), so I downloaded a bunch of mp3s. I was charged about $100 for exceeding the limit by 500mb. I was upset but thought I must've downloaded more than I'd realised, and sucked it up and paid.
I have now looked at this bill, and I can see that the "big mp3 download fest" was 450mb worth, however, according to my bill, I had already been OVER the 1500mb limit for 5 days.
2. In month 2 (April 4- May 4), I was extra careful with my downloading, and again relied on the app. I didn't download much at all until the last 2 days. The same thing happened again.
Looking at the itemised bill now, I can see that I was already OVER the 1500mb limit for 4 days. Again, I wouldn't have started downloading mp3s in the final 2 days if the app had shown that I was already over the download limit. The total useage was ~1900mb
3. This month (May 4- June 4), I was monitoring my data useage earlier in the month, and about a week and a half before the end of the billing period, the app said I'd used about 1200mb. The next day it showed only 900mb! I freaked out and called the company. The person I spoke to was surprised by my second bill, and told me that the company had increased the data allowance to 2g with effect from April 4, and hence, I should have been *under* the 2g last month - and not billed an extra $150 or so. He has been trying to follow this up for me for a few days but said he was getting nowhere and suggested I call a manager.
4. I called again today, and a different consultant tried to explain that I wasn't entitled to the 2g because that started in April, and I added mobile tethering in March. I asked if I had cancelled, and then re-added internet tethering the same day in April, if I would have got the extra 500mb, he said probably. I said this didn't seem very fair, and plus, the previous consultant had told me that EVERYONE had 2g with effect from 4 April (more worryingly, this morning I downloaded about 600mb of data, as the app is showing me 1100mb used so far, and I was told yesterday that I could download up to 2g, and it's the final day of the current billing period)
Ideally I would like to be refunded for the extra charges for these two bills as the app is clearly unreliable. I wouldn't have downloaded 500mb if the app had shown me I'd already been past my limit in any of these months. If they won't do that, I'd like to be refunded for the extra I was charged for month 2, as I did not exceed the 2g that apparently everyone had that month. As a real last resort, I do not want to be overcharged this month as the downloads I made today were based on being told yesterday that I had 2g of data.
I'm upset because I truly did track my data useage using the company app and I feel that its unreliability was what caused me to go over the limits, but it's a big company and I'm sure they get people making stuff up all the time. Also, I don't have the technical knowledge to make any big claims about the app. The other day a friend of mine who works for the company in IT said he wouldn't trust the app, and I should use a 3rd party app instead. Going forward this is what I will do, but what now?
How can I best approach this? A manager at the call centre is apparently going to call me back. We are talking about close to $300 here (probably more when I get the bill for this month!). I am currently at university so that is a lot of money for me. The whole reason I just paid the $10 to have mobile tethering added to my phone plan was because I couldn't afford the $70 odd dollars a month to get proper internet put in.
Any kind of advice much appreciated...
I purchased an iphone plan with 1.5g of included data and then added mobile tethering (mobile as modem) for an extra $10 a month. The company provides an iphone application to monitor data use, and states on the app that this can be delayed up to 24 hours. I used this app at least every few days to keep track of where I was at, and daily in the last week of the month, as I was paranoid about going over the limit as I'm not earning a lot of money right now. My billing period is from the 4th to the 4th of each month.
1. On the last day of my first billing period (Mar 4 - Apr 4), I was WELL under the data limit (according to the app), so I downloaded a bunch of mp3s. I was charged about $100 for exceeding the limit by 500mb. I was upset but thought I must've downloaded more than I'd realised, and sucked it up and paid.
I have now looked at this bill, and I can see that the "big mp3 download fest" was 450mb worth, however, according to my bill, I had already been OVER the 1500mb limit for 5 days.
2. In month 2 (April 4- May 4), I was extra careful with my downloading, and again relied on the app. I didn't download much at all until the last 2 days. The same thing happened again.
Looking at the itemised bill now, I can see that I was already OVER the 1500mb limit for 4 days. Again, I wouldn't have started downloading mp3s in the final 2 days if the app had shown that I was already over the download limit. The total useage was ~1900mb
3. This month (May 4- June 4), I was monitoring my data useage earlier in the month, and about a week and a half before the end of the billing period, the app said I'd used about 1200mb. The next day it showed only 900mb! I freaked out and called the company. The person I spoke to was surprised by my second bill, and told me that the company had increased the data allowance to 2g with effect from April 4, and hence, I should have been *under* the 2g last month - and not billed an extra $150 or so. He has been trying to follow this up for me for a few days but said he was getting nowhere and suggested I call a manager.
4. I called again today, and a different consultant tried to explain that I wasn't entitled to the 2g because that started in April, and I added mobile tethering in March. I asked if I had cancelled, and then re-added internet tethering the same day in April, if I would have got the extra 500mb, he said probably. I said this didn't seem very fair, and plus, the previous consultant had told me that EVERYONE had 2g with effect from 4 April (more worryingly, this morning I downloaded about 600mb of data, as the app is showing me 1100mb used so far, and I was told yesterday that I could download up to 2g, and it's the final day of the current billing period)
Ideally I would like to be refunded for the extra charges for these two bills as the app is clearly unreliable. I wouldn't have downloaded 500mb if the app had shown me I'd already been past my limit in any of these months. If they won't do that, I'd like to be refunded for the extra I was charged for month 2, as I did not exceed the 2g that apparently everyone had that month. As a real last resort, I do not want to be overcharged this month as the downloads I made today were based on being told yesterday that I had 2g of data.
I'm upset because I truly did track my data useage using the company app and I feel that its unreliability was what caused me to go over the limits, but it's a big company and I'm sure they get people making stuff up all the time. Also, I don't have the technical knowledge to make any big claims about the app. The other day a friend of mine who works for the company in IT said he wouldn't trust the app, and I should use a 3rd party app instead. Going forward this is what I will do, but what now?
How can I best approach this? A manager at the call centre is apparently going to call me back. We are talking about close to $300 here (probably more when I get the bill for this month!). I am currently at university so that is a lot of money for me. The whole reason I just paid the $10 to have mobile tethering added to my phone plan was because I couldn't afford the $70 odd dollars a month to get proper internet put in.
Any kind of advice much appreciated...
First of all, if you talk to any of these people, try not to think too hard about the other "people making stuff up all the time" they likely or unlikely have to deal with. Since you're clear in your own case, it doesn't matter at all what others do.
If you're dealing with companies on the phone, always note the date and time of the call, make a synopsis of the information exchanged (see jon1270's suggestion), and refer to these at appropriate moments further down the discussion. This that adds a lot of authority to your claims: they will often be able to track the specific call down, and even if not, they (might) see that you're not making random claims.
Edit your own text above to the bare minimum of relevant information, keeping the chronology straight, and refer to that in your discussions with them. It will aid you keeping your story comprehensible and consistent.
If telephone contact doesn't do the trick, make your statement (file a complaint) in writing over their website. A good company would have a functional response routine for e-mail complaints. I've had very good results with that a number of times.
If, in any of the responses you get, you sense that the person at the other end hasn't quite understood your problem, try to re-phrase (as opposed to re-state) your request. Help-line people have a lot of work to do, and some do this sloppily, they scarcely read what you wrote. Edit your request so the most important key problem is clearly stated in your first sentence, or add disclaimers in that sentence such as "I have addressed this before, but it hasn't been fixed. I will explain the problem again as shortly as possible, please bear with me" or something. I know. It sounds silly and counter-productive, but I actually had a company call me and settle stuff a day after a message like that.
Ask specifically for the app to be fixed, or for alternative tools that work better.
If none of this brings you anywhere, it is time to consider whether pursuing this is worth bothering, or changing the company is your way to go.
posted by Namlit at 3:40 AM on June 3, 2010
If you're dealing with companies on the phone, always note the date and time of the call, make a synopsis of the information exchanged (see jon1270's suggestion), and refer to these at appropriate moments further down the discussion. This that adds a lot of authority to your claims: they will often be able to track the specific call down, and even if not, they (might) see that you're not making random claims.
Edit your own text above to the bare minimum of relevant information, keeping the chronology straight, and refer to that in your discussions with them. It will aid you keeping your story comprehensible and consistent.
If telephone contact doesn't do the trick, make your statement (file a complaint) in writing over their website. A good company would have a functional response routine for e-mail complaints. I've had very good results with that a number of times.
If, in any of the responses you get, you sense that the person at the other end hasn't quite understood your problem, try to re-phrase (as opposed to re-state) your request. Help-line people have a lot of work to do, and some do this sloppily, they scarcely read what you wrote. Edit your request so the most important key problem is clearly stated in your first sentence, or add disclaimers in that sentence such as "I have addressed this before, but it hasn't been fixed. I will explain the problem again as shortly as possible, please bear with me" or something. I know. It sounds silly and counter-productive, but I actually had a company call me and settle stuff a day after a message like that.
Ask specifically for the app to be fixed, or for alternative tools that work better.
If none of this brings you anywhere, it is time to consider whether pursuing this is worth bothering, or changing the company is your way to go.
posted by Namlit at 3:40 AM on June 3, 2010
So much for sloppy editing: My parenthesis (see jon1270's suggestion) needs to go in my third paragraph, obviously. Sorry for that.
posted by Namlit at 3:42 AM on June 3, 2010
posted by Namlit at 3:42 AM on June 3, 2010
Go to settings -> General -> Usage and look at the data usage. Reset it at the start of each billing cycle. This is tracked _on the phone_ so shouldn't be delayed.
posted by CharlesV42 at 4:49 AM on June 3, 2010
posted by CharlesV42 at 4:49 AM on June 3, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the help so far! I've tried calling (again...) and they're now closed. I sent a summary email in case it makes it easier and I've written down the dates the specifics so I can have them on hand when/if they call back/I call them.
I should add that it wasn't AT&T :)
And thanks CharlesV42, I've just done that now, hopefully that should see me right for next month, and then I'll just get proper internet put in my flat (with a different company if these guys don't respond well)
posted by Chrysalis at 4:59 AM on June 3, 2010
I should add that it wasn't AT&T :)
And thanks CharlesV42, I've just done that now, hopefully that should see me right for next month, and then I'll just get proper internet put in my flat (with a different company if these guys don't respond well)
posted by Chrysalis at 4:59 AM on June 3, 2010
Adding to what CharlesV42 said: Set a calendar reminder to make sure you actually remember to reset it each month. I use iCal for these reminders on my Mac, and I'll be honest... without them, my plants would be dead, dead and more dead.
posted by 2oh1 at 5:52 PM on June 3, 2010
posted by 2oh1 at 5:52 PM on June 3, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks all for your help. I finally got it all sorted out today. They tried to offer me a partial refund but I held my ground, explained again why I was entitled to a full refund of the overcharge and a partial refund was unacceptable, then said "Do you see where I'm coming from?" which I think helped as well cos you kind of have to say "yes" when someone asks you that. I finally have a full refund. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to read through my long and boring post and help me out with this. Big love!
posted by Chrysalis at 6:36 PM on June 7, 2010
posted by Chrysalis at 6:36 PM on June 7, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
1. I relied on your app to make sure I hadn't gone over my download limit.
2. Despite the fact that the app has consistently told me that I've never exceeded my download limit, I have been repeatedly charged for overages. I don't have any way to know whether the error is in the bill or the app, but this mess is AT&T's fault either way. These charges are unacceptable, and I need help getting them reversed.
3. Since the app is evidently unreliable, I need to know how I can accurately track my usage in the future to avoid recreating similar problems.
If the person you are talking to can't help you, insist on talking to someone who can. If they say that nobody can, simply repeat that that is unacceptable and insist on talking to their superior. Try and keep your anxieties and your personal financial situation out of it -- these things are not relevant. Focus on the simple fact that AT&T screwed up and needs to clean up the mess.
posted by jon1270 at 3:24 AM on June 3, 2010 [4 favorites]