help! cellphone bill way too high!

October 2, 2007 6:44 PM

Is there any way a cellphone company might lower my outrageous overage charges that are completely my fault? I discovered with horror that I stupidly went over the allotted "whenever" minutes last month, to the tune of an extra 300 bucks. This isn't a moral thing: I'm not blaming the company. I just slipped up, the 300 bucks is a lot to me right now, and I'm wondering if there's a way to convince them to take pity on me.

I could go into the dubious ethics of cellphone company tactics, but I won't here. I'm about a year into a 2-year contract that would require a $200 early cancellation fee. Would threatening to switch to a new company do any good? If I were to eat the 200 bucks and switch, they'd lose money, after all, so it's possible they'd try to keep me, right? Is there a certain thing to say or a certain department to talk to that might allow a one-time mercy reprieve? I realize people have worse problems, and I won't die a horrible death on the street if I have to eat this and pay, but a way to get out of it would be SWEET.

Darned cellphone company got me!

posted by odayoday to Work & Money (15 answers total)

I don't think threatening to switch providers is going to help you any, but you could ask them if they would eat some of it if you raise your current plan and maybe extend your contract another 2 years.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 6:51 PM on October 2, 2007

Sometimes they'll just forgive your bill if you call and change your plan to a more expensive one. I did this once and they told me I didn't have to pay the overage charges. I didn't even have to ask.
posted by lemuria at 6:54 PM on October 2, 2007

once you start with the threats they're going to tune the F out and give you no quarter.

YOUR BEST BET is to call up, say you messed up and ask "is there anything you can do to help me here... maybe find me a plan that better suits my needs?"

if that doesn't work, nothing will.

and do ask them to waive part of the bill because you're an idiot [not that you are but play the part], and if they won't do that ask if they can put you on a payment plan.
posted by Mr_Crazyhorse at 7:03 PM on October 2, 2007

If you quit your plan you will still have to pay the $300 fee.
posted by Anonymous at 7:06 PM on October 2, 2007

Seconding what others have said. Call and change your plan to a more expensive one. This will generally cause your contract to be extended by a year or two but if you're happy with the company and plan to stay with them anyway, don't get too hung up over that fact.

I can pretty much guarantee they will waive the bill as it stands.
posted by 913 at 7:09 PM on October 2, 2007

You have two options that come to mind. I will also second the advice that you kill them with kindness and don't raise a stink.

1. Call in and feign ignorance about the plan you signed up for. Claim that the sales representative gave you the impression you had more whenever minutes or something. If the say you need to go back to the rep say you'd really appreciate if they could do something for you now as the store location is a long way from your home.

2. Call in (or go back to where you purchased if it's a company owned store) and explain that you did not anticipate using it to the level you have been and feel it best if you raise your plan. While doing that ask if they could possibly make it retroactive or take off the charges. Often times they may split the charges or eliminate them completely. One bonus to going back to your original rep is that they will most likely be charged back commission if you cancel within a year so they have some skin in the game to keep you happy.
posted by Octoparrot at 7:13 PM on October 2, 2007

It's been a few years, but I've made the same mistake before -- I called Verizon and basically asked really nicely, explaining that I had lost track of the minutes and could they help. Once they just waived the charges entirely - I think it depends on the rep you get.

I wouldn't threaten, just explain and ask nicely. If they can't outright help, you can ask if you switched to a plan with more minutes could they somehow retroactive it (I've had them do that for my brother).

If all else fails, ask them to spread out the $200 over a few bills so it doesn't hurt all at once.

Good luck!
posted by KAS at 7:19 PM on October 2, 2007 [1 favorite]

Echoing some of the above, they will lower the bill if you buy a bigger plan. I've done it.
posted by Mid at 7:30 PM on October 2, 2007

YOUR BEST BET is to call up, say you messed up and ask "is there anything you can do to help me here... maybe find me a plan that better suits my needs?"

This is a little nitpicky but I think it's better to ask questions that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. I would say "What can you do to help me... maybe find a better plan?" If the rep replies "nothing" I would thank them, hang up, call back and find a rep that can do something.
posted by spec80 at 8:24 PM on October 2, 2007

Ok, I did this with tmobile. This is what they did for me.

Me: Hi. I'm on the 500 minutes plan, and I used 800 minutes this month, plain and simple. I really can't afford to pay for all of that and I wasn't doing it intentionally. I've been a customer of yours for the last several years - even back when you were Voicestream, so I'd hate to jeopardize our relationship. What can you do to help me out?

Them: Sure hold on.... ok, what I can do is bump you up to the 1000 minute plan for the rest of the month. All you do is pay the difference. So, since your 500 minute plan is $39, and the 1000 minute plan is $69, just pay that $30 difference now and you're all set.

Seriously. That was it. Done. I never threaten to go to a different company because that's what EVERYONE does. I'm sure they're sick of the threats - idle or no. Just be nice and upfront with them and they might try to help you out as much as possible. That whole "flies like honey over vinegar" shit and all.
posted by damnjezebel at 8:28 PM on October 2, 2007

Just call and explain that you didn't realize what you were doing, you totally can't afford to pay your bill now, and ask what they can do to help you out. If you've never asked for any favors before, they'll like extend you a solution like damnjezebel's and perhaps even forgive some of the charges "as a one-time courtesy." You will probably have to (nicely) escalate to a manager -- the regular customer service folks may not have the access to do this.
posted by desuetude at 8:50 PM on October 2, 2007

You may get different responses from different sales reps, especially if it's a very large carrier. If you get completely stonewalled on your first call, try again another time or two. The worst that can happen is they'll keep telling you no.
posted by Nelsormensch at 8:51 PM on October 2, 2007

several times i've retroactively purchased extra minutes or a roaming plan for my phone. my bill would come, i would gasp and faint. when i came to, i'd call and politely but solidly explain that i had had my plan mis-explained, and i would never have used the phone so extravagantly had i known what it would cost. sometimes they'd waive the fee; if not, i've also asked if i could purchase the roaming thing or the extra time at the cheap "planning-ahead" cost, and have the change backdated to a few days before my trip. that has always worked.

calling to cancel is a good way to re-negotiate a better rate, too. you'd be surprised how much lower they can go. i got them to knock about 40% off my monthly rate without changing the features. it was a long & annoying phone call, but i was persistent, and polite without being too nice/pushovery, and it worked.

good luck!
posted by twistofrhyme at 11:10 PM on October 2, 2007

I made this mistake with T-mobile a month or so back, to the tune of about $250. My contract had actually expired a few weeks prior, so I figured offering to re-up would clear the bill. It would have, had I called sooner, but I was told that once the billing had posted to my account, there was NOWAY they could reverse it, nor could they grant me any kind of credits for future service. And I'm a pretty obnoxious bargainer, so I don't think I was getting taken here.

Moral: if you go over, try to make your deals immediately, before the billing goes onto the books. YMMV depending on carrier.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 4:24 AM on October 3, 2007

I also just thought of something that has worked for friends, but I've never tried it. Try going into an actual tmobile store-store. With like people and stuff. Do most of your tmobile business there, and get in friendly-like with one of the managers. The next time you have an issue, you can call him/her and explain the situation. My roommate vouches for this technique and has apparently gotten $200 shaved off her bill because of calling in and asking her "chick" (the girl at the store) to help her with an issue.

YMMV, natch.
posted by damnjezebel at 8:41 PM on October 3, 2007