Oleg
Bellsouth Fastaccess
Premium
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL
4 edits | Re: $54,000 Cell Phone Bill
WOW another Dial-Up user 
He must be out in the woods,but still he could of just gone with ISDN i never ever even would think about using my cellphone as Dial-Up modem unless it's real emergency. |
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PhoenixDown
-- Wants FIOS
Premium
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY
clubs:   | Fraud Alert
Every time I see an issue like this, I ask the same question: Why wasn't this caught by their fraud department and the customer notified before it reached the 54k mark? |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Comcast
| said by PhoenixDown  :Every time I see an issue like this, I ask the same question: Why wasn't this caught by their fraud department and the customer notified before it reached the 54k mark? Because he ran it up so fast that the accounting systems didn't catch it quick enough.
Vodafone added last night: "The intensity of Ian's downloading was such that by the time our systems flagged anything up he had already racked up a massive bill.
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Internet News
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whatevrzclvr
join:2005-11-16
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
·Charter Pipeline
 ·Vonage
 ·DSL EXTREME
| reply to PhoenixDown
Seriously! You would think that brand new accounts (I'm assuming he's brand new) would be monitored a little more closely.
Even if it's 100% customer error there was obviously a breakdown in communication. This isn't an insurance policy where you need to understand every word of an 18 page policy it's a cell phone and the terms should be clear enough that everyone understands (and I work in insurance, I don't understand every word of our policy). I'm sure that there are thousands of others who, though not to extreme, are surprised by their first bill.
This could be a PR nightmare or opportunity for Vodafone. It would be in everyone's best interest for Vodafone (or any wireless carrier) to take ownership of these things before they get out of hand. I wish him luck! |
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Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL | reply to TKJunkMail
why is not a data cap on the pay buy the bite plan and if you hit it they give you a call to ask if is ok with you to keep billing you at that rate. |
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hurleyp
join:2000-06-20
Ottawa, ON | reply to Oleg
Re: $54,000 Cell Phone Bill
Sheesh!  I wonder how long it will take for someone to break the $100K barrier?
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"I reject your reality and substitute my own." |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to Joe12345678
Re: Fraud Alert
said by Joe12345678 :why is not a data cap on the pay buy the bite plan and if you hit it they give you a call to ask if is ok with you to keep billing you at that rate. Because they don't have any REAL TIME systems in place to do that for cell phone systems unlike some cable systems that automatically send a config file to a cable modem when a cap is exceeded. Cellphone billing is almost always a backroom daily or weekly batch process. And in a day you can run up a massive bill very quickly. And they did call him as soon as the batch system processed his call records.
If these kinds of occurrences become more frequent, I'd bet all cellphone companies will implement REAL TIME systems similar to those cable companies with hard caps.
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brawney
Premium
join:2002-03-02
Frederick, MD
·Comcast
·magicjack.com
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to whatevrzclvr
said by whatevrzclvr :This could be a PR nightmare or opportunity for Vodafone. It would be in everyone's best interest for Vodafone (or any wireless carrier) to take ownership of these things before they get out of hand. I wish him luck! I agree. They need to make right on this. I know these users are clueless and are technically at fault, but this is so extreme that the company needs to cover the bill when this happens. The customer gets one chance to screw up like this. If they do it again then they have to pay the bill (or some percentage of the bill, then be terminated). |
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neufuse
join:2006-12-06
Indiana, PA
·Comcast
| idiots...
I am getting so sick of these idiots that don't read their contract and take out plans not even knowing what they are getting and then complaining about oh boo hoo I got overcharged blah blah blah... it's their own fault they didn't understand their contract.... they took it out, they are responsible for it... yes there should be a stop limit you can hit billing wise but still these people are so stupid |
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JoelC707
join:2002-07-09
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| reply to Oleg
Re: $54,000 Cell Phone Bill
When you have absolutely nothing else to turn to it can be useful. For example Nextel offers the same ability but instead of having a usage cap it just utilizes your cell minutes (you pay $15 a month for the data plan that has this option though). I used it many times in 2004 to 2006 but haven't used it recently. In every case I used it, it was because I was unable to connect via any other means (or those methods were more expensive).
In 04 I used it in Texas and even though we had a landline I never could find any local numbers for Bellsouth or Mindspring/Earthlink so I used my cell then. In Florida after Hurricane Wilma I was down there with my dad and neighbors helping clean up and we were living out of our trucks in a Walmart parking lot due to all the hotels were full, I used my cell then to keep in touch. I've also used it while on the road (another person driving) and needed to check on something or I was bored and wanted to find something to entertain myself with (and the driver and other passengers as well, hey as long as it isn't something the other driver has to see it is fine).
I'll admit the speeds were less than stellar though. I saw speeds on par with a 28.8 or 33.6 modem on average though in theory it could go up to 64K I think. I've since switched over to the Sprint side of the house. I now have a better phone that supports EVDO and can download at broadband like speeds. I've never been able to do a speed test but it loads web pages just as fast as my 8 meg Comcast connection so it's good enough for me. Plus the new phone supports bluetooth and USB so I can more easily use it as a modem tho I don't have that feature enabled yet. |
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ipzedge2
@pacbell.net
thumbs down from:
Cabal
| soon all this will end
I can't want until people can get around this kind of
rip off |
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ipzedge2
@pacbell.net
thumbs down from:
Cabal
| this spring all this kind of rip off will stop |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| reply to Oleg
Re: $54,000 Cell Phone Bill
said by Oleg :WOW another Dial-Up user He must be out in the woods,but still he could of just gone with ISDN i never ever even would think about using my cellphone as Dial-Up modem unless it's real emergency. ISDN has been discontinued/grandfathered and detariffed in alot of areas. The detariffing means the state/govt doesn't see it as a service anymore, and can not regulate it, also it means it is not universally avaible/provider of last resort as POTS is anymore. |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| reply to neufuse
Re: idiots...
said by neufuse :I am getting so sick of these idiots that don't read their contract and take out plans not even knowing what they are getting and then complaining about oh boo hoo I got overcharged blah blah blah... it's their own fault they didn't understand their contract.... they took it out, they are responsible for it... yes there should be a stop limit you can hit billing wise but still these people are so stupid Solution would be that they have to fill out a grade/high school style written test about their contract and get a minimum score before they will be given service. |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| reply to brawney
Re: Fraud Alert
How many people need to screw up before either:
1) People use and abuse it... knowingly.
2) People learn to read about their services and stop being idiots.
That picture of him holding up his bill makes me laugh.. if he's smart enough to figure out how to hook up and teather his computer then he should be smart enough to read.
In other words - he didn't read a thing... he just 'did'... Maybe he has a mortgage he can tap into. |
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mhy
join:2000-08-25
Los Angeles, CA | reply to ipzedge2
Re: soon all this will end
Why is that? What happens? |
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AnonProxy
Proxy of Anon
Premium
join:2001-05-12
ß | It is time
to start making people pay for their stupidity.
If you don't know that you can't do what you are doing, then don't buy or use the technology.
This is not a fine print issue. |
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sven_kirk3
join:2002-07-23
Mableton, GA
·AT&T Southeast
| Idiot got what he deserves
Got caught trying to cheat the system and trying to get something for free.
My mate told me how to wire my mobile to my laptop as a modem. It meant I could download faster than on the handset and get a proper internet connection in my flat. He didn't say free did he? If so, I got a nice bridge to sell you.
I assumed it'd be OK, but they cut me off Yet we would be screaming for privacy rights violations if they did.FTA
Vodafone added: "The intensity of Ian's downloading was such that by the time our systems flagged anything up he had already racked up a massive bill.
I probably downloaded 20 or 30 TV shows and four albums Woo hoo! I'll just further incriminate myself further, of possible, illegal actions. (Because my buddy said it wasn't illegal)
If you can not read AND understand your contract you signed, too bad.
BTW they do offer a internet access for pcs »www.vodafone.com.au/Business/Bus···ndex.htm
The plan sucks, but it exists. |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| What a dope
"I probably downloaded 20 or 30 TV shows and four albums. I assumed it'd be OK,"
He was probably downloading those things illegally to boot. Of course he probably thinks that's ok too.
I swear about 75% f the people that get online today shouldn't be allowed to. |
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stridr69
join:2003-05-19
San Luis Obispo, CA
| Wow!!!
"His $82 mobile phone plan didn't include unlimited web use and comes with a 120MB monthly cap."
Only 120MB??!! I'd bust that in less than 1 day with my Sprint PowerVision plan-NFL TV anyone?
"Ian signed up for a Vodafone Anytime 800 contract and added a [$15] inclusive internet deal to let him use his phone for surfing the net." Well, $15.00 a month isn't bad-it's what I pay for Sprint's PowerVision. I also pay $19.00 a month for T-Mobile's data package(un-limited access, HotSpot access). And I can tether my T-Mobile MDA to my laptop and not pay a surcharge-granted it's only at "EDGE" speed, but better than nothing.
Ian, it seems to me your flatmate sent you "down the river".
Need to read your contract, dude. Looks like an appearance at "The Olde Bailey" for you, eh?
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