FCC Mulling 'Bill Shock' Warning System
Tag: sudden outbreak of common sense
Businesses need to make money... But something like this needs to be done.
Automatic alerts are a good thing.. but people also need to not be idiots
U think that bill would have been 18k if dad got a message, email, phonecall 45days before it hit 18k? Or maybe he would have maybe contacted his kid while his bill was only $250 over normal?
If he got a warning and ignored it... Fine. F him. But he got no earning, no advaced notice.
This notice protects BOTH parties. Dad gets notice and chance to react before things get out of hand.
Carrier gets a CYA message and ability to say with finality that "you got a warning when the bill was only $200... Now that it's 3k, your sol - pay us."
I just can't understand justification against this level of simple consumer protection.
I agree that warning messages would be great, But I also have absolutely no sympathy for that guy.
You were absent from Phone Scoop yesterday! I've got a ? for you. My sister wants to know if that YouTube vid showing guys entering codes on their Droid to change traffic lights is real? I doubt it, but she wants to know, and I don't have an answer, so I thought I'd ask you. You have seen that video, right?
No, those videos arn't real. They are either 1) are bored college kids who are good at post production editing. 2) Some form of viral marketing
45 days (give or take) for an 18k bill...
that's $400/day give or take.
You're telling me... that a text, phone-call, or email on day number 2 or 3 - when the bill is already $1000... wouldn't have changed things?
"Dear consumer, we noticed that you've used $1000 in data in 3 days. If this is intentional, please continue to do so at your own risk. Otherwise, call immediately or stop being an idiot. Verizon Wireless"
Yeah... that wouldn't have helped *ANYTHING* at all.
Riiiiiiiight.... Just like a text "your close to your minute cap" won't stop someone from making calls. 🙄
And if you have your phone tethered, it won't get a text message until you disconnect, so that is at least 1 full data session.
I'm all for quick alerts as long as it absolves the carrier of dealing with customers wanting overages waived. if it was a system that basically said: We alert you, then it's your fault. I think it would fly.
People abuse the plans they sign up for, then expect the companies to just forgive and forget about it. If someone signs a contract, they should be responsible for any charges they incur. Period. The terms are right there. If the person is too lazy to read them, then it's their fault. If I get pulled over doing 55 in a 25, and I tell the cop I just didn't look at the sign, he's still going to give me the ticket. People need to accept that responsibility or do something prepaid, where they can't get into overage trouble.
No warning. No attempt.
Verizon knows what's getting used. They know when your close to your minutes. Close to your data cap. Using something that costs.
They know if it's normal or abnormal.
The guy made a mistake. Guess what? it's not easy to understand complicated systems like cell phone bills - and associated things that will get you charges.
Is it really that difficult to put in a consumer protection policy that basically says "you get a warning that something is up that's going to cost you."
They continue to abuse, they get charged. *BUT* at least they get a warning.
Instead of 15 days into the next bill cycle being hit with 12k bill... followed by 6.
I'd be just as pis...
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"Warning... something fishy/expensive is happening to your account. This is your only warning. You will be accountable for the bill if you don't heed this warning."
Should the grocery store also have to post a notice that bread is cheaper at Wal-Mart this week to protect people from spending too much?
White vs wheat and thin vs Texas choices are almost as complicated as minutes, text, data on multple lines with varying degrees of overages and charges...
And cost of going over your bread alottment?
🙄 🙄 yeah... Good comparison.
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This forum is closed.