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FCC Mulling 'Bill Shock' Warning System

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Tag: sudden outbreak of common sense

KriisCDW

May 11, 2010, 10:19 AM
Since companies like verizon and AT&T have no issue giving someone an $18k bill, it's about time someone steps in and protects the consumer.

Businesses need to make money... But something like this needs to be done.
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Menno

May 11, 2010, 10:35 AM
That 18k bill was from tethering the device, something that wasn't part of any data plan he thought he had, it was also from 2006, when cheap unlimited plans did not exist.

Automatic alerts are a good thing.. but people also need to not be idiots
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KriisCDW

May 11, 2010, 10:45 AM
To catch what may be an honest mistake.

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.
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Menno

May 11, 2010, 10:57 AM
No message would help him.

I agree that warning messages would be great, But I also have absolutely no sympathy for that guy.
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Jayshmay

May 11, 2010, 11:08 AM
Yikes!!!



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?
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Menno

May 11, 2010, 11:24 AM
I was playing with the Kin and grilling MS about the Windows Phone 7 OS yest. >.>

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
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Jayshmay

May 11, 2010, 8:46 PM
I found a game I like! It's called Poke A Mole, moles pop out of these holes, and you hit them on the head. My highest score so far is 9770, not too bad.
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KriisCDW

May 11, 2010, 1:32 PM
If there was a simple warning on say... day #3...

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. 🙄
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Menno

May 11, 2010, 1:39 PM
and if you're a long time customer (or have a lot of lines) they do call you. This has been their policy for years
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Jayshmay

May 11, 2010, 11:03 AM
"45 days before it hits 18k" I don't understand that part of your post, a billing cycle is 30 days.
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Menno

May 11, 2010, 11:46 AM
Not to mention this would be a call on the first day, which was either after 9PM or on the weekends (because moron A thought that data was free nights and weekends)

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.
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Poking Pixie

May 11, 2010, 12:51 PM
ATT already does this as well, but most people either ignore the text messages, call 2 weeks later, coincidentaly right after their billing cycle has ended, or get all pissy with us and demand that we stop texting them, they don't care if they have 1000.00 of data overage, stop texting them! 😳
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Menno

May 11, 2010, 12:56 PM
Verizon does it as well. I know they do because I've had it done to me
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Poking Pixie

May 11, 2010, 12:54 PM
Btw, nice grav, Menno. It's Londo Mollari from Babylon 5, isn't it? 😁
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Menno

May 11, 2010, 12:57 PM
yep. I was going to make it Kosh.. but I'm too long winded for that
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Poking Pixie

May 11, 2010, 1:14 PM
🤣
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bp3dots1

May 11, 2010, 1:38 PM
It's not the consumer protection I object to, it's the removal of accountability from the customer that seems to be happening more and more.

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.
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jt82

May 11, 2010, 11:19 AM
You do realize that the clown with the $18k bill was ILLEGALLY accessing data right? He freely admitted to tethering his devices when his plan did not allow for that type of billing so he consumed obnoxious amounts of data. 5GB is all that is included per month under the feature, and it says this expressly and shows how much you are charged per MB after. Again, onus falls squarely on the subscriber and NOT on Verizon.
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KriisCDW

May 11, 2010, 1:21 PM
He didn't know about the incoming charges.

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...
(continues)
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bp3dots1

May 11, 2010, 1:47 PM
Its different be cause he intentionally tethered his phone, which is expressly forbidden in the T&C of his contract.
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Researcher

May 11, 2010, 12:40 PM
To have some one from government do this? What ever happened to personal responsibility? I guess now that big brother is here we do not need to be responsible 😢
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KriisCDW

May 11, 2010, 1:27 PM
than implementing something simple like this?

"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."
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bp3dots1

May 11, 2010, 1:51 PM
Wireless companies are in business to make money. They aren't unfairly tilting the odds of extra expenses in their favor, the fully disclose what is/isn't covered in your plan, as well as how much extra it will be if you go outside those bounds.

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?
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Poking Pixie

May 11, 2010, 1:54 PM
I wouldn't buy bread at Walmart this week even if it was cheaper. Walmart is nucky and full of skanks. 🤣
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KriisCDW

May 11, 2010, 3:49 PM
Is complicated.

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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Fleance2k5

May 11, 2010, 1:57 PM
I think you're missing the point several people are trying to make here... No matter how many texts/calls you make or send to someone people are going to make excuses. "Oh i didn't receive that text." Or, Why didn't i get a collection call to tell me my account was 30 days past due?" It doesn't matter WHAT cell phones companies or any company does customers will continue to be lazy because they want everything handled for them. It's just like having a maid. No one honestly needs a maid, but people justify having one because their "TOO BUSY" to clean up after themselves. They wan people to hold their hand and take care of everything for them so they can be lazy. Bottom line. Example. Prior to T-mobile changing their data stick policy a cus...
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