Problems With Cell Phone Company

[honeywolf7]

I have an in advance plan from a certain carrier (to help keep me from going over my minute limit.) I bought the phone and started service on the 31st and was told that I needed to pay for February by 1/31. Well, it seems that because of February only having 28 days, they made my billing date the 28th of every month without bothering to tell me (never mind that my contract says the 31st.) Well, I didn't pay it yet because it wasn't due until the 31st according to the information (including as I said, my CONTRACT) that I had. My phone isn't working today and I really don't feel that I should have to go out in this weather in order to make a payment at one of the retail locations when it was clearly their own employee's fault and they won't take credit cards for the payment. Am I within my rights to demand that they turn my phone back on and wait until the 31st for payment (and would you do so if you were in my place?) The reason I haven't already made this demand is that no managers get in until 8 AM.

 

[MeanLaureen]

Sounds weird. I don't see why they would terminate the service ON the 28th if you have UNTIL the 28th to pay. I would think you would have until the end of the business day to make your payment or it would be terminated on the 29th.

I wouldn't bother calling over the phone. I would go in person to the store. I always seem to get better service in person when I have a problem with something.

The weather isn't really bad anymore. All the main and most of the secondary streets are fine. They have been plowed and treated. We had no trouble getting back and forth to work yesterday. Plus it's nice and sunny and going to be in the high 30's today so most of what's left will melt.

Oh.. and demanding to them that you won't pay them until the due date and they better be happy with that isn't usally a way to get off on a good foot with a creditor.

 

[honeywolf7]

I didn't demand but I did say that I didn't feel that I should have to go make the payment today when my contract says the 31st and they gave me a credit until Friday afternoon. Besides, they're not really in the position of being a creidtor when they're the ones who are trying to breach the terms of the contract.
As for the roads, I'm giving them one more day because I know some of the back and side roads are still pretty bad from what I heard on the news.

 

[mickeyfan1]

It stands to reason that you will not have to pay for March, May, July and December because there are not 31 days in the month prior?

 

[honeywolf7]

I wasn't trying not to pay, but there are 31 days in January and I bought my phone on the 31st of December so why should I have to pay on the 28th of January? I could understand if I had to pay on the last day of every month (and I would agree with that) but if I had to pay on the 28th of January when my contract said the 31st, I should have been notified by the person selling me the phone. In other words, they should have put the 28th on the contract rather than the 31st if my payment date was going to be the 28th of each month.

 

[Lisa F]

Originally posted by honeywolf7
I have an in advance plan from a certain carrier (to help keep me from going over my minute limit.)

It sounds more likely that you have used up all of your minutes. If you bought a plan where you have to pay for minutes in advance at the end of this month for next month and your phone is no longer working, doesn't it stand to reason that you used up all of your minutes? If your phone DOESN'T work that way, then how would prepaying your plan in advance keep you from going over your limit?

 

[Kimickey]

Sounds like a Sprint job. I just got rid of them for doing similar things like this plus their hidden fees. I would call the carrier and ask them to view the terms of your contract with you before you trek out to the store and make a payment.

 

[honeywolf7]

Lisa, I didn't come close to using up my minutes. They just ended my month earlier than they said they would be.
Kmickey, it's actually Ntelos.

 

[dcgrumpy]

But today is the 28th, wouldn't you have until the end of the business day to pay?

 

[honeywolf7]

No, new minutes go in at about midnight and you only have until the minutes go in to pay so as it is you only have until the day before to pay....In other words, I actually had until this morning at midnight to pay but my payment due date is the 28th.....Personally, I don't completely understand it but from now on I'm paying on the 27th.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Until I read your last post, I was assuming you were with Verizon! We have had major issues with them lately. DH and I signed up for what we thought were unlimited mobile to mobile (actually only 300 mins, but that is not the issue). Suddenly our phone bill goes from our normal $80 to over $300. SO we investigate our detailed bill, and suddenly the company was charging my phone for any calls received from or made to his phone, but all of his mobile to mobile is still free. After multiple conversations with then company both on the phone and in person, we finally got it straightened out. My "guess" (the only reason it is a guess is because no one at Verizon will confirm/admit to it) is that Verizon switched computer systems and it screwed up billing. Several of our friends on Verizon had similar problems, and fought them and won. I really hate when companies pull stunts like that assuming the average consumer won't fight the issue and they will make money off the deal!

 

[Kimickey]

Honeywolf7

Sorry never hear of that carrier.

 

[honeywolf7]

Kmickey, I think they're in Virginia and West Virginia and maybe North Carolina (they're pretty small.)

 

[Mskanga]

I have Verizon Free-up ( pre-paid ) and I love it. I don't use the cell phone that much but if I buy a $30 card on peak time it gives me 100 minutes that I can use in 60 days and if I don't use the whole thing, as long as I refill , the leftover minutes carry over. On weekends also I get twice as much time plus the bonus minutes I got for getting the phone switched right before Christmas , now I get like 400 weekend minutes. That's good for me because in one month I only used 14 minutes of peak time. there are no roaming charges or anything, the service is nationwide.
You can't beat that for $15 a month that is costing me, and I roll over the minutes.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

 

[Pembo]

Uh...this is leap year. February has 29 days. So I don't think that is your problem.

 

[pnelson]

Sounds like a lot of drama and brouhah over nothing. Why not just pay it and be done with it? I usually mail my bills in advance so they get their before or by the due date. Why quibble over a few days? Are you having a slow day today and need something to occupy your time?

 

[Mishetta]

I was just going to say to switch to Verizon! But then I read a negative comment from jwsqrdplus2....well, we have a basic plan & our normal billing cycle & no problems ~ ever. We've had this service for years.

I will ask them about MsKanga's type of service next time I go in though...that sounds good!!

HW ~ I would just advise you to pay your bill & be over it. Today a cell phone is a necessity, not a luxury. Good luck!

 

[lynxstch]

as they did something almost exactly like that to us..they kept insisting that it was our problem not theirs..so we said no problem at all..and dumped them totally!

But on a side note, I agree..you should have till the 31'st to pay your bill if that's what your contract says..and btw..the 31'st is on Sat..not Fri!...just make sure you pay your Feb bill early..cause there is no 31'st that month!..lol!
Good luck
Lynn

 

[honeywolf7]

No, the problem was that I didn't want to drive on the roads yet. If I could have paid by mail or by credit card, I would have had no problem with it (or if I'd known in advance, I would have paid it before the snow.)
Oh, and as far as the 28/29 day thing, my mom says it is a poorly designed program (if it has to be the 28th for every month just because February normally has 28 days), so the programmer probably wasn't a good enough programmer to differentiate between leap years and non leap years. That's how my mom explained it anyway (and since she is a retired systems analyst, I tend to believe her.)