According to Skinny T&C there is a min charge of 1.9MB/day ???

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › According to Skinny T&C there is a min charge of 1.9MB/day ???

Publius

276 posts

Ultimate Geek

#113539 19-Jan-2013 20:15

I've been thinking about moving to Skinny but before I do I wanted to check through their Terms & Conditions.

Under Data Charges it says:

Skinnys data rates for included data in a Skinny Prepaid Plan is calculated based on usage and charged as follows:

billed in 5KB blocks;
rounded up at the end of a data session or every 15 minutes, whichever comes first, and
a minimum charge of 20KB applies.

(Where: 8 bits (b) = 1 Byte (B); 1024 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte (KB); 1024 KB = 1 Megabyte (MB))
So from that I conclude that, assuming I have a data session open 24x7 which every smartphone these days does, every 15 minutes EVEN IF I USE 0KB I will have a minimum charge of 20KB applied, which calculates to 1920KB in 24 hours or 13.44MB/week!!!!!

I've sent skinny an email to clarify on this because it can't be correct.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#747518 19-Jan-2013 20:16

"Assuming I have a session open 24/7"

Pretty sure that is not correct.

Publius

276 posts

Ultimate Geek

#747521 19-Jan-2013 20:19

NonprayingMantis: "Assuming I have a session open 24/7"

Pretty sure that is not correct.

If you've got the 3G or H symbol showing on the phone then a data session is open. You've negotiated an IP address and data is ready to go.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#747525 19-Jan-2013 20:31

Publius:
NonprayingMantis: "Assuming I have a session open 24/7"

Pretty sure that is not correct.

If you've got the 3G or H symbol showing on the phone then a data session is open. You've negotiated an IP address and data is ready to go.

Like I said, pretty sure that is not correct.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#747528 19-Jan-2013 20:38

Also, if it is billed in 5kb blocks and rounded to the nearest 5kb every 15 mins, then it only gets rounded to 5kb if you use more than 0kb. If you use exactly 0kb then it will be billed as 0kb

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#747532 19-Jan-2013 20:43

Why do you all assume it's not correct?

I don't know whether it is or not but would assume it is because their website says so.

Billing for data was historically done by generating a CDR record at the end of a PDP session. With devices that are now always connected that PDP session may stay up for days, so periodic CDR's are generated. Such billing is pretty much the norm globally for mobile carriers.

I stand to be corrected (as both of these are historical figures from memory) but I believe XT uses 15 min rounding and Vodafone uses 30 mins.

If you think you're hard done by don't move to Aussie where Vodafone have recently announced they're following Optus with to minimum 1MB rounding for each PDP session.

ajw

1932 posts

Uber Geek

#748059 21-Jan-2013 08:46

sbiddle: Why do you all assume it's not correct?

I don't know whether it is or not but would assume it is because their website says so.

Billing for data was historically done by generating a CDR record at the end of a PDP session. With devices that are now always connected that PDP session may stay up for days, so periodic CDR's are generated. Such billing is pretty much the norm globally for mobile carriers.

I stand to be corrected (as both of these are historical figures from memory) but I believe XT uses 15 min rounding and Vodafone uses 30 mins.

If you think you're hard done by don't move to Aussie where Vodafone have recently announced they're following Optus with to minimum 1MB rounding for each PDP session.

VODAFONE will stop charging prepaid customers for data use in 1MB blocks after a public backlash over pricing. In a stunning turnaround, all 2.6 million will be billed for actual internet use rather than a minimum of one megabyte.

The backflip ordered by chief executive Bill Morrow follows threats to abandon the telco over planned changes, unveiled just days ago, to force some users to chew through credit much faster.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/business/companies/vodafone-backs-down-on-new-data-pricing-plan-after-public-backlash/story-fnda1bsz-1226557686851#ixzz2IXyftE1u

LivingSkinny

513 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Skinny

#749770 23-Jan-2013 18:53

Hi

Thanks for the post. I have got the team composing a reply and we'll update the T&C's as needed for clarity. I'll wait to get the correctly worded response but please rest assured that we won't charge 13.44MB/week for no usage.

cheers

Paul

Sharesies kids

Free kids accounts - trade shares and funds (NZ, US) with Sharesies (affiliate link).

Publius

276 posts

Ultimate Geek

#749776 23-Jan-2013 19:00

Great to hear!

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#749779 23-Jan-2013 19:14

ajw:
sbiddle: Why do you all assume it's not correct?

I don't know whether it is or not but would assume it is because their website says so.

Billing for data was historically done by generating a CDR record at the end of a PDP session. With devices that are now always connected that PDP session may stay up for days, so periodic CDR's are generated. Such billing is pretty much the norm globally for mobile carriers.

I stand to be corrected (as both of these are historical figures from memory) but I believe XT uses 15 min rounding and Vodafone uses 30 mins.

If you think you're hard done by don't move to Aussie where Vodafone have recently announced they're following Optus with to minimum 1MB rounding for each PDP session.

VODAFONE will stop charging prepaid customers for data use in 1MB blocks after a public backlash over pricing. In a stunning turnaround, all 2.6 million will be billed for actual internet use rather than a minimum of one megabyte.

The backflip ordered by chief executive Bill Morrow follows threats to abandon the telco over planned changes, unveiled just days ago, to force some users to chew through credit much faster.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/business/companies/vodafone-backs-down-on-new-data-pricing-plan-after-public-backlash/story-fnda1bsz-1226557686851#ixzz2IXyftE1u

While this is great news, and that all users will benefit by the move to 1kb billing (previously it was 25kb and 50kb) it's funny how such the media can focus on such a story, yet make very little mention of the fact that they were simply putting their billing up to match tha 1MB per session billing what Optus (and all Optus MVNO's) had, and still continue to have!

ajw

1932 posts

Uber Geek

#749804 23-Jan-2013 20:13

sbiddle:
ajw:
sbiddle: Why do you all assume it's not correct?

I don't know whether it is or not but would assume it is because their website says so.

Billing for data was historically done by generating a CDR record at the end of a PDP session. With devices that are now always connected that PDP session may stay up for days, so periodic CDR's are generated. Such billing is pretty much the norm globally for mobile carriers.

I stand to be corrected (as both of these are historical figures from memory) but I believe XT uses 15 min rounding and Vodafone uses 30 mins.

If you think you're hard done by don't move to Aussie where Vodafone have recently announced they're following Optus with to minimum 1MB rounding for each PDP session.

VODAFONE will stop charging prepaid customers for data use in 1MB blocks after a public backlash over pricing. In a stunning turnaround, all 2.6 million will be billed for actual internet use rather than a minimum of one megabyte.

The backflip ordered by chief executive Bill Morrow follows threats to abandon the telco over planned changes, unveiled just days ago, to force some users to chew through credit much faster.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/business/companies/vodafone-backs-down-on-new-data-pricing-plan-after-public-backlash/story-fnda1bsz-1226557686851#ixzz2IXyftE1u

While this is great news, and that all users will benefit by the move to 1kb billing (previously it was 25kb and 50kb) it's funny how such the media can focus on such a story, yet make very little mention of the fact that they were simply putting their billing up to match tha 1MB per session billing what Optus (and all Optus MVNO's) had, and still continue to have!

According to Vaya mobile a MVNO using the optus network still charges in 1 KB

Excess Data Rate 25c per MB (min 1KB session

http://www.vaya.net.au/?option=Mobile