XT Prepay $$ consumption

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › XT Prepay $$ consumption

guyz

232 posts

Master Geek

#62231 2-Jun-2010 00:31

I have recently switched from on account to prepay . I added the 20 mb ($6) data plan.The 2500($12) txt anyone plan and 1 my favourites($6).

I have noted that Telecom does not debit the prepay balance when an extra plan is activated. They apparently for example charge 50c per megabyte as it is being used until it reaches the $6 limit as in my 20MB plan.So after 12MB ofusage the remaining 8MB of my 20 MB plan is free.

This is similar to the txt plan. A per txt charge is applied until the txt dollar value reachs $12 of my 2500 txt plan..there after the txts are not charged until the 2500 limit is reached.

My question is..i was calling "my favourite" number when after 5 minutes i was disconected as my credit had run out !!!..So how does this work in relation to the $6 charge for using my favourite?

There is no where that i can see, that indicates when the charges are applied to your prepay balance or any indication how you can check it.

I am perplexed as to how i am supposed to know if my favourite has been,is being or due to be charged against my prepay balance.

It took me 7 calls to customer services manilla to find out that the MB charge is gradual until it reaches the $6 usage limit.So now i have to re top up to get to use my favourite calling plan.

I think Telecom should invoice/debit the prepay balance at the instance it is activated or when the roll over starts. Perhaps telecom could even instigate txt alerts to allow customers to note there status with their plans??

[Mod (N8): Fixed formatting, please don't post all in italics]

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1eStar

1598 posts

Uber Geek

#337220 2-Jun-2010 01:31

I like the way they charge usage until you hit the package cost, it is worthwhile going for the bigger cap plan especially for data users like me and pay for what you use at a cheaper rate. It does pay to keep the balance up a bit. But yes I agree the favourites addon is a bit vague in the way it is charged. You can't tell when the exact month rollover is either, so I cancel mine a few days early just to be sure if I'm doing a change.

rugrat

2177 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#337388 2-Jun-2010 14:37

I think telecom add ons run from 1st of month until end of month. So if you buy one and only 2 days left in month then you only get it for 2 days and then new add on has to be brought. Think that one catchs out lot of people.

rugrat

2177 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#337396 2-Jun-2010 14:56

Text "bal" to 333. On cdma gives me number texts sent, and balance, Doubt they'd change method for XT.

n00dy

482 posts

Ultimate Geek

#337399 2-Jun-2010 15:09

if you are using a TElecom supplied device and are on XT then just go to TWORLD, scroll down to Your Telecom and view all you info, Txt sent, data used, calls and $ remaining, it is a free service

guyz

232 posts

Master Geek

#337413 2-Jun-2010 15:43

n00dy: if you are using a TElecom supplied device and are on XT then just go to TWORLD, scroll down to Your Telecom and view all you info, Txt sent, data used, calls and $ remaining, it is a free service

ya..been doing that..how ever does not show when your add ons been charged , simply shows balance,recent activity (often times 12 hrs old)

ringing *333 only tells you what you already can see on T-world

thing is..its handy to know when your charge for an extra has been set against your balance. At the moment you only get a continuous debit against your credit showing as a running total

i believe telecom could improve on this

Stryfe

56 posts

Master Geek

#338366 4-Jun-2010 20:15

At this point in time, TCNZ prepay works on a calendar month, so from the first day of the month to the last day of the month.

nitrotech

1259 posts

Uber Geek

#338370 4-Jun-2010 20:30

guyz: I have recently switched from on account to prepay . I added the 20 mb ($6) data plan.The 2500($12) txt anyone plan and 1 my favourites($6).

I have noted that Telecom does not debit the prepay balance when an extra plan is activated. They apparently for example charge 50c per megabyte as it is being used until it reaches the $6 limit as in my 20MB plan.So after 12MB ofusage the remaining 8MB of my 20 MB plan is free.

Can I recommend that you add the 500mb data option to your prepay account, the reason is that the data is charged at 10c per mb which means that if you only use 20mb you'll only be charged $2 not 6 - just trying to save you a bit of coin.

The same thing would happen though you get chaged per mb as you use it.

nzbnw

2369 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Spark

#338388 4-Jun-2010 21:36

Stryfe: At this point in time, TCNZ prepay works on a calendar month, so from the first day of the month to the last day of the month.

Nope this changed last year, Text and Data extras (excluding Prepaid 500MB) are valid from the date you subscribe until that same period the next month (i.e. 15th to the 14, 4th to the 3rd and so on).

nzbnw

nickd

447 posts

Ultimate Geek

#338391 4-Jun-2010 21:48

nitrotech:
Can I recommend that you add the 500mb data option to your prepay account, the reason is that the data is charged at 10c per mb which means that if you only use 20mb you'll only be charged $2 not 6 - just trying to save you a bit of coin.

The same thing would happen though you get chaged per mb as you use it.

So my best option is to add as big a data plan as I can (sorry, just working this through in my head)?

nitrotech

1259 posts

Uber Geek

#338398 4-Jun-2010 22:18

nickd:

So my best option is to add as big a data plan as I can (sorry, just working this through in my head)?

Telecom used to let you add their 1gb plan to a prepay connection but not anymore - so the biggest you can get on prepay is the 500mb plan. Just because of the way that it's structured it makes sense to add it to a prepay connection because of the 10c per mb data cost.

The data extra's are really only any use for people on contract.

guyz

232 posts

Master Geek

#339329 8-Jun-2010 12:16

now i,m really confused!!!

on txt 2500 ..i pay for first amount of txts till i reach the $12 threshold, then free to txt up to the 2500 limit

on my favourites, .89c untill i reach the $6 threshold and free to call after that
.
my 20MB data plan..there is a 50c per MB usage charge until 12mb($6) threshold met, then free mb,s utill 20 mbs reached

I just subscribed to mobile tv...guess what???...one off instant charge against my credit of $2.50

now..anyone figure this variance or confusing system of charging?

i note vodafone only have one off charge against all there extras and services

sbiddle

29222 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#339510 8-Jun-2010 19:44

guyz: now i,m really confused!!!

on txt 2500 ..i pay for first amount of txts till i reach the $12 threshold, then free to txt up to the 2500 limit

on my favourites, .89c untill i reach the $6 threshold and free to call after that
.
my 20MB data plan..there is a 50c per MB usage charge until 12mb($6) threshold met, then free mb,s utill 20 mbs reached

I just subscribed to mobile tv...guess what???...one off instant charge against my credit of $2.50

now..anyone figure this variance or confusing system of charging?

i note vodafone only have one off charge against all there extras and services

Mobile TV is a $2.50 per week weekly subscription - there is a big difference. They couldn't charge you less than this as there is no "casual" rate.

astra

69 posts

Master Geek

#339718 9-Jun-2010 10:50

Telecom = Bad Billing!

Their billing system is very old - hence the way in which 'add ons' are billed.

That's the reason why I like 2degrees. Alot easier to manage.

guyz

232 posts

Master Geek

#339926 9-Jun-2010 20:05

sbiddle:
guyz: now i,m really confused!!!

on txt 2500 ..i pay for first amount of txts till i reach the $12 threshold, then free to txt up to the 2500 limit

on my favourites, .89c untill i reach the $6 threshold and free to call after that
.
my 20MB data plan..there is a 50c per MB usage charge until 12mb($6) threshold met, then free mb,s utill 20 mbs reached

I just subscribed to mobile tv...guess what???...one off instant charge against my credit of $2.50

now..anyone figure this variance or confusing system of charging?

i note vodafone only have one off charge against all there extras and services

Mobile TV is a $2.50 per week weekly subscription - there is a big difference. They couldn't charge you less than this as there is no "casual" rate.

Hmmmm. they also charge $9.90 for one months subscription...sooooo effectively they should apply the same charge application as per " my favourites"

I think in all reality the telecom charging system for prepaid needs to be evolved to a more precise one off charge system..e.g wish to subscribe to my favouries, txt 2500,20 mb for total of $24,then i should be charged immediatly its active..not this immediate charge for mobile tv, but gradual charge for all other extras. at least i know where i am with it, unlike now

boby55

1539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#339931 9-Jun-2010 20:24

guyz:
Hmmmm. they also charge $9.90 for one months subscription...sooooo effectively they should apply the same charge application as per " my favourites"

I think in all reality the telecom charging system for prepaid needs to be evolved to a more precise one off charge system..e.g wish to subscribe to my favouries, txt 2500,20 mb for total of $24,then i should be charged immediatly its active..not this immediate charge for mobile tv, but gradual charge for all other extras. at least i know where i am with it, unlike now

That is great for you but the likes of my dad (and many others I would presume)
that won’t make it to the required amount of texts needed before free texts are
given every months so likes the fact of not having to pay for what he doesn't
use but likes the fact that if he goes over that amount he doesn’t have to pay
more for the overage (Within limit of his txt plan).

I also personally love the fact that I don't get charged the full amount for my
data (500mb Prepay) as sometimes I don't use 300mb of data in a month but other
times I will use my full 500mb.

Yes there are things like mobile TV that are subscription based not usage that
need to be charged straight away but overall I like how the XT pricing / plans
are done.

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