PBT sending me texts with a premium rate cost

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felixfurtak

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#147040 6-Jun-2014 18:02

I have a bit of an issue with PBT couriers.

I was out when the courier called to deliver a package.

They then text messaged me to ask if it was ok to redeliver. The text message was sent from a number '7502' which I'm fairly sure is a premium rate of (I think) 50 cents.

I find this quite annoying since if I replied to it it would cost me money. Not a lot of money, but money all the same. There was also no warning from them to say that if I replied to the text it would cost money. I'm wondering if this is actually legal?

Also, the only option for redelivery is with them leaving the package at the doorstep. They are basically absolving their duty to deliver the package. Where would I stand from an insurance point of view if the package went missing?

Do other couriers have similar policy or is this just PBT?

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#1060501 6-Jun-2014 18:14

The only document I found doesn't have a price for RECEIVING this SMS. Where did you get this information from?

Jase2985

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#1060503 6-Jun-2014 18:19

freitasm: The only document I found doesn't have a price for RECEIVING this SMS. Where did you get this information from?

hes talking about having to send a txt back to get it delivered/dropped on the doorstep. and the costs that could be involved

mattwnz

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#1060504 6-Jun-2014 18:21

Why don't you just phone them instead to arrange redelivery. Maybe next time don't give them a mobile number, so they leave a card in the letter box.

freitasm

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#1060508 6-Jun-2014 18:28

Jase2985:
freitasm: The only document I found doesn't have a price for RECEIVING this SMS. Where did you get this information from?

hes talking about having to send a txt back to get it delivered/dropped on the doorstep. and the costs that could be involved

Ah. I thought was just receiving the SMS but for $0.50 to arrange something to be redelivered I wouldn't worry that much.

johnr

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#1060513 6-Jun-2014 18:49

You think it's 50 cents?? No reason why a shortcode can't be zero rated for sending party aka mobile subscriber

Until you actually reply and see if you are getting charged 50 cents you really have nothing to complain about

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felixfurtak

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#1060536 6-Jun-2014 20:09

As a test, I did reply to the the text and it did indeed cost me. It was only 20c, rather than 50c but did not come out of my normal text bundl. For me it's the principle - it shouldn't cost me anything to get my parcel. And I'm fairly sure premium rated texts should have a warning with them to say at least how much they cost.

nakedmolerat

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#1060538 6-Jun-2014 20:12

It's your choice. You can always ring them.

The text service is there for convenient.

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johnr

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#1060551 6-Jun-2014 21:03

felixfurtak: As a test, I did reply to the the text and it did indeed cost me. It was only 20c, rather than 50c but did not come out of my normal text bundl. For me it's the principle - it shouldn't cost me anything to get my parcel. And I'm fairly sure premium rated texts should have a warning with them to say at least how much they cost.

First off we know only person to person SMS come out of our included bundles but yes I have to agree disclaimer 20 cents to reply should be advised but not really premium at 20 cents maybe if it was 50 cents and above

Batwing

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#1060583 6-Jun-2014 21:53

How do we know it's person to person only in the bundles? They're advertised as bundled texts to nz (and aus) numbers, with a fair use policy. A disclaimer by PBT is certainly appropriate.

Kyanar

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#1060594 6-Jun-2014 22:10

Batwing: How do we know it's person to person only in the bundles? They're advertised as bundled texts to nz (and aus) numbers, with a fair use policy. A disclaimer by PBT is certainly appropriate.

Vodafone: "Unlimited TXTs are to standard NZ and OZ mobiles and are for personal use only. Included minutes are to standard landline and mobile numbers in NZ and Oz. TXTs and minutes exclude any premium or special numbers"
Telecom: "Our Fair Use policy is for national, person-to-person calls or texts to standard NZ numbers. Not special, chargeable numbers"
2degrees: "You can use the minutes in your Carryover Combo to call any standard landline or mobile in NZ and Australia, on any network. And you can also text any standard mobile in NZ and Australia as much as you need (Fair Use Policy applies). Premium numbers are excluded"

I would say all three make it pretty crystal clear on the info pages for the bundles. I didn't have to hunt for any of these.

johnr

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#1060614 6-Jun-2014 22:52

Batwing: How do we know it's person to person only in the bundles? They're advertised as bundled texts to nz (and aus) numbers, with a fair use policy. A disclaimer by PBT is certainly appropriate.

Go and read all the carriers terms and conditions!

felixfurtak

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#1060627 6-Jun-2014 23:09

I don't object to telecom or Vodafone charging for this type of number, but I do object to PBT trying to make money from me when someone has already paid them to deliver the package. The type of text message that they send seems like a standard message from a delivery driver, and it feels like it demands a reply. To add to that it seems impossible to rearrange a redelivery without agreeing to allow them to leave the package on the doorstep. It was a package with an expensive tablet in it so there was no way I wanted to risk that.

mattwnz

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#1060651 6-Jun-2014 23:45

felixfurtak: I don't object to telecom or Vodafone charging for this type of number, but I do object to PBT trying to make money from me when someone has already paid them to deliver the package. The type of text message that they send seems like a standard message from a delivery driver, and it feels like it demands a reply. To add to that it seems impossible to rearrange a redelivery without agreeing to allow them to leave the package on the doorstep. It was a package with an expensive tablet in it so there was no way I wanted to risk that.

I beleive couriers have to arrange a redeliviery time that you are happy with. I don't think there is any requirement for you to sign up to anything you are not comfortable with. I guess if they are unable to deliver it, they will return back to the sender. I beleive some also give you the option to pick it up. NZ post often take it to a post shop, although often not the closest one, which can be annoying, and they don't give you the option for redelivery. It is a bit of an advantage to NZ post to be able to do this, as other couriers don't have local shops they can take it to.

andrewNZ

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#1060662 7-Jun-2014 00:28

OT, but I feel the need to clear this up.

What you think is a closer post shop, is possibly a post center. I don't think post centres handle carded parcels.

Post centres are private businesses, usually dairy's, bookshops etc. They can provide postage and whatnot but they're not real post shops. It's a crap system, and hard to tell the difference sometimes.

mattwnz

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#1060669 7-Jun-2014 01:06

andrewNZ: OT, but I feel the need to clear this up.

What you think is a closer post shop, is possibly a post center. I don't think post centres handle carded parcels.

Post centres are private businesses, usually dairy's, bookshops etc. They can provide postage and whatnot but they're not real post shops. It's a crap system, and hard to tell the difference sometimes.

In my case. sometimes they take it to the closest one, but sometimes they don't. I was told that they take it to the closest one on their route. I literally live 100 metres from a post shop / office, where couriers pick things up from, but they don't always take the items to it, instead they often take it to a post shop about 5 kms away.

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