Being charged extra when leaving Slingshot...

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Being charged extra when leaving Slingshot...

vinnieg

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#78218 1-Mar-2011 13:53

Just a warning to all when leaving Slingshot. Check your bill.

I've just had a new bill through and I have two extra charges:

1.
Mon, 13-Dec 027%%% Messaging Charges for 27/12/2010 $7.00
... This was not on my December/Jan bill and according to my phone, I hadn't actually sent any texts from the 26-28th December. I think they are just trying to get money off me?

2.
Sun, 27-Feb 2011 027%%%% Mobile Data Casual 17.8015 MB $4.60
Since I've been on 2Degrees 2 weeks now and was not using my Slingshot(it's been destroyed) how can they charge this?

it seems like they are purposely trying to get money off me for services which I haven't used? As there is no number assigned to the sim and my number has been ported to 2degrees for 2 weeks?

Should I lay a complaint with the commerce commission?

I've already contacted Slingshot to see if they can redo the bill. but in the past they say "please pay the full amount and you'll get the credit next month". Um no, I don't want to pay for services which I have not used and I don't want to receive a credit for services that I will never sign up to again.

Sorry Slingshot, I gave you too many chances....

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

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#444449 1-Mar-2011 14:01

1) Did you have a SMS bundle?

2) Did you have a Data addon?

These would be part months charges for these services

No company would just add random charges for the fun of it like you have posted.

John

nickb800

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#444466 1-Mar-2011 14:52

I think they have a delay in getting mobile usage data so there is a weird billing cycle.
For example my billing cycle ended on the 23rd (So I got a bill on the 24th), but the actual txt/call/data usage often ended 3-5 days earlier.

So these charges may have been for usage in ~5 day window before your official billing cycle, which they did not have info about at the time they issued your bill. Its all a question of timing, so consider this and have a look through your bills again.

But hey, slingshot screwing up isnt unprecedented. If they give you the runaround then flick them a twitter, its worked for me in the past.

I just left slingshot mobile for 2degrees too :D

vinnieg

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#444479 1-Mar-2011 15:28

johnr: 1) Did you have a SMS bundle?

2) Did you have a Data addon?

These would be part months charges for these services

No company would just add random charges for the fun of it like you have posted.

John

1) Indeed I did and according to my December payment have paid entirely for all SMS that month

2) no Data addon, just 25c a MB, which was also charged for the December payment
the fact that it says I've used 17MB for the 27th February, doesn't make sense. Since my Sim wasn't in a phone or being used that day at all.....I was 2000% on the 2Degrees simcard and have been on 2Degrees. Infact I've had the 2Degrees Simcard in my phone since the 15th February, so how could I be charged on teh 27th Feb, if I wasn't using Slingshot?

I've had a lot of issues in the past with Slingshot. Double billing, extra data being added on....SMS bundles/data bundles not being cancelled when required and asked(they blame their billing dept)

John, could there be a problem with the provisioning of the number maybe? So somehow the data is going through Slingshot back to 2degrees(not sure if that's possible, since I'd need the Slingshot APNs still?)

These are the 2Degrees logs for the day for my data bundle, mostly just weather updates, not much more than that as I switched off background roaming and usually use WLAN data:

Sun

27 Feb 2011
10:11:39 AM
GPRS
CAS

0.13
1
$ 0.00

27 Feb 2011
10:14:14 AM
GPRS
CAS

0.00
1
$ 0.00

27 Feb 2011
12:24:25 PM
GPRS
CAS

0.03
1
$ 0.00

27 Feb 2011
12:38:39 PM
Calls
2D
273071379
00: 00 21
1
$ 0.00

27 Feb 2011
12:40:33 PM
GPRS
CAS

0.01
1
$ 0.00

27 Feb 2011
03:15:43 PM
SMS
OTR
212565552
1
1
$ 0.00

27 Feb 2011
03:21:06 PM
GPRS
CAS

0.05
1
$ 0.00

27 Feb 2011
09:09:16 PM
GPRS
CAS

0.34
1
$ 0.00

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

vinnieg

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#444480 1-Mar-2011 15:40

nickb800: I think they have a delay in getting mobile usage data so there is a weird billing cycle.
For example my billing cycle ended on the 23rd (So I got a bill on the 24th), but the actual txt/call/data usage often ended 3-5 days earlier.

Yeah mine ends on the 27th, this is what I found in the previous month:

Fri, 24-Dec 10:12p 0:00:01 021 $$$$$$$ Mobile Gsm FREE
Wed, 29-Dec 3:13p 0:00:01 027 $$$$$$$ Mobile FREE
Thu, 30-Dec 11:09a 0:00:01 021 $$$$$$$ Mobile Gsm FREE

That's all correct(I left my charger at home when I went away for a few days...so yeah, didn't get it back up till the Wed)

So these charges may have been for usage in ~5 day window before your official billing cycle, which they did not have info about at the time they issued your bill. Its all a question of timing, so consider this and have a look through your bills again.

Weirdly enough, I think they've charged me for my January usage twice....as said before it said I used 17MB, which is exactly the same right down to the decimal place of my January bill. Oh well, hopefully slingshot will fix it up. Especially since I have had my data physically switched off and all Slingshot APNs removed.

But hey, slingshot screwing up isnt unprecedented. If they give you the runaround then flick them a twitter, its worked for me in the past.

I just left slingshot mobile for 2degrees too :D

Just been checking over my other bills. Not sure what they've done, but my December bill and Jan bill both have this:
Mobile - Mobile TXTMon, 13-Dec 027 %$%$%$ Messaging Charges for 27/12/2010 $7.00
Fri, 28-Jan 6:40p 0:00:01

So I guess somehow I've been charged on both bills for the December charges. Will wait to hear back from Slingshot I guess.

- doh, also just realised above I left my phone number in the bill...so I've removed that!

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

johnr

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#444485 1-Mar-2011 15:54

vinnieg: John, could there be a problem with the provisioning of the number maybe? So somehow the data is going through Slingshot back to 2degrees(not sure if that's possible, since I'd need the Slingshot APNs still?)

impossible

vinnieg

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#444493 1-Mar-2011 16:34

johnr:
vinnieg: John, could there be a problem with the provisioning of the number maybe? So somehow the data is going through Slingshot back to 2degrees(not sure if that's possible, since I'd need the Slingshot APNs still?)

impossible

Yeah that's what I thought, thanks for that, only other explanation apart from them charging me, would be someone using my Simcard on that day to download data...but without a number being on it, that wouldn't work. Guess I'll wait out a reply and ring back the Billing Dept tomorrow!

Thanks for your help though!

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

vinnieg

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#450401 21-Mar-2011 15:21

Well they dropped half the charges...well $4.60 for the data but wouldn't drop the SMS charges. Even though I didn't use that amount of texts. But not being one to fight over so little, I decided to go pay my bill.

But the billing system, in it's absolute wisdom still has the incorrect amount. So I'm having to leave it a month for the system to get the final payment right.

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

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vimfuego

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#450549 21-Mar-2011 22:38

Thanks for the heads up. I rung up 2 weeks ago to say I too am leaving SS, and to make sure I didn't get charged for an extra month when it stops on the 23rd.

Doublechecked today to make sure and yes they have my request logged two weeks ago, but won't stop it until they hear from the new provider...

Having being caught up in the SS bill paying debacle when it first started exactly one year ago, I am not holding my breath that all bills will cease on the 23rd!

scottr

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#450873 22-Mar-2011 19:24

If you are transisitioning to another provider services generally aren't cancelled until that's happened.

If you definitely want to be cancelled by a given date then request a cancellation. With this though you could end up with no service at all or at the end of a port wait list.

It's best to let the gaining provider take the service, and when that's done contact the losing ISP to ensure they've closed off billing.

vinnieg

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#451744 25-Mar-2011 11:39

scottr: If you are transisitioning to another provider services generally aren't cancelled until that's happened.

If you definitely want to be cancelled by a given date then request a cancellation. With this though you could end up with no service at all or at the end of a port wait list.

It's best to let the gaining provider take the service, and when that's done contact the losing ISP to ensure they've closed off billing.

That is correct, I cancelled my account one month before required. My problems were with the billing amounts. Even though I had free texts, for some reason on one day only of the month I got charged for them? on the 27th December. Which wasn't explained why or how and only popped up on the February bill.

It's semi sorted now, but I'm unable to pay the bill until the billing issue is rectified. ie when paying on the website the amount says $23 owing, but when I go to pay via credit card it shows up at $27. Which I'm not paying until the final monthly bill(when it's rightly put at $23).

The billing system there really needs work. Customer Service is fine, billing is terrible.

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

vinnieg

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#453210 29-Mar-2011 17:47

Great...waited for the billing system to sort itself out. Now I owe more than I originally did.

Misc Debits - Misc Debits
Sat, 26-Mar General Late Payment Fee $5.11
1 Item $5.11
Other - Mobile Data
Wed, 09-Mar General Mobile Data Charge
Adjustment
27/02/2011 $-4.60
1 Item $-4.60

Thanks Slingshot. I'll make sure I recommend you to all my friends and family. Everyone should definitely sign up for Slingshot....yeah right.

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

maverick

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#453229 29-Mar-2011 18:51

Question ... why don't you guys post these in the SS forums surely you will get a more direct answer in their own forums ?

Yes I am a employee of WxC (My Profile) ... but I do have my own opinions as well

https://www.facebook.com/wxccommunications

richms

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#453281 29-Mar-2011 21:19

maverick: Question ... why don't you guys post these in the SS forums surely you will get a more direct answer in their own forums ?

They activly block their forums from being indexed in google, meaning that complaints there will not assist others that are googling for the problem, and they dont do anything to bring the attention of those forums to their own customers.

Richard rich.ms

maverick

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WorldxChange

#453344 30-Mar-2011 06:01

wow ... interesting,

Yes I am a employee of WxC (My Profile) ... but I do have my own opinions as well

https://www.facebook.com/wxccommunications

Morph

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#453426 30-Mar-2011 11:14

richms:
maverick: Question ... why don't you guys post these in the SS forums surely you will get a more direct answer in their own forums ?

They activly block their forums from being indexed in google, meaning that complaints there will not assist others that are googling for the problem, and they dont do anything to bring the attention of those forums to their own customers.

haha funny.

But remember its a better place?

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