Big Overage Charges - Motorola Q Forum

DrPepper · 05-08-2007, 01:21 AM

My wife and I have my mother on our 700 minute family share plan, since she would otherwise not be able to afford a cell phone. I just got the bill today and my mother used 792 peak minutes last month. This ended up costing me $182.00 in overage charges. Apparently, she was in charge of a charity event and was using her cell phone all month to coordinate things.

I am thinking of calling Verizon and going up to the 1400 minute plan, which would cost $20.00 more per month and would have covered all of our minutes last month. I don't want to sign up for a new 2-year agreement, though, so I don't know if this is possible. Has anybody had any luck back-dating the start time of the new plan, so that it would cover all of those minutes or am I stuck paying them?

My wife and I have had several unexpected bills pop up this month and this is not what we needed.
/rant/

lopez096 · 05-08-2007, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPepper

My wife and I have my mother on our 700 minute family share plan, since she would otherwise not be able to afford a cell phone. I just got the bill today and my mother used 792 peak minutes last month. This ended up costing me $182.00 in overage charges. Apparently, she was in charge of a charity event and was using her cell phone all month to coordinate things.

I am thinking of calling Verizon and going up to the 1400 minute plan, which would cost $20.00 more per month and would have covered all of our minutes last month. I don't want to sign up for a new 2-year agreement, though, so I don't know if this is possible. Has anybody had any luck back-dating the start time of the new plan, so that it would cover all of those minutes or am I stuck paying them?

My wife and I have had several unexpected bills pop up this month and this is not what we needed.
/rant/

I think you might have to extend your contract if you change plans...
"Calling plan changes and promotional offers will require a new 1 or 2-year customer agreement." this is from their "worry free guarantee" FAQ web page.
You never know though, you might be able to call them and get some kind of credit...good luck.

Phreaker47 · 05-08-2007, 02:04 AM

I've had luck getting some charges reversed in the past. "Be nice, play dumb" is usually the best strategy.

You can change your plan as well. I don't remember the exact specifics, but you definitely don't have to reset your contract to another two years to do it.

mrtune · 05-08-2007, 08:49 AM

Your contract ending date doesn't change when you change plans. You won't be required to extend it.

bcutlerj · 05-08-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPepper

Has anybody had any luck back-dating the start time of the new plan, so that it would cover all of those minutes or am I stuck paying them?

My wife and I have had several unexpected bills pop up this month and this is not what we needed.
/rant/

They used to backdate the bigger plan once you purchased it to cover overage. Officially that policy is over and, last someone tried on my behalf, the associate was not able to initiate backdating. BUT . . . In my experience verizon's policy to action be it in-store, online, or via phone, is all over the place. So give it a try. Also . . . any associate can assign you 50 or 100 minutes to help with the ache. Don't know if that does much for you though. I like to ask to be transferred up to a supervisor after having the associate assure me there is nothing they can do for me.

qnoob · 05-08-2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtune

Your contract ending date doesn't change when you change plans. You won't be required to extend it.

tell that to all the VZW people I've talked over the years. I ALWAYS have to extended my contract the minute I change my plan.

Yester18 · 05-09-2007, 01:20 PM

you can change your plan anytime you want. and no extending. not sure where you guys are getting your info, but you are getting screwed.

qnoob · 05-09-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yester18

you can change your plan anytime you want. and no extending. not sure where you guys are getting your info, but you are getting screwed.

then again, i don't know why I complain about extending. it's not like I'm going to switch from VZW (never have, was even a Bell Atlantic Mobile # from way back). This would probably only affect when I wanted to cash in on my New Every Two.

but all the VZW reps in the stores in my area have always required me to extended my contract every time i change my plan (add minutes, add features, etc). They just wait for me to sign on the dotted line / screen before doing anything. maybe i'll to refuse to extend next time and see what happens?

mrtune · 05-12-2007, 05:36 PM

Your getting the shaft aparantley. I changed my features multiple times over the web and never been required to extend.

About a month and half ago when I got my q, I went into the local store to have it activated and change my plan to the pda plan they have, and my contract still ends the same day as when I signed up.

VTDr0p0ut · 05-21-2007, 08:23 AM

Features are one thing -- no contract changes -- base-plan changes require a new contract. It wasn't always that way, but when they started the "IN" network promotions way back when, they started requiring new contracts whenever you change how many minutes you were using.