Cell phone billing issues/question

Today when I got my cell phone bill I noticed 2 charges of $9.99, one for a ring tone and another 2 minutes apart on a Sunday afternoon for my wife's phone. When I called T-Mobile they said that they could do nothing I should pay it and if I had a complaint I should contact the third party. They have no control over what is billed and if I wanted to stop this in the future I could pay them $5.99 a month for the privilege.

I damn near stomped on my phone as a way to hang up. We have had cell phones for a long time and have never downloaded a ringtone or anything else.

We are long past our contract time so I could move to another carrier but then I would have to restart a contract and would they be the same? I suppose I could go to a pay as you go phone.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks

Tim

ahhhh...the cell phones.(had this happen once as well) No matter what carrier you're on this can happen. They all tell you pretty much the same thing. If my memory serves me correctly, a lot of companies will bill you that $9.99 every month after the first time charge. To keep from being charged next month, near where the charge is on your bill should be a company name which you can look up online then email or call or a number code to where you can text the word STOP and that should remove you from the list. So you are no longer charged. I wouldn't move to another carrier if you like the plan you are on. The plans offered change so frequently you will most likely not get the same perks unless you pay more money for them.I am a great example... My contract ended on the 4th, I can pay full price for a phone ($400+) and activate it to stay in my current contract (for up to 24 months after initial contract ended) or re sign my contract and get a phone for a lot less. New contract gives less minutes, $15 more for unlimited texts and $30 more for the same data package I have. My bill will increase $45 more than what I am currently paying. It's a lose/lose situation now a days with cell phones. Sorry for the novel

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bondpunk

My contract ended on the 4th, I can pay full price for a phone ($400+) and activate it to stay in my current contract (for up to 24 months after initial contract ended) or re sign my contract and get a phone for a lot less. New contract gives less minutes, $15 more for unlimited texts and $30 more for the same data package I have. My bill will increase $45 more than what I am currently paying. It's a lose/lose situation now a days with cell phones. Sorry for the novel

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If I need a new phone I go to Target or the equivalent and buy a cheap pay as you go phone. Then switch or activate the new card. No need to restart my contract.

Ill say this.... I have had AT&T a long long time and this sort of thing has hapened on my phone, my grlfriends and my sons... and everytime without exception AT&T has reversed whatever fee or charge there was.

My wife called this afternoon and after she did the usual waiting to get a person she had everything taken care of in 2 minutes. They will [supposedly] block all future downloads/charges to our phones. I wonder if the record of my rant did any good?

Now I am doing all I can to restrain myself from going off on my garbage company. Take a deep breath and count to ten Tim...

I am glad that my city does not limit the competition. There is more than one choice!

Tim

I've been on T-Mobile for a long time and just added a second phone using ATT to get a local number in the location where I'll be working for the next 3 mths. The prepaid plan I have on ATT is unlimited voice and text for $50.- a month, and one can add data packages as needed ($15 = 100 MB) - I do most of my surfing on laptop or iPad, so my phone data usage is not that high, just nice to have the convenience.

Weird, I've never had the fraudulent billing thing happen to me, and I've had the same number under various providers for 18 years! On a prepaid plan of course they can only ding you with charges if there are unused funds in the account, which I'm not going to let happen.