10-07-2006, 12:52 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 23
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$207.80 of Data overage charges!
I opened up my AT&T combined services bill (local, long distance, dsl and Cingular) to find my Cingular Wireless had a $207.80 charge attributed to extra data usage. I believe I passed out mid-scream. I currently have the meager Media Net 3mb plan, which up till now, has served me just fine. My typical usage is light news reading during the morning and evening bus ride.
On my bill I notice that at about halfway through my billing cycle at approximately 2 in the afternoon (when I'm seated in front of a computer at work, privy to a much faster T1 or T3 or whatchamacallit data connection) I somehow accumulated a data charge of $174. Subsequently, having apparently burned through my data usage, the rest of the billing cycle resulted in another $30 of charges.
I called Cingular to point out the apparent hiccup, and because of the complexity of my problem was told that some specialists would look into the matter. A couple days later (yesterday) I got a call back from Cingular's customer service informing me that the specialists determined the data usage to be valid, and hence I was liable for the charges. However, as a courtesy to me for being such a valued customer, they would spot me half. At the time I was literally out the door to get a beer paid for by the company I work for (doesn't happen often) so I told them I'd call back.
I just spoke to the customer service crew again, and while they really couldn't help me any further, I was able to make another request for more information on exactly how these specialists were able to determine the data usage was "legitimate". They were also kind enough to tell me if I wanted to take the matter further, I would need to speak to the manager.
I'm sure when I talk to the manager he/she will understand that only a moron who is surrounded by the internet day and night, would take it upon his phone's limited and relatively slow data connection to download God knows what across 20+ megabytes of data usage. Right?
So, to end this post, I propose two questions.
1. Why am I paying $9.99 for 3mb when I can pay $19.99 for unlimited data? I actually think I have the answer for this, and it rhymes with "I was uninformed".
2. Have any of you run into a situation like this? If so, how did you (hope hope) successfully deal with it?
And finally, I swear I'm innocent. Scout's honor.
-Edit- I personally voted yes in the above poll for good measure.
-Edit Deux- I think I screwed up the poll.
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