Virgin per minute billing?!!

DonnyDave

jassi_9 wrote: »

This means even if i make a call of 3 seconds i get chnarged for the whole minute?! is that correct, i thought everybody did per secound billing for contract phones?!

Some landline providers have been doing this for a year or two now. It's a way of increasing the charges without putting up the published "per minute" charge. Similarly, the per call setup charges...and the regulator sits idly by.

Not sure about mobile providers charging per whole minute.

Stompa

FWIW Asda PAYG charge 8p per minute, and round up the cost to the nearest penny, but have a minimum call charge of 1 minute. So:

1 sec = 8p
30 sec = 8p
60 sec = 8p
61 sec = 9p
90 sec = 12p
120 sec = 16p
etc.....

DarkConvict

Maybe it is been done as minimum call charges, adding in the connection charge to the first minute. Would you prefer a 10p connection charge instead?

jassi_9

i would expect it more on pay as you go rather than for contract phone users.

I have had a phone contract since the days orange had the "everyday 20" offer on (over 10 years ago) and it has never been like this before, your inclusive minutes always got used per second and then you got charged for everything you used on top....

now i have 300 mins + 300 texts, but if i make 300 call for 10 seconds each i have used up my entire usage for the month and then im getting charged alot for every minute i use.....


that seems ridiculous to me, surely there is somebody out there that supplies a phone contract where your minutes get deducted per second and not per minute?

after 3-4 years with virgin im ready to jump ship as soon as i find somebody that does per second billing.......although the guy from virgin c/s said NOBODY does this anymore and virgin were the last to change!

I_luv_cats

O2 appear to charge per second e.g.

21 Dec 0916:54:30XXXXXXXX
Peak 00:18:44 0.000F21 Dec 0917:13:34XXXXXXXX
Peak 00:01:07 0.000F21 Dec 0917:15:05XXXXXXXX
Peak 00:12:21 0.000FTotal duration 00:32:12 Total cost £0.00

digp

This is one big con which MSE martin should do something about

jassi_9

digp wrote: »

This is one big con which MSE martin should do something about

couldnt agree more mate

how do you go about highlighting something like this to the right people on here??

I luv cats: thanks i will probably go to the shops and ask them in person.

matrix999

Interesting thread....

Just to confirm Vodafone Pay Monthly charge per second, confirmed via 191 customer services.

jassi_9

i have just had a thought...

my service is advertised as 300 MINUTES + 300 texts

but im getting 300 CALLS + 300 texts??!

so isnt this a breach of contract and terms and conditions, false advertising bla bla bla??

Old_Gold

I rather thought the idea of this site was leaning towards the rights of the consumer rather than the companies who have all the odds in their favour. Therefore it does surprise me still when posters belittle someone for expecting fair play.
The groundrules have changed without resistance over the last few years in favour of the companies and away from the consumer.
First there used to be rollover minutes which allowed you to use your minutes more fairly. This was then taken away which meant the consumer had to lose out. There is no way anyone can rationally say this could work in the customers favour.
Now most networks have brought in this per minute rather than per second. It used to be a marketing strategy. Look back and you will find adverts saying per second billing. I still get per second billing on my orange account but get nowhere near my minutes allowance so they do pretty nicely out of me in that regard.
If Ofcom or whatever they are called these days had the customer in mind neither of these practices would have been allowed to be withdrawn without very strong justification..