disputing virgin mobile internet bill.......

magoogy

just browsing around at phones as my contract is up tomorrow and logged into my account to see what offers are available for me - found my next bill would be £37 when its usually only £12 at the most....

looked and my recent calls is showing as;

01-Sep-10 15:01:44 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:56:25 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:51:10 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:45:58 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:41:00 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:35:52 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:30:55 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:25:55 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:20:55 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:15:56 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:10:50 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:06:02 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 14:00:59 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:56:13 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:51:20 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:46:19 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:41:21 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:36:22 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:31:24 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:26:30 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:21:30 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:16:30 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:11:30 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:06:39 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 13:01:44 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:56:48 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:51:51 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:46:54 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:42:04 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:37:05 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:32:08 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:27:11 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:22:16 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:17:19 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:12:21 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:07:16 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 12:02:16 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:57:21 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:52:28 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:47:39 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:42:43 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:37:31 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:32:25 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:27:34 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:22:42 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:17:48 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:12:52 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:08:01 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 11:03:02 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:57:46 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:52:36 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:47:22 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:42:07 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:36:53 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:31:48 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:26:39 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:21:49 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:16:43 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:11:35 Using the internet £0.48 01-Sep-10 10:06:17 Using the internet £0.48


over 5 hours of using the internet on my phone......i never ever use my internet at home unless my broadband is down..i never ever use it for over 5 hours

now my tarriff im on gives me 100 minutes and 100 texts and that is showing as i have 32 minutes left....

now virgin say they charge 30p a day for the net anyway

Mobile Web

Web access on your mobile30p per day within the UK - you only pay on the days that you access the Internet from your phone*DownloadsPricing available at point of sale. Example pricing is:
Music tracks - £1.50
Videos - £1 - £1.50
Tones - £2.50 - £3.50
Pics/Animations - £2
Games - £1.50 - £5.00
*A fair use policy of 25MB per day applies. Any use above this limit will be charged at £2 per MB.



so, i just cannot understand how this has happened??????? i didnt get up till 12.30pm so couldntve used the phone before that anyway........when i phoned they said if itd accidently connected it wouldve just stayed on the one page and then gone off........i really cannot understand this as the phone as been with me all day and noone else has been in my house today so noone couldve used it...

can anyone help me as to what i do next? ive cancelled the direct debit straight away so they cant take the £37 ....

330d

What phone do you have? A lot of phones automatically connect to the web.

And by cancelling your DD, this will have an adverse affect on your credit history if you care about it.

magoogy

thanks for your reply.......its a lg lollipop.....

but, the part i dont get is how virgin say its 30p for all day browsing and then im charged 48p every 5 minutes????????? ive looked and cannot see any tarriff for anything costing 48p for every 5 minutes...............and gosh my arms mustve been aching using my phone for 5 hours full without a rest..........

not really got a good credit history at the moment so not really fussed about that bit - i just knew i didnt have the £37 to pay the direct debit when they tried so i cancelled.............its the final bill at the end of my contract so will that be better?????

also - will i get charged if they try getting the direct debit and its been cancelled?

thanks...xx

smcaul

Give them a ring and see whats going on - they seem to be having a bit of a problem with billing at the moment!! I have only just been able to access two of my accounts online after a couple of weeks, and there are charges that are not showing on those accounts that should be!!!!

maxtweenie

Yes, you will get charged extra if they can't take the Direct Debit. Cancelling the DD was the worst thing you could do, but I can understand why you did. The sensible thing to do is to dispute the bill with them, and ask them if they'll accept the usual contract plus calls cost until this is sorted. It sounds like something was updating every 5 minutes. Do you access your emails via the phone?

magoogy

thanks for your replies......yes - cancelling the direct debit was a kneejerk reaction so would you advise when i phone them that i actually offer to set it back up ? i dont intend renewing my contract with them so is there any point doing that????? could i just ask them to send me the bill and ill pay it.........deducting the charges im disputing........

i did use the email application but not always - id just set it up again so i could send a photo to my daughters email account........the photo never got there........could that be the problem?????

is there a retentions part for virgin mobile? i may just have more luck with them....thanks

magoogy

well - i found my bill is now £64...............then i found out what is causing it.........was browsing on facebook on my laptop and my sister said are you out cos youre showing as being on web - hence i realised somehow my laptop and phone are connecting.........i phoned 789 again and got a nicer assistant who said it could be my wireless is connecting to my phone - i checked and saw the connection there.........i have now disconnected it but also told virgin to disconnect my internet as i dont use it on my phone anyhow.................

i now have to phone back on the 6th to see if it proves the above and if it does i will not have to pay the charges.........

im worried sick they will say i have to pay though.........

magoogy

can anyone help with any advise?????????? please?????? have you come across this before??????

thanks

macman

BTW your contract does not 'end'. It simply reaches the end of it's minimum term. After that it continues as a rolling contract for which you have to give 30 days notice. So you will continue to be billed until such time as you cancel and then for 30 days after that.

magoogy

oh - thanks for that information....i will get right onto cancelling........