Charged for call when didn't hang up

one_2

I'm with Orange and have just received my latest mobile bill. It seems that I didn't properly terminate a call I made to a landline and now I've been charged £42 for an 8 hour call.

The question is, even if I didn't hang up properly should the Orange system have identified that the other party had terminated the call / or that there was silence on the line for 8 hours? (I've asked Orange and they of course say the call stands.)

Jon_01

None of the network monitor your calls, so no they wouldn't have known. I'm afraid you're stuck with the bill.

drbesty

You mean Orange don't employ people to listen to every call made over the network? If they did it would almost certainly stop this sort of thing from happening, I think it's something they should consider doing

sporedude

I think its the OP's responsibility to ensure the call was hung up

Exhortation

drbesty wrote: »

You mean Orange don't employ people to listen to every call made over the network? If they did it would almost certainly stop this sort of thing from happening, I think it's something they should consider doing

Imagine what it could do for the unemployment figures, too.

Techhead_2

If I had done this, I would have been worried about what the people on the landline heard!

owitemisermusa

I see the OP's point of view as I have had a similar thing happen. I called a mobile from my landline and whilst the other party hung up, my landline (which often requires 2 presses to disconnect) did not, it was still in call mode when I woke up about 6hrs later!

I am waiting for the supplier's IT system to fully log that call before I know for definite if I've been charged or not. Preparing for a hefty bill....

tifo

when the other side terminates, doesn't your call also do the same, otherwise they would still be 'engaged' with you if you're still connected to them.

ivinsp

The landline exchange should have disconnected the call after a few minutes of the landline user disconnecting the call on their side

Guys_Dad

Not sure you are right there ivinsp. Take the old BT Engineer scam

The Scam –
You get a call from "a BT engineer" and he says he is from BT & will disconnect your line unless you pay £35.00 arrears NOW. To prove his point, he appears to disconnect your line which seems to go dead. He then calls you back to take your payment details.
The Sting –
He is not from BT, he is a thief.
His demonstration is a trick. He just presses the “silent” button on his phone which makes the line seem dead at your end, as you can’t disconnect his call to you.
He waits until you’ve put the phone down and he thinks you’re convinced. Then he presses the redial button that closes the old call & rings you again.
He then takes your payment details and your money.


That wouldn't have worked if the receiving end could terminate the call.

However, saying that, you may have a slight way out here. If the landline you were calling was a friend's private number, either their phone was similarly locked as above until somehow the call was terminated either by you making another call or in some way using your handset - say texting.

If this event happened during the period that Orange claim that your number was still in use to the landline, then by you checking your bill or them checking theirs, if either of you can prove other activity during the long call time, you could persuade Orange that two things can't happen at the same time.

simax

Guys_Dad wrote: »

if either of you can prove other activity during the long call time, you could persuade Orange that two things can't happen at the same time.

You can send texts whilst on a call, also you can make another call while one is on hold.

If your phone is connected to a 3G site, it is also possible to send MMS and surf the net whilst on the call.

They can see all of that, so wouldn't make any difference.