Virgin Mobile have billed us £68 and say no problem on the account

donny909

invisibleyousee wrote: »

It also depends on how long the voicemail takes to kick in - yes some people may have this set to 30 seconds, but others may only have it at 10/15/20 seconds in which case then someone could redial multiple times within 1 minute.

Is the credit limit set to £125? This could be lowered to £50, although this used to only be possible around 3 months of having had the contract (may have changed now), and this would send out text alerts when approaching the credit limit.

Well I know my mums phone is by default set to 30 seconds before going to answer machine (she is not to mobile and 60 years old so needs time to get to it) so there is no way the bill is correct in saying that number at least has on many occasions been dialed 3 times inside a single minute. So from that the bill cant even say my mums number has been called more than once in a single minute.

As for example the bill shows on may XX that at 14.55 my mums number has been dialed 3 times each time showing 14.55 and each time being charged 31p. Yet even if dialed at 14.55.01, by the time the number has been dialed starts ringing and the answer machine kicks in thats a minimum of 14.55.35 (allowing for 3 seconds for the phone to dial and start ringing and 1 second to hang up after answer machine starts) before the mobile can be hung up to even start to redial. So on that basis my mums number cant be called more than once in a single minute before the answer phone kicks in a second time (ok so at an outside chance possable twice). Yet on many times the bill shows it has been 3 times in a single minute.

That could be the basis to suggest to virgin that there has been an issue with the partners account last month. But virgin are saying as long as the system says the call has been made and it's a regular number thats normally been used that the gf has no right of appeal over the bill.

I think the limit has now been reduced to £50. But even thats rediculous in this age for the average person.

donny909

By the way I'd brought this issue up on the vm board I never knew existed. And posts and thoughts on there has narrowed things down a lot but wanted to ask on a particular issue here in case there are more people who know about this aspect even though it might not be the cause of our problem directly.

It's thought calls cannot be charged untill a point where the call is answered or the voice mail service kick in. Weather or how this is charged as a minimum is not really relevent to me as it seems virgin mobile charge a minimum of 1 minute per call. And if a call does not get connected a charge cannot be made if to domestic, well uk based networks. If they try thats pretty much illigal it seems right?. But where things do get confusing is where a phone cant be connected to even start dialing, ie unavailable for whatever reason. As I realised this today when calling my mum from my own mobile and realised something that might make a difference.

The issue therefor is a call is only thought of as connected once the other end answers or it goes to voice mail. Anything else is therefor not a connection as per all mobile networks terms to the end user right?. So when I tried to phone my mum (the main disputed number in this case) I dont even get as far as the phone even ringing and it does'nt go to voice mail either. What I do get is a message saying something like the phone you are calling is unavailabe and to please try again later!.

This is unclear if it means my network (not my partners btw) cant connect to my mums network or my mums network cant connect to her phone. So if the phone cant even be contacted to attempt a connection is a call like this liable for a charge even though calls cannont be charged for under law unless a connection is made and in this such case a connection has not been made to the phone called right?. Remember I'm not going to voice mail as the message does'nt say the persons phone is switched off and to leave a message but that the call cant be connected to the phone in the first place.

Anyone on any network know if charges are ligally liable in such cases where a connection cant be made for whatever reason?.

invisibleyousee

Virgin could try calling the mobile number themselves and see what message they get/how long it takes until voicemail kicks in, if you point out to them that you don't believe it ever connected or could never have connected more than twice in 1 minute.

Does each call say how long it was connected for on the bill, or just the time to the nearest minute?

The call would only register a charge if it connects in my experience. If I call a number and get "The call cannot be connected" or "The number you are calling is not currently available", I don't lose any minutes.

When did the issue last occur?

Unfortunately the Virgin Mobile credit limit minimum is £50 - it's always been a pain that it can't be lowered, but then anyone with a £25 monthly bill for example needs a £50 limit minimum anyway or they'd keep getting cut off (since the bill dates and rollover bundle dates aren't always the same, someone can have the £25 bill for the previous month waiting to be taken out there account, then the new £25 monthly charge will be added for the new month).