SMS App costing a bomb

barrowvian

Hi all,

First time posting here ... I couldn't seem to find any previous posts similar to my problem.

I have taken a new contract out with Orange, via Phones 4U. When I enquired with Phones 4U one of my main requirements was international texting ... they said that Orange charge something like 20p per text but there are app's such as Wiz Messenger that allow you to text internationally for free. All sounded good. I did some research and found that in order to text free that the recipitent also needed to use the application. That was fine and wasn't a problem. They installed it too and we'd been texting over the last month. I received a call from Orange today informing me that my current SMS usage equates to £53!!! I asked my friend about it, who forwarded me a copy of their bill and had no international charges whatsoever.

Do I have any leg to stand on with regards to disputing this? As the service says I can text internationally for free but Orange have been charging me for it :-/

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

OneADay

Looking at the app description here

http://www.appbrain.com/app/wiz-messenger/com.dynmark.wasp

it offers two ways to text - through the internet (which is free) and through your normal SMS method which will incur network charges

"SMS – Continue to send and receive SMS’s with your non WIZ contacts using your existing mobile network pricing plan."

I would guess you have been doing the later??

barrowvian

Yea I saw that bit when I was doing my research. There is a setting within the apps that asks if I want to convert to sending an SMS if no data connection is available ... this option has always been switched off apart from 6 messages that I kept track of.

Each time you send a message though it gives you a confirmation message that it has been sent either via data or sms. I always get the data message so I know it hasn't been sending them via SMS.

Knowing this, do I have a case to argue with Orange?

scheming_gypsy

unlikely i'd say. If you're using an app and it sends via the internet then it won't register on the Orange system as an SMS.
So if it's registering then there's either a problem with the app, or you're doing something wrong.

Orange are just billing for what goes through their network so if you've hit £53 for texts, they're going through their network and not the internet.

barrowvian

well that sucks :-/ i won't be using that app again! thanks for the info guys, guess I'll just have to hope Orange let me pay it off over a couple of months.

OneADay

barrowvian wrote: »

well that sucks :-/ i won't be using that app again! thanks for the info guys, guess I'll just have to hope Orange let me pay it off over a couple of months.

Try to explain to Orange that you were not aware of how the app worked - put it in an email, you might get away with someone being sympathetic and knocking down the bill - but don't expect them to.

If you want international texts, try something like FishText or Rebtel ... and others.