T-Mobile upgrade, then get hit with 3-4mnth charge from mnths left on previous cntrct

Kev_1984

Please be patient reading this, but if i put all information in here, you'll be better equip to answer for me.

2 month ago, i contacted t-mobile to check when my upgrade date was for my monthly phone. I was informed that I was eligible now, and we began discussing phones available etc. Once one was selected that was free so i didn't have to pay money for, they informed me of new contract length and the slight increase in my new phone bill, all this, not a problem.
They asked me how soon i would like the handset delivering, obviously I responded by saying ASAP, to which the adviser mentioned i could pick it up from my local store the following morning.

I went to the branch, collected my phone, still everything fine, not an issue to this point.
I then decided to sell my new upgraded handset, and keep with my old phone, had a few issue's changing original sim over to a micro sim, but again, once this was sorted, not a problem.

The problem aroused when I was informed that I had been billed for the remaining months that were outstanding on my previous contract (approx 3-4 months). I had chosen to stay with tmobile and also change to a 24 month contract as apposed to my previous 18 month contract. But at no point was i informed when inquiring if i was eligible for an upgrade, "Yes you are eligible for an upgrade, but you will have to pay the remaining term of your previous contract".........I was never informed of this at all.
I've talked to tmobile on numerous occasions regarding this but they have stayed strong on their argument that I must pay this, otherwise I will have my phone disconnected!!!!!
In the approx 8 years i have been with tmobile, i have never paid a bill late or done anything that would have placed me in the category of a 'bad customer', but know i feel i am being treated like one!!!!!
I have arranged to pay this debts in intervals (as im sure everyone can agree at the minute, it is too hard to pay a surprising bill like this whilst still paying mortgage and house insurance etc). I have spoken to tmobile on numerous occasions, and started paying this off, with tmobile stating while ever i am actively paying this debt off, they will not cut my service off.
I wake up this morning to find my phone disconnected and placed onto incoming calls. Immediately i rung tmobile to discuss this, to which i was informed because this bill hadn't been settled, it had been disconnected until the bill has been paid.
I informed the operator that as their records would show, i was paying the debt off, and still making monthly phone will payments, but now they are claiming their records show i owe more money on top. i asked why, but they stated when i have been making the monthly phone bill payments, that has been coming off the debt also so in effect, last months bill is still outstanding plus this months that is due now!!!!!!
i was making the debt payment AND monthly phone bill separate, but tmobile appear to have taken it upon themselves to use the money they are receiving however they wish, which is not the method i was intending it too!!!!!
i will be paying the outstanding debt on the 15th of next month, but in the meantime i am without a phone to txt/call on, even tho tmobile had agreed they would keep the phone line active wherever i was paying the debt.

I just feel really hard-done-by if im honest, i would be the first person to put my hands up and say its my fault, if i had failed to pay my phone bill etc, but this is not the case, i upgraded, like i was told i was eligible for, and then told after taking a new contract out that i have to pay outstanding on previous contract, if id of known this was the case, i would not have taken this contract out until the last month of my previous one........all these problems now seem to be as a direct result of tmobile staff not informing customers of the full information, and surely it is their responsibility to inform customers of this?????

again, apologies for the long post, i was just hoping, knowing all the details of my complaint, if any fellow customers had also gone through this and seek advice on what to do as all this is getting to me quite a bit if im honest.

Regards
Kev :mad:

robbies_gal

they always add on the remianing months to your new contract or do u mean you upgraded earlier than usual-you stll have to pay wots remianing

keith1950

Hi, normally tmobile allow upgrades once you get to the start of the last month of the contract. If you had clicked 'upgrade now' in your online account it would have informed you that it was too early.

You may have an issue with the fact that you say nothing was mentioned about finalising the old contract and you should ask them for the recordings of the conversations.

From past experience I have found that by upgrading early the remaining months are added to the new contract, in your case, making a new term of 4 + 24 = 28 months.

This appears to be a case, where, for some reason , they have just cancelled your old contract and started a new 24 month contract. This would mean you would now have a new number??? If it was an upgrade you should still have been on your old number !!!

prowla

As I understand things...

If you are on an 18-month contract you will run those 18 months; you can choose to upgrade early, and they will then add on extra term (eg. a new 18 months) onto the end of your original 18 months (ie. 3 years total).

But you would also have continuity of service, keep the same number, and have no disconnection other than the few hours it takes for your replacement phone/SIM to activate.

pmduk

prowla wrote: »

As I understand things...

If you are on an 18-month contract you will run those 18 months; you can choose to upgrade early, and they will then add on extra term (eg. a new 18 months) onto the end of your original 18 months (ie. 3 years total).

But you would also have continuity of service, keep the same number, and have no disconnection other than the few hours it takes for your replacement phone/SIM to activate.

That's how I've understood it as well however we're talking about T-mobile here who will interpret a contract differently every day.