T-Mobile - disputed roaming phone calls

mpeel68

While roaming in Mexico I attempted to call my voicemail to check a message. However none of my attempts to call the number got through - complete silence or "Call Failed".

However now I have got home I received a bill for about 20 calls to my voicemail of 1/2 seconds each. This obviously adds up to a large bill!

I wrote to T-Mobile to complain about this but was told that they had investigated and the charges stand.

What (if any) is the next step? They have already taken the money by Direct Debit.

Thanks.

System

T-mobile are passing on the charges from the Mexican provider for using their network which is correct. The fact that they did not connect after that point is immaterial. You have used the Mexican network for the minimum billable period and they want their money

mpeel68

Why is whether the service was usable or not immaterial?

wealdroam

mpeel68 wrote: »

Why is whether the service was usable or not immaterial?

Because the Mexican service provider connected you the number you requested and they want paying for it.

Maybe T-mobile should pay the Mexicans for that, and maybe you need to encourage T-mobile to do that.

shaun_from_Africa

Did you contact T-Mobile before you went to Mexico to get your account and voicemail activated for international access?

If you didn't do this, that would explain why you were getting failed calls.
You would still be getting connected to the Mexican network and it is for this that you have to pay the charges.

System

To be honest after the 3/4th attempt I would probably have given up. Trying 20 times seems excessive

shaun_from_Africa

I've never been to Mexico, but the phone systems in some of the places I've worked were pretty dire at the best of times, and it wasn't unusual to have to redial dozens of times in order to get a connection for an outgoing international call.

mpeel68

wealdroam wrote: »

Because the Mexican service provider connected you the number you requested and they want paying for it.

That's precisely what they didn't do.

The author of this article shares my view that this is common sense.

Did you contact T-Mobile before you went to Mexico to get your account and voicemail activated for international access?

No, but it worked on a couple of the attempts.

shaun_from_Africa

mpeel68 wrote: »

No, but it worked on a couple of the attempts.

In which case, that could well be the problem.
It might have gone through once or twice, but once the Mexican phone provider realised that they were not going to be paid by T-mobile for the international call, they may have blocked your number and would only allow local calls.

This is why the help pages on the T-M site probably state that you must contact them to enable international roaming and international voicemail access before leaving the UK.

wealdroam

mpeel68 wrote: »

wealdroam wrote: »

Because the Mexican service provider connected you the number you requested and they want paying for it.

That's precisely what they didn't do.

Just how, precisely, do you know that?

Never mind, I'll leave you to it now.

mpeel68

wealdroam wrote: »

Just how, precisely, do you know that?.

Because the phone said "Call Failed" and I didn't hear my voicemails.

Definition: con•nect (v)
Join together so as to provide access and communication.

So unless we're changing the definition of "connect" here, I would point out I wasn't provided with "access and communication".

But I'm sure you are delighted to pay for phone calls that didn't go through, as well as (I presume) petrol that wasn't dispensed (but their machine dispensed to the street, so it's not fair they should have to suffer the loss, is it...) and purchases that weren't shipped to you (but they were shipped to someone else, so it's not fair they should have to suffer the loss...) and taxi drivers who take you to the wrong place (but they've spent their petrol so why should they have to suffer the loss...) since it's the same analogy.

I am really not sure if you are a moron, a troll or a shill for T-Mobile but your patronising reply and sign-off leads me to wonder why you bother to contribute to these forums. I have gone to the trouble of citing evidence of other consumer advocates who believe this is unreasonable, so it is pretty small minded of you to continue to behave as if it is obvious and self-evident that I am liable for these charges.

And before you ask, I have looked through the T-M terms and conditions which make no mention of charges for failed calls.

As for how I plan to resolve this, it's quite simple: when my contract comes round for renewal (in a couple of months), I intend to explain to them why I am not renewing my line, and will be moving my other two lines as they expire (all totalling about £145/mo). I'm sure you will be keen to tell me that other mobile phone companies will treat me the same, but I happen to know that is not the case from my dealings with O2 on my other line who are always making goodwill gestures like this and charge about the same.