We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Being Charged by Virgin £1 a day for Unknown Service!

RealGem
RealGem Posts: 569 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
Hi,

I bought my first smart phone, and was told I only pay £14 a month for 250mb data usage, and that if I use more I can upgrade later.

I have hardly used the internet on it at all, only a Google search about twice.

But I have got an April bill for £31.45

When I looked at the breakdown of costs, it says I have not used ANY of my 250mb of included data at all.

But I am being charged £1 every night between 12:00 and 12:45 am for "using the internet" - although it does not say what service exactly.

As it's my 1st smart phone, I suspect something is switched on that I did not know about, but I am a bit upset that I was not told there would be extra charges.

I expected extra charges once my 250mb were used up, but I haven't touched my included usage!

And my online bill does not identify which service it is exactly, so how do I know which service to switch off?

Can someone more familiar with smartphones please tell me what normally costs £1 a day to use?

My phone is a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, and it says it has Wi Fi connected, but it can't be using that, because it has never asked me for my Wi Fi password.

I think it is using the internet 24/7 because it lists data usage on my bill at all hours. And some days I have not used the phone at all.

I have just spent 40 minutes trying to get through to Virgin on the phone, and with every passing minute I'm getting more and more anxious, and I know I'll end up screaming at some poor innocent Philipino person. So I hung up, and did my breathing exercises. (I have aspergers so I do get anxious).

I certainly cannot afford an extra £30 a month for a phone I hardly use the internet on.

Please can someone tell me how to switch stuff off on my phone that I don't need, so I can calm down before phoning Virgin again?

Thanks a lot
Look at it this way... In a hundred years who's gonna care?
«1

Comments

  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    RealGem wrote: »

    Please can someone tell me how to switch stuff off on my phone that I don't need, so I can calm down before phoning Virgin again?

    Thanks a lot
    Slide down from the top of the screen to show the task bar at the top and press the mobile data (top right) turn it to off then press the home key ....when you want to turn on mobile data do the reverse
    It's not just about the money
  • RealGem
    RealGem Posts: 569 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Silk wrote: »
    Slide down from the top of the screen to show the task bar at the top and press the mobile data (top right) turn it to off then press the home key ....when you want to turn on mobile data do the reverse

    Hi Silk, I have done what you said. Thanks a lot.

    Will that definitely stop me being charged £1 a day from now on?

    Thanks
    Look at it this way... In a hundred years who's gonna care?
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    RealGem wrote: »
    Hi Silk, I have done what you said. Thanks a lot.

    Will that definitely stop me being charged £1 a day from now on?

    Thanks
    It should do as it's most likely for data ......what you should do is change the apps to update only through wifi .....that way when you turn mobile data on they won't do it through mobile data and cost you money
    It's not just about the money
  • RealGem
    RealGem Posts: 569 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Silk wrote: »
    It should do as it's most likely for data ......what you should do is change the apps to update only through wifi .....that way when you turn mobile data on they won't do it through mobile data and cost you money

    Thanks a lot Silk,

    Is there a setting that changes that for all apps? Or do I have to go into each app's settings?

    thanks
    Look at it this way... In a hundred years who's gonna care?
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Yes if you go to my apps in google play you can manage them from settings
    It's not just about the money
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Why don't you connect the phone to your wi-fi so you can use the phone at home without mobile data changes?
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • RealGem
    RealGem Posts: 569 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Silk wrote: »
    Yes if you go to my apps in google play you can manage them from settings

    That's great, thanks a lot!
    macman wrote: »
    Why don't you connect the phone to your wi-fi so you can use the phone at home without mobile data changes?

    Thanks, I will from now on, as soon as I work out how to do it. I have Wi Fi setting ON but it has not asked me for my Wi Fi password, so I must have done something wrong.

    Also I thought as I had inclusive minutes that it would not matter. I still don't understand why none of my inclusive data has been used at all.
    Look at it this way... In a hundred years who's gonna care?
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    RealGem wrote: »
    That's great, thanks a lot!



    Thanks, I will from now on, as soon as I work out how to do it. I have Wi Fi setting ON but it has not asked me for my Wi Fi password, so I must have done something wrong.

    Also I thought as I had inclusive minutes that it would not matter
    . I still don't understand why none of my inclusive data has been used at all.
    It may be you have used up the inclusive data and started using the non inclusive each day ???


    If you have wifi turned on ...open settings, select wifi then you should see the available networks available, select yours and it should ask you for the password when you try to connect to that network
    It's not just about the money
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Silk wrote: »
    .... it's most likely for data ...
    How do you know?
    The OP said that he had 250Mb allowance untouched.

    Sorting out updates and WiFi is useful, but the OP needs to find out the exact reason of £1 in the first place. I don't understand how this can be a problem for a contract with itemised billing.
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    grumbler wrote: »
    How do you know?
    The OP said that he had 250Mb allowance untouched.

    Sorting out updates and WiFi is useful, but the OP needs to find out the exact reason of £1 in the first place. I don't understand how this can be a problem for a contract with itemised billing.
    It's a guess if the OP has had mobile data always on and the apps and system updates have gone through mobile data it would use up mobile data quite easily.
    Added the fact that out of bundle data is £1 a day I think it would explain it
    It's not just about the money
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 347.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.8K Spending & Discounts
  • 239.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 615.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.1K Life & Family
  • 252.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.