Warning - T-Mobile/EE Contract Switch Unfair Data Charges

BillyBarker

I cannot believe the injustice of this. It's the principle not the money in my case but it could be a lot worse for others depending on timing so I'm posting this as a warning.

I was out of contract on a 1GB data allowance plan with T-Mobile and I was within my data usage limit for the month. I would not have exceeded it by the end of the month.

I decided to stay loyal to EE by taking out a contract for a new phone with the same data usage at one of their shops.

I've now, a week or so later, received a bill and I've been hit by outside allowance charges for data. What they've done is prorate the 1GB up to the date of the swap and then charged me for any data used over that.

So they've retrospectively applied a lower data limit that I had already exceeded when I went in the shop but I knew nothing about until the bill arrived.

Staying with the same provider I expected a seamless switch-over. If not that, at least the shop could have warned me I could be in danger of charges. I could then have waited a couple of days.

I've phoned customer services. They put me through to billing who only offered to waive half of it. I raised it on the EE community but they just advised to contact customer services. I've made a complaint but they can't look at it until the next bill comes out in a month's time.

This could have been a lot worse which is why I'm posting on here as a warning. Say I had used 500MB on day 1 of the billing period, I'd still be well within my limit and have 500MB left which I may or may not use by the end of the month. Then say I went into the shop and swapped the next day. The prorated allowance would be 60MB and I would be 440MB over it which at T-Mobile prices would be the best part of £3000!!

EE have just come very close to the bottom of this month's Which? customer satisfaction survey. I can clearly see why.

System

Don't see the problem. You didn't have a contract with them for the whole month so can't expect the full data, text & call allowance. pretty obvious to most people.

Staying with the same provider

You didn't stay with the same provider. EE, orange and T-mobile are separate entities for service provision that's why you have anomalies such as 4G not available with T-Mobile

BillyBarker

!!!!!! wrote: »

pretty obvious to most people

Thanks for that, I'm obviously not as bright as most people.

I thought T-Mobile were now EE.

I had an ongoing contract with a monthly data allowance. I knew what that was and I stayed within it.

T-Mobile/EE retrospectively then applied a lower limit which I had already exceeded.

How can it be fair that, without warning, I'm charged for exceeding a limit that I didn't know about and hadn't agreed to?

mobilejunkie

They didn't. They gave you the same allowance you would have contacted to for a shorter period.

BillyBarker

mobilejunkie wrote: »

They didn't

They didn't what? I seem to be getting short shrift on here today. Again apologies for not being as clever as you all.

I went into the same shop I took the original contract out with. It used to be T-Mobile, it's now EE. Remarkably it's still the same staff.

I was reasonably happy with the old contract so, out of loyalty, I took out a new one at the same place.

Note - I took out a new contract. I did not explicitly end my old contract. I expected a seamless transition.

I would have appreciated being warned that I was going to be clobbered with data charges.

I thought posting my experience on here might serve as a warning to others as the consequence of getting their timing wrong could be huge.

However I now understand that most people will know already so I am sorry for wasting your time.

mobilejunkie

Didn't give you a reduced allowance retrospectively. The start and end of all contracts have a part month; you pay part, you get part.

BillyBarker

mobilejunkie I bow to your and !!!!!!'s superior intellect but I really don't understand why I think this is outrageous but to you two and "most people" it should have been blindingly obvious.

I had a 1GB allowance each month from the date I started the original contract (a full month incidentally).

I know that's my limit and I stick to it. However I don't use it at a steady 32MB per day. There are peaks and troughs and my usage varies e.g. not much in the week, more at weekends.

Now say the latest month started on a Saturday and on Saturday and Sunday I use 250MB. Then on Monday I go into the EE (formerly T-Mobile) shop.

Dear assistant, who I remember from last time, I have been reasonably happy so please may I stick with you and have another, data usage has been fine so let's continue with 1GB. Certainly Billy we'll sort that for you.

Then a week later I get a letter from EE enclosing a T-Mobile bill saying that I should have only used 96MB by that Monday and as I had used 250MB I owe them 154MB x £6.50 = £1000*.

Obviously you would have been smart enough not to let this happen to you but it never occurred to me that it was even a remote possibility. So just in case there are readers of this forum who are similarly naive as myself please be warned.

* illustrative figures

NiftyDigits

How much do they say that you owe them? I think Orange did that to me once. Got a full refund.

BillyBarker

Thank you NiftyDigits, in my case it's not the money as much as the principle. EE have offered to meet me halfway but I'm holding out for a full refund.

I've been trying to illustrate though that, depending on the day of the billing cycle you go into the shop, you could be landed with truly astronomical data charges with no forewarning.

The worst that EE should have ethically* done would have been to continue charge me my normal monthly amount up until the end of that last billing cycle where my 1GB monthly limit ended.

* I think legally as well, I'm frantically searching for my original contract's T&Cs!

NiftyDigits

BillyBarker wrote: »

Thank you NiftyDigits, in my case it's not the money as much as the principle. EE have offered to meet me halfway but I'm holding out for a full refund.

I've been trying to illustrate though that, depending on the day of the billing cycle you go into the shop, you could be landed with truly astronomical data charges with no forewarning.

The worst that EE should have ethically* done would have been to continue charge me my normal monthly amount up until the end of that last billing cycle where my 1GB monthly limit ended.

* I think legally as well, I'm frantically searching for my original contract's T&Cs!

That is exactly what they should have done. as long as you didn't go over your allotted allowance.

simax

There is a known issue with customers moving from T-Mobile to EE being charged incorrectly for data after they migrated. If you're due a bill credit it will now happen automatically. We had it communicated out last week.so you may actually get some money back. Ring them back and ask them to check "Albert" or "Splash"