Unfair Charges

Sta-Sof-Fro

Strictly speaking this is not about banks, but it's still about unfair charges, I think. One is about small change admittedly and the other is about money you will get back a month later or when the phon company can be bothered to get their finger out. A couple of points then;

1. Ever noticed that when you sign up for a new mobile phone they charge you from the moment you sign on the dotted line?
Now if it's in store then it's not very long at all before you are actually able to make use of that contract. If it's online though, or over the phone you are charged for a phone and/or SIM that you cannot possibly use for probably 48 days or sometimes even more.
Is there nothing that can be done about this? Does anybody have any ideas?

2. This one kills me, suppose that your billing date is on the third of the month and your contract ends on the fourth of the month. What the telephone company will attempt to do is charge you line rental all the way up to the next billing date. Given that you are no longer under contract how can you owe them that money? Surely you just owe them one days rental + your free texts/minutes on a pro rata basis. Do they have any legal basis to chase you for it?

Would be glad of your opinions, thanks.