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Thursday, December 12th, 2013 10:17 PM

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Proration of Final Bill

I recently transfered to Verizon from AT&T due to AT&T's inferior coverage in my area (otherwise happy with service but just couldn't deal with frequent dropped calls from my home/office).  I fulfilled my contract earlier this year.  I called billing and was told they can't prorate the final partial month. When I signed up I paid for a prorated month of service and don't understand why AT&T can't prorate the last month of service.  Is there a supervisor I can talk with - not getting anywhere with customer service agent!

Tutor

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9 Messages

7 years ago

News reporter: Mr. CEO/management, there has been reports of millions of complains that your company is forcing customers to pay for services after they have canceled their plans.  Do you have anything to say about that?

Mr. CEO/management: Will, it's in the contract, they need to look at the fineprints.

New reporter: You are correct Mr.CEO/management.  These millions of people over the years have payed you millions and millions are wrong.  How dare they refuse to pay?  They do need to give you their hard earn money for services they never used.  I mean it's in the fineprints and any judge will agree with you on that.

 

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

7 years ago


@dontakemymoney wrote:

News reporter: Mr. CEO/management, there has been reports of millions of complains that your company is forcing customers to pay for services after they have canceled their plans.  Do you have anything to say about that?

Mr. CEO/management: Will, it's in the contract, they need to look at the fineprints.

New reporter: You are correct Mr.CEO/management.  These millions of people over the years have payed you millions and millions are wrong.  How dare they refuse to pay?  They do need to give you their hard earn money for services they never used.  I mean it's in the fineprints and any judge will agree with you on that.

(You think) you're funny. If you'd spent less time than the time it took you to write the above, actually checking to see if it's proated, you wouldn't need to...

 

If I move out of an apartment I'm renting by the month BEFORE the end of the month are they going to refund me the rest of the month just because I didn't check the contract?

 

You assumed it should be prorated, so theirfore that's the way it should be??? 

 

 

 

Tutor

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9 Messages

7 years ago

I'm not laughing nor is millions of people who were forced to pay this fee laughing (and the millions more future ex-customers)

Just because they put it in the fineprints doesn't make it right and i'm sure you have missed something in contracts you have signed.

As I said before, there need to be a law to ban this type of practice.  If you think it's fair then i'm sure they wouldn't mind taking your money.

For the rest of the people who paid this unjust fee, we protest.

 

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

7 years ago


@dontakemymoney wrote:

My credit card company sided with me and refunded the partial payment (payment stops on the day my phone number is no longer with ATT).   


I'm not believing your CC company sided with you. You disputed a charge and they agreed. Had they known you were disputing a legitimate charge, I doubt they would have credited you.

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

7 years ago


@dontakemymoney wrote:

I'm not laughing nor is millions of people who were forced to pay this fee laughing (and the millions more future ex-customers)

Just because they put it in the fineprints doesn't make it right and i'm sure you have missed something in contracts you have signed.

Well now you know that Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile all do the same so don't be suprised in the future. I'm sure many of those ex-customers are finding their way to another company that does that same thing (some are finding their way to AT&T).

 

As I said before, there need to be a law to ban this type of practice. 


 There should be a law that says you don't have to follow the terms of the agreement just because you didn't check it?

 

You've had a monthly contract for how long and now that you're leaving, you don't want it to be monthly?

If you wanted pay by the day, you should have gotten a different carrier.

 

 

Tutor

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9 Messages

7 years ago

Re: Proration of Final Bill
@dontakemymoney wrote:

My credit card company sided with me and refunded the partial payment (payment stops on the day my phone number is no longer with ATT).   

I'm not believing your CC company sided with you. You disputed a charge and they agreed. Had they known you were disputing a legitimate charge, I doubt they would have credited you.

 

How it works it that credit card company will get both sides story ( I provide them the my account info and explained the situation) and they will determine which side has more credibility.  It's not a legitimate charge and I hope everyone who had their credit cards charged will do that same.

I also hope everyone contact their congressmen and expose this type of unfair practice.

Employee

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3.5K Messages

7 years ago

It's not the cellular carrier's fault someone did not read the terms and conditions. End of story really. Semantics and hypotheticals can be argued all day long and it does not change the facts.

 

AT&T does not prorate the final bill.

Verizon does not prorate the final bill.

Sprint does not prorate the final bill.

T-Mobile does not prorate the final bill.

US Cellular does not prorate the final bill.

 

This is an accepted practice in the cellular industry and whether someone considers it wrong or not does not really mean anything. There are no legality issues because it's totally legal for a carrier to do so because the carrier said upfront they would not prorate the final bill. It's in the terms and conditions. 

 

Contributor

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1 Message

7 years ago

 On our FINAL bill, we are charged MORE than our previously agreed-to monthly amount, for far less than a month of service? How odd. Common sense says prorate. Anyone who can multiply and divide can prorate.
I have searched the web and it is perfectly fine for them to do this, their playground, their rules, when we accept their service, that’s when it starts.
But just because other companies do it, doesn’t mean you have to. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Just because the other kids are eating worms, doesn’t mean you should too. Just because the other kids are playing in the street….
It doesn’t make it right, it is a way to take advantage of a consumer ONE MORE TIME which is why in the end we decide to

get them out of our lives.
Is that one of the problems that occurs when a company out grows it’s britches? We become insignificant? They do what they want, when they want? (A luxury I will have to try).
Patience is a virtue, if you can’t prorate, work on your virtues, get some patience.
I will pay this final bill at my leisure.
Search ALEC and the phone company and slamming in whatever state you live in.

 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

@9theyregone9   Oh, your new carrier is in for this same tantrum in a couple of years aren't they?

If you haven't gathered the industry is monkey see monkey do.  It's a standard that should make your life easier since all carriers have the same policies.  

 

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

7 years ago


@9theyregone9 wrote:

 On our FINAL bill, we are charged MORE than our previously agreed-to monthly amount, for far less than a month of service? How odd. Common sense says prorate. 

Sorry, common sense says check the plan.

 

Please show what incorrect costs they charged you that were more than normal (compared to last month's bill)...

 

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