Need help understanding your bill?
Enavili's profile

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

Friday, October 27th, 2017 7:39 PM

What does whatsapp charge for international calls?

(mobile post-paid, USA)

Just had a chat with AT&T representative and it left more questions than clarifications. Worst of all, it also left a hole in my pocket since we're been charged to international calls we never did.
Issue: we found charges for international calls in our latest bill. We recognize the number called, but we never call international, we always use whatsapp and/or facetime.
Here's what 1st AT&T agent told us (copied/pasted from the actual chat):

Ken: Using whatsapp with cellular data will count against your cellular data
Ken: That is why you've been charged for INternational Long Distance
Ken: I was able to verify that the International Long Distance charges on your bill is valid due to
using cellular data while calling even using 3rd party app
Ken: The time it will not be counted against your data plan is when you're using Wi-Fi
Ken: I would love to clarify this for you. If you're using cellular data using communication
applications, it will count against your data plan unless you're using a Wifi.

So, using whatsapp to call international will co$t money. And, the agent VERIFIED that the charge is for using a 3rd party app. That would explain the charges... even though... we've always complained that whatsapp doesn't connect when we're not on wifi... it just doesn't work... we thought its a lock in the app or something alike but it just doesn't work without wifi. Now they say it does and they VERIFIED IT.

Now, here's what minutes later ANOTHER AT&T representative wrote:

Rosendo - Supervisor: If applications such as Whatsapp were used, there will be no Long
Distance Charge as it will be taken as Cellular Data usage
Rosendo - Supervisor: Which means those calls went through regular calling
Rosendo - Supervisor: As that kind if error does not occur in our service
Rosendo - Supervisor: Only calls made through the pre-installed calling application of the
phone will be charged for Long Distance Calling
Rosendo - Supervisor: If third-party applications that use only data or Wifi to call, these
charges will not appear on your bill

So... basically it confirms everything that the previous agent said only completely the opposite, I got a sensation of walking on a mobius tape... the same conversation leads to one conclusion and then exactly to its opposite.

This is really confusing, and worst of all, expensive since they charge for the calls. Each agent has a justification for the charges even though both agents use opposite arguments.
Did I mentioned the fact that the phone user doesn't even know how to dial internationally?

To turn a confusion into a mystery is very easy, all I did was to ask the supervisor to confirm if the calls were made using an app or the regular phone system... and voila:

Rosendo - Supervisor: I apologize but as much as I would like to verify that, for security
purposes, we are unable to see what applications were used for your privacy as well

Well, that's what you got for talking to a supervisor!! At AT&T the supervisor has LESS power than a regular agent.... since Ken was able to VERIFY that the call was made using a 3rd party app, while the supervisor can't even check.

I wish they had the same system for the charges... charge you xx at the begining of the bill and then charge you the opposite (-xx) at the end.

Finally I asked for a phone or address I can contact to escalate the matter and... of course:

Rosendo - Supervisor: We do not have a mailing address for any specific department

In the end they got me a weird PO box.

 

So, in the end, we're been charged for calls we didn't make or maybe we made with whatsapp, which nobody can verify (for our safety) but that have been accurately verified as made using an app. We just have to pay, that's for sure.


Does anybody at the forum has a better alternative for contacting AT&T management or so? I found some TV stations (univisa, telemundo) have departments that like to investigate these matters but I would like to exhaust direct communication first.

Thanks

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

5 years ago

Same thing happened to me. The most useful tip I got was to turn off celular date before using whats’up.

Contributor

 • 

1 Message

5 years ago

This seems like a cover up for a bug in AT&T three way calling. we got charged few times, and we use only vonage, and have international call block (double, triple confirmed, now & then). Come few charges later, I was told a modified story by them that international call block is not guranteed to work. Also the number they are charging me for is non-existent (subset of what I dialed on Vonage). Looks like something real nasty is going on aka either its a bug or they are trying to charge for services we never used. We are real frustrated to an extent will seek legal help it happens next time. We absolutely sure we did not make any internationals calls. Something else is going on with these occurances ... 

 

We have made atleast 20+ calls in last 2 years on this issue, and I have tons of conflicting answers from AT&T so far.

ACE - Expert

 • 

14.1K Messages

5 years ago

@shivarajan , sounds like an issue on Vonage’s end. Put your phone in airplane mode (and turn WiFi back in) next time you use Vonage. If it still happens, you know it’s definitely not AT&T. 

New Member

 • 

25.7K Messages

5 years ago

I'm facing the similar issue and been billed for more than 1000$.

 

How is your experience with T-Mobile and how are the data speds and network coverage while travelling?

Contributor

 • 

1 Message

5 years ago

Lately I faced similar issue. I am with AT&T for more than 10years. I use 3rd party app to make international call over Wi-Fi/Data. I never had any issue until last statement and this month, Last one I thought might be by mistake but repetition triggered alarm. Upon calling AT&T customer care, he acknowledged issue but declined for full refund. He transferred call to Loyalty Department. Their they don't acknowledged and trying to push me back. It was long call. I contacted chat as well and same, rude response of denial. @ATTCares very bad experience where customer has to pay for AT&T issue.

Teacher

 • 

28 Messages

5 years ago

I am having this issue also.  It seems extremely strange that an app could ever route a call via the phone function of a device, incur expenses, and that we would have no advance notice from either company about how to avoid the issue.  Default settings cause the problem.  That makes it their decision leading to the problem.  Default settings should never lead to extra charges that aren’t explained ahead of time, that is not an ethical way to do business.

Teacher

 • 

28 Messages

5 years ago

I am having this issue and would like some sort of response from AT&T.  None of the reps I spoke with could even understand what was happening!

ACE - Expert

 • 

16.5K Messages

5 years ago


@Jinbman wrote:

I am having this issue and would like some sort of response from AT&T.  None of the reps I spoke with could even understand what was happening!


That's because it's not an AT&T issue.

 

 

Teacher

 • 

28 Messages

5 years ago

If AT&T is charging me, then it is absolutely an AT&T issue, at least to some extent.

What is your interest in the matter? Are you experiencing the problem or part of a solution?

Master

 • 

3.2K Messages

5 years ago

@Jinbman wrote:

If AT&T is charging me, then it is absolutely an AT&T issue, at least to some extent.

WhatsApp is the one advertising that you can make free international calls with it, and then getting people stuck with international calling charges. AT&T never said they would give free calls through WhatsApp. This is 100% WhatsApp's problem, so AT&T is under no obligation to work with them to fix it.

 

What is your interest in the matter? Are you experiencing the problem or part of a solution?

We've provided the solution. Either complain to WhatsApp to get them to fix it or stop using WhatsApp.

Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.