982 EUROS METEOR BILL!!!!

campo

Paulw wrote: »

Worst case - they take her to court and win a judgement. They then get the sheriff to enforce it. So, the sheriff comes along and takes property from her home up to the value of the judgement. Or she fails to make an attempt to pay, the judge rules that she is in contempt and she spends a few days in jail.

Perfect if they bring her to court Meteor will actually spend more then the 1k she owes so that won't happen and if they even did and she was jailed for a couple of days then state will be the ones spending the 1k to take care of her for a couple of days...so that won't happen either

Like it or lump it we all know what will happen here either A) Meteor slash her bill or She won't pay they send out a few warning letters , she ignores em and eventually it is wrote off as a bad debt

WhyTheFace

Paulw wrote: »

They obviously didn't provide a crap service, if she was able to stream that amount of data on netflix.

Crap customer service.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

campo wrote: »

She should pay 1k for Broadband use for a month....ya right..who would do that

If she is paying say 50e a month for 2g of usage ( just as an example ) and lets just sayshe used 10g then she should pay 250e...not this odious amount

All very true but this is what she signed up for. This is what she agreed to. She had an allowance at a price and she grossly exceeded it - for a kid to watch HD movies on Netfex when they could have watched the TV like everybody else who can't afford to do otherwise! The sense of entitlement and self pity is symptomatic of the something for nothing, don't pay full debt attitude that has this country messed up.
I get my 30 minutes from landline to mobile per month in my home phone package but I know I'll pay through the nose for anything over that. Eircom don't contact me to say I'm over the 30 minutes nor does it have a counter I can check, but I take responsibility to ensure I keep tabs on it and I willingly pay anything over the 30 minutes because that is what I agreed to.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

WhyTheFace wrote: »

It is unprofessional for Meteor not to contact the customer when there is unusally high usage. If the banks see excessive transactions they are straight onto you.

How hard would it be for them to send an automatic text or e-mail?

It's their own fault for providing such a crap service.

I would offer to pay 10% and let them go swing after that.

How would you feel if they provided 10% of the service you had paid for? Contract is a two way street

campo

Dakota Ancient Sunlight wrote: »

All very true but this is what she signed up for. This is what she agreed to. She had an allowance at a price and she grossly exceeded it - for a kid to watch HD movies on Netfex when they could have watched the TV like everybody else who can't afford to do otherwise! The sense of entitlement and self pity is symptomatic of the something for nothing, don't pay full debt attitude that has this country messed up.
I get my 30 minutes from landline to mobile per month in my home phone package but I know I'll pay through the nose for anything over that. Eircom don't contact me to say I'm over the 30 minutes nor does it have a counter I can check, but I take responsibility to ensure I keep tabs on it and I willingly pay anything over the 30 minutes because that is what I agreed to.

But as I said before everyone knows what a minute is and can calculate it, not everyone knows what a MB, or KB or GB is...I am tech savvy and I am still not 100%

foggy_lad

Paulw wrote: »

They obviously didn't provide a crap service, if she was able to stream that amount of data on netflix.

they provided some service but when you go over your cap it takes very little usage to run up massive bills. she didn't have to stream a huge amount of data.

wonski

DellyBelly wrote: »

Glad to hear you got it sorted OP.

She won't say anything as she is probably cut off the internet for a while. Suddenly Meteor knows how to stop the internet...
Jokes aside, and this is my last post in here (some of You don't mind I believe):
There are people out there who are not as technically minded as some of us. There are people who are not good at budgeting, contracts etc. You can laugh at them if You wish, or have no sympathy. I however do have sympathy for them, and, like I said before will stand up for them if needed. 1k for broadband is extortion, and this need to be dealt with. It is between her and Meteor now - none of us can say whether she should pay this or not. None of us can guarantee Meteor will cut the bill in half. But 1k a month is an extortion, and I don't want anyone to pay such a sum for this service.

nbar12

WhyTheFace wrote: »

It is unprofessional for Meteor not to contact the customer when there is unusally high usage. If the banks see excessive transactions they are straight onto you.

How hard would it be for them to send an automatic text or e-mail?

It's their own fault for providing such a crap service.

I would offer to pay 10% and let them go swing after that.

exactly, I think people are being a little bit harsh on OP. Meteor should have alerted the OP that her usage was unusually high and warn her that she was close to exceeding her limit. I think she should have to pay some of the excessive bill as she didn't take it upon herself to check her usage regularly but I do believe this is somewhat Meteors fault

WhyTheFace

LexieOnRale wrote: »

How would you feel if they provided 10% of the service you had paid for? Contract is a two way street

If they did I'd only pay them 10% of what they charged me. Then switch.

wonski

nbar12 wrote: »

exactly, I think people are being a little bit harsh on OP. Meteor should have alerted the OP that her usage was unusually high and warn her that she was close to exceeding her limit. I think she should have to pay some of the excessive bill as she didn't take it upon herself to check her usage regularly but I do believe this is somewhat Meteors fault

The difference is that if your bank provides you with 1k extra credit limit by not blocking the card it is their money and it costs them exactly 1k.
For mobile operator it didn't cost them that much, so they don't mind You racking up that kind of bill.

And I'm off the thread.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

wonski wrote: »

, and this is my last post in here.

I knew you wouldn't keep to that.: D

keithclancy

wonski wrote: »

The difference is that if your bank provides you with 1k extra credit limit by not blocking the card it is their money and it costs them exactly 1k.
For mobile operator it didn't cost them that much, so they don't mind You racking up that kind of bill.

And I'm off the thread.

Well isn't that the same as Meteor if you don't pay them ?

It costs the Credit card operator nothing as they just reverse the charge and the retailer loses out.

wonski

keithclancy wrote: »

Well isn't that the same as Meteor if you don't pay them ?

It costs the Credit card operator nothing as they just reverse the charge and the retailer loses out.

No. If the card is accepted, then it is accepted. Bank pays.

ComputerKing

It doesn't matter if she is not technically minded it is not up to meteor to educate her or tell up and ring her when she has gone above her limit this is her problem. So she has to pay.

AK333

I haven't read the last 11 pages, but this happened to me.

My babysitter was using my wifi on her laptop, and streaming something (facebook I think). Anyway, I rang O2, they could see that my normal bill was 50/60 and that this new bill was near 200, and they cancelled the lot back to my normal bill. Its worth ringing them and trying it.

brrabus

I thought there was a EU rule that all mobile broadband providers had to warn their customers if they were hitting 80% of their limit and total cutoff at some figure, not sure how the figure is set, maybe it is on what you purchase. I know mine which is Vodafone, I get cut off if I reach my monthly limit that I pay for which has only happened once. This ensures that I do not get the big charges. I do get the warnings and this shows up as a message on the dongle which I have to view online. (When I got the message about being cut off however, I could not view it online as I was cut off )

sketchpad

€900+ seems totally ridiculous.
How much would an unlimited mobile broadband monthly subscription cost?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

AK333 wrote: »

I haven't read the last 11 pages, but this happened to me.

My babysitter was using my wifi on her laptop, and streaming something (facebook I think). Anyway, I rang O2, they could see that my normal bill was 50/60 and that this new bill was near 200, and they cancelled the lot back to my normal bill. Its worth ringing them and trying it.

But this was not a matter of the kid doing something he was not allowed do. This was the bill payer knowingly using the product. Just because she didn't consider the cost is her stupidity but not accidental use or such like. Niavity is no excuse or defence.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

sketchpad wrote: »

€900+ seems totally ridiculous.
How much would an unlimited mobile broadband monthly subscription cost?

Then she should have bought such a bundle. She was contracted at a particular price for a particular amount of data. The fact it was not unlimited was reflected in what she paid.

Big bad business ripping people off again with no talk of the customer owing money and not facing up to their error and their debt!
:rolleyes:

sketchpad

Dakota Ancient Sunlight wrote: »

Then she should have bought such a bundle. She was contracted at a particular price for a particular amount of data. The fact it was not unlimited was reflected in what she paid.

Big bad business ripping people off again with no talk of the customer owing money and not facing up to their error and their debt!
:rolleyes:

Theres such thing as corporate responsibility also. Surely they have some sort alert when accounts start to go grossly over the allowance.
They are also still charging her €50+ for 20gb usage which almost double the market price atm.
Telecom companies have been at this practice for years. You only have to look around boards to see all the stories of pensioners still being charged dial up fees!
Theres a big difference between stupidity and niavity. People dont get into these situations on purpose, I feel you're being very hardline on this issue Dakota Ancient Sunlight.

AK333

Dakota Ancient Sunlight wrote: »

But this was not a matter of the kid doing something he was not allowed do. This was the bill payer knowingly using the product. Just because she didn't consider the cost is her stupidity but not accidental use or such like. Niavity is no excuse or defence.

Well, I'm afraid naivity did work. I couldn't understand what had happened and when I rang O2 they explained it was data usage, not my mobile (I have a mobile/wifi package) and when I explained it wasn't me but the babysitter (an adult not child) and by looking at my usage over the last 12 mths they could see it wasn't the norm and wiped it clean so I was down to my normal payment. That's O2, maybe meteor don't have that level of customer service.

If you aren't technically savvy, some of this stuff is beyond the average user (me ) My fault I wasn't savvy but I wasn't penalised by O2.

(note to self - if I keep mentioning O2 in a good light, next time I do something stupid they might treat me favourably, again ).

Femme_Fatale

WhyTheFace wrote: »

I would be 100% certain that the OP will only have to pay a fraction of this bill.

Something similiar happened to me with a smart phone and my insurance company.

The phone was grossly undervalued by mistake. However, the company never sent me an e-mail or letter to enable me to realise what the current valuation was. There website also did not allow me to access my policy online.

I stood to lose 400e.

I wrote to Financial Ombudsman and they told me to write a formal letter to them etc.

Without any hesitation they refunded me an extra 300e.

So because of your one situation, you're 100% certain she'll only have to pay a fraction of this bill? How can you be 100% certain? Bit unfair to raise her hopes, especially if it turns out you're wrong. You're not the only one doing so in fairness though.
Why are people let state opinions/speculation as fact/sound advice so much on this forum? Unsubstantiated legal advice n' all...

OP, nobody should be allowed run up a bill like this, especially based on the previous 4 years usage.

I just find this... baffling. It's not a case of: the customer shouldn't excessively consume the product, it's that "the company shouldn't let them"?
These are adult customers, not children!
What bearing does previous usage have? People's situations change; that is not the company's concern.

campo wrote: »

She should pay 1k for Broadband use for a month....ya right..who would do that

It wasn't a month's unlimited broadband though; that's the key. It is a crazily high amount but based on the agreed rate, and the amount of usage... not the company just slamming a big overcharge on her account.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

sketchpad wrote: »

, I feel you're being very hardline on this issue Srameen.

You are absolutely correct. It comes with being a grumpy old man who has seen it all over the years. Every time we hit a recession blame starts being directed at the businesses who are charging people for something they couldn't wait to get their hands on in the good times, regardless of price. Each recession brings a bigger sense of entitlement and arguments that we are being hard done by. As someone who worked for 42 years, struggled to make ends meet for many years but always cut my cloth to match my means, I find it hard to swallow when people walk themselves into a debt for a luxury good and then moan about it.
Anyway, that's my tuppence worth. This thread will not answer the OP's problem - if she even cares any more - so I'm away elsewhere.

lomb

The phone companies are scammers though. Once they have you on contract they have you. They generally wont agree to maximum spend before disconnection overcharge wildly if you go over use. My last bill with 3 was 130e whereas its normally 40e. As soon as Im out of contract Im moving to unlimited use on pay as you go.
If 20gb is 30e and the OP used 40gb then the bill should be 60e. Alternativily perhaps 100 or 150 as a penalty for going over the contracted rate.
No one has a clue what they are signing.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Well if they have no clue they shouldn't be signing contracts should they.

Loro78

Shane-KornSpace wrote: »

Usually when you launch the broadband programme on your computer, you'll receive a text message informing you that your balance is running low. This is a requirement. Its automated also so you should have received it.
You also have to realise that Netflix streams in HD unless you change it in your account settings.

The fact that you bought it 3 years back also struck me. Things have changed over the 3 years and digital media streams at higher resolutions now.

Unfortunately, it looks like you will have to pay it. Just like every other person who's made this mistake.

In the future, I make sure you install Data Usage Monitoring software.

Thanks for your reply, but if you would have read it properly you might have figured that it was not a pre-pay stick but bill pay. So, no - there was no automated message that my credit was running low. And unfortunately, Meteor sends out warnings via text message to customers who are data roaming abroad with every 50 Euros used, but not when somebody exceeds their data allowance in Ireland.

Besides, as I described in my initial post, my stick seems to be faulty as it shows "zero usage" all the way through even if I click into the usage part of it's interface.

So, as you say I'll have to pay "just like any other person who made this mistake" - isn't it about time then that companies like Meteor should set into place appropriate warning systems, to actually not let their customers run into traps like that?? If everyone just takes it that way, like "era sure, we can't do anything about it - we'll just have to pay" - of course, then nothing will change and those big companies enjoy making the big buck with these little "mistakes" people regularly make...

And no, I did not realise that Netflix has such high data usage - I let my young son watch movies on it in the evenings, but unfortunately for people who are not "modern-gadget-freaks", Netflix forget to warn people/internet users on their website.

knucklehead6

Loro78 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, but if you would have read it properly you might have figured that it was not a pre-pay stick but bill pay. So, no - there was no automated message that my credit was running low. And unfortunately, Meteor sends out warnings via text message to customers who are data roaming abroad with every 50 Euros used, but not when somebody exceeds their data allowance in Ireland.

Besides, as I described in my initial post, my stick seems to be faulty as it shows "zero usage" all the way through even if I click into the usage part of it's interface.

So, as you say I'll have to pay "just like any other person who made this mistake" - isn't it about time then that companies like Meteor should set into place appropriate warning systems, to actually not let their customers run into traps like that?? If everyone just takes it that way, like "era sure, we can't do anything about it - we'll just have to pay" - of course, then nothing will change and those big companies enjoy making the big buck with these little "mistakes" people regularly make...

And no, I did not realise that Netflix has such high data usage - I let my young son watch movies on it in the evenings, but unfortunately for people who are not "modern-gadget-freaks", Netflix forget to warn people/internet users on their website.

Yep.... It's all Netflix fault. Lets picket their offices and demand that they pay your bill for you

WhyTheFace

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

So because of your one situation, you're 100% certain she'll only have to pay a fraction of this bill? How can you be 100% certain? Bit unfair to raise her hopes, especially if it turns out you're wrong. You're not the only one doing so in fairness though.
Why are people let state opinions/speculation as fact/sound advice so much on this forum? Unsubstantiated legal advice n' all...

I just find this... baffling. It's not a case of: the customer shouldn't excessively consume the product, it's that "the company shouldn't let them"?
These are adult customers, not children!

That's EXACTLY what I'm saying!

They will see she has had a bill for 50/60e for the past four years and this one is totally out of character. They know that if they pursue it they will just lose her as a customer and she will never pay.

For this reason Meteor will only pursue her for a small fraction of the cost.

The phone companies have been around long enough to know that these fcuk up happens every now and then and they have made contingencies for it, i.e. it's built into all our over priced bills.

The worst thing about it is the fact that these companies are not required by law to inform you when you are close to your limit as is done in most other countries.

WhyTheFace

knucklehead6 wrote: »

Yep.... It's all Netflix fault. Lets picket their offices and demand that they pay your bill for you

There should be warnings when you come close to your limit.

The companies are just creating work for themselves as nobody would even think of paying such a bill, if they act the prick the customer will just walk and find another provider

Loro78

MagicMarker wrote: »

Op, I assume you've cancelled your direct debit?

Offer Meteor €100 and if they don't accept tell them to shove it. It blatant opportunism on Meteor's part and it shouldn't be tolerated.

Thanks, MagicMarker. Yes, I have cancelled my direct debit - not out of any kind of "trying to get away with it" (as some here might probably straight away scream out now), but rather out of survival as otherwise my account would go into red numbers, meaning that my rent would bounce, my car insurance would bounce, etc.

I have seen a similar situation posted somewhere by an O2 customer, and O2 had the courtesy to actually cancel the charges as a once-off thing, as the customer was not aware that such an amount had accumulated.

I am not one of those "take what you can" people, but with this situation I do think that it would have been "good practice" to inform me once the data usage accumulated the first 200 Euros. Letting it go up to 982 Euros is similar practice than when the banks were offering 100 % mortgages to people. Pity, as up to this date I was a happy customer with Meteor...