i went over my mobile data allocation... and they charged me...

dmn · 03-06-2008 12:38PM #1

I apologise in advance for this rant.
Here I go...

I am an apple iphone user and have been since september 2007 when I bought it from the states. I have been a Meteor customer since they started and moved to bill pay 2 years ago. Since i have an iphone I decided I should get a data addon, and eventually opted for the 250mb for €9.99*

vodafone data addon - 500mb for €9.99
three data addon - 1GB for €9.99
O2 data addon - 250mb for €7.50

Already Meteor seemed like the most expensive for data but because I am such a loyal customer I decided to go for it anyway. Everything was fine, I never went over my tiny 250mb limit....until...this morning I logged onto mymeteor online to check my bill summary because I was thinking of changing network as I have begun to text other networks a lot.When I logged on I realised I was being charged for data so I immediately called customer care to see what was going on. After a 45minute conversation with two customer service agents, they finally found that I have indeed gone over my limit since 27th May. In those 7 days I have incurred data costs of €156 EXCLUDING VAT and obviously not including any call and text costs. This has been the final straw in what has become a very love hate relationship with Meteor. My contract is up at the end of this month and I am planning to change network. I told the guy on the phone that I use the internet on my phone daily and he asked would I rather go back to pay as you go...to which I informed this clever guy that Meteor do not offer a data bundle option on PAYG. I know there is an unlimited data option for €30 but I wouldn't be happy with that now as this is the only month I went over the limit.

I have grown sick of having to deal with a network that has become last to the post in the past year or two. I was always very happy with meteor as a pay as you go teenager, delighted with my free texts and calls to other meteor customers, and remember when meteor would have a "meteor gift" every month when they would text you and tell you that they are having a free text day today, or a half price calls day for bank holiday or something. Where has that network gone. (Thank you Eircom)

Now Meteor has evolved into a network that starting to lag behind, technology wise. For example, where is Meteor's 3G network?
(yes I know it is being rolled out nationwide...but come on...it's 2008 - I'm sure everyone has already decided to opt for a broadband package from another network - just like I have a Three USB modem) I think it may be a little too late now for Meteor*

Vodafone launced 3G services November 2004
Three launched 3G services July 2005
O2 launched 3G services September 2005
Meteor launches 3G service....Winter 2008/Spring 2009?

I'm a huge texter, as I'm sure a lot of people are. And when O2 launched their "unlimited free texts to any network" I called Meteor and asked the friendly lady if they would be doing anything like this to compete as I would be really interested and think it would benefit a lot of people. her answer was something like Meteor are not a big international company like O2 so they don't really have the funds to support something like this. HMMM, but aren't texts to other networks cheaper for meteor than connecting calls to other networks. While we are at it, Meteor were always great to offer competitive text rates, but then Three came along, and instead of upping their game, Meteor didn't offer anything too exciting to compete. Let's review the best text rates*

PAYG

Meteor - Free Meteor to Meteor texts - 9c other networks - 5c text with addon but only one addon per 30 days
Three - 5c text, picture & video messages any network
O2 - unlimited free texts to any network
Vodafone - 11c text - 5c with addon

BILLPAY

Meteor - Free Meteor to Meteor texts - 9c other networks - 5c text with addon but only one addon per 30 days
Three - 6c text to any network
O2 - 10c text - 5c with addon
Vodafone - 11c text - 4.5c with addon

Anyways, I said to myself, I'll get over it. But then I noticed a lot of my friends have started moving to different networks too, mainly because of text rates.This leads me to.....what network do I go to now?? Only for I don't plan on getting rid of my iphone, I would have gone to Three a long time ago, but their sim cards don't support iphone or vice versa.

7.Ronaldo · 03-06-2008 02:08PM

Data charges are excessive on all networks. You say that the 250MB bundle suits you because you will rarely go over 250MB. If thats the case and you do go over then who's fault is that? They have made the unlimited data bundle available but you decided not to go for it. It's like choosing the lowest talk plan, using it excessively and then complaining. You had the option to choose a higher plan - but you didn't.

Given the fact that Meteor was started from scratch in 2001 and didn't have the luxury of taking over an already established network like O2 and Vodafone did then I feel they are doing pretty well.

3G has nothing to do with Meteor. The government only make a certain amount of 3G licenses available. Meteor were competing with Smart Telecom for one a number of years ago but the government decided to give it to Smart Telecom, nothing to do with Meteor. They have since acquired a 3G license and have rolled out the network, it's currently being trialed.

3G isn't as great as people make out. The 'killer app' was video calling but that never took off as intended. In terms of speed and quality there isn't a lot of difference between EDGE and 3G. Infact the iPhone only goes through EDGE so in your case Meteor not being a 3G network is irrelevant.

Patrickof · 03-06-2008 02:25PM

Don't forget that the vodafone add-on is for Vodafone Live. This only allows surfing, there's no POP3 email access.

Jonathan · 03-06-2008 04:00PM

It is your own fault tbh. Take it on the chin and be wiser next time.

drunkmonkey · 03-06-2008 05:11PM

if it's data you crave you should be on 3 end of story!!!.....bin the iphone and get an LG Viewty.....

3 are the only network with 89% HSDPA Population coverage.....Vodafone is not a HSDPA network it is a 2.5g network branded as 3g.....

02 are still a good bit behind 3 for HSDPA coverage.....

Go with one of the 3 relax plans you will save a fortune.....:pac:

neilled · 03-06-2008 05:40PM

Get over yourself. All networks have strengths and weaknesses in their priceplans. Until a while ago it was a cent per kb on o2, vodafone still charge exorbitant rates for full internet access as opposed to through their live portal and whilst three's price plans are good at the moment, their handset costs are high and when things go wrong, trying to get it resolved is a nightmare.

Meteor's talk 300 plan and above are now offering free evening and weekend calls (after 20:00 during the week) to all Irish landlines and mobiles, making it one of the most competitive packages on the Irish market.

Contrary to your experience, working in a dublin city centre mobile phone shop over the past while (I've finished up last week, I'm back home for the summer) I have found that the majority of contract new connections or contract ports were to the Meteor and O2 networks based on their new packages.

People need to wake up and realise that thinking a network will care because of you "being such a loyal customer", that they'll tweak their plans and tell you over the phone about their next big thing is silly - they don't normally brief their retail staff on major changes until a short time before hand so what makes "YOU/WE/US" think your so special.

The fact is that WE/YOU/US are not that important - if your network is costing you too much money then we're in the fortunate position of having full and rapid mobile number portability - unlike the uk where it can take 7 working days to switch.

No point in complaining, take your trade elsewhere.

Random · 03-06-2008 07:58PM

OP wrote:

i went over my mobile data allocation... and they charged me...

This seems to sum it all up really. What's the problem? Phone networks are out to make money and we're helping them. Nobody likes high prices but we know about them before we use the services.

Did you check your usage at any point between 27 May and today? Do you expect Meteor to tell you when you've gone over your limit? It would be nice if they did but it's pretty clear you'll pay outside your bundle.

Unless I've missed something completely, in which case please enlighten me.

Sam Vimes · 03-06-2008 09:08PM

random wrote: »

This seems to sum it all up really.

that wasn't the original title of the thread. a lot of these threads seem to be getting their names quietly changed by the mods

pyramuid man · 03-06-2008 09:19PM

While I dont agree with the name being changed I can see where they are coming from. I mean, there is one of these threads nearly every week without fail.

People really should know better at this stage. I think a merge and a sticky is in order.

Doctor DooM · 03-06-2008 09:23PM

I didn't see the original name but I could probably guess it.

OP, you were charged what you were supposed to. Go to another network provider and let your current one know why you are depriving them of your business.

dmn · 03-06-2008 11:16PM

hahaha.
yes the title of the thread was changed...to a smart ass one lol.
the original stated the word rant in it. which is indeed all i had intended on doing, didnt mean to tickle anyones feathers

and at the end of the rant i asked if anyone had a suggestion of a different network - which only one person replied to...thanks

oh and to who ever asked why i was bringing up the 3G thing - well if my original thread title was still there, you would have seen that it was a general rant about my experience with meteor and not just the data charges. I also mentioned that i use three ireland for my home internet as meteor didnt have a 3g hsdpa offering.

hmm...

sure aren't we all here for the same reason - to share our views on things;)

dunkindonuts · 06-06-2008 06:55AM

i am in the same situation, i got charged 155 ex vat on o2 for data charges

, i rang them but they were no help so have to pay......

chrislad · 06-06-2008 08:41AM

I feel sorry for ye, but at the end of the day, you knew what the charges were. The iPhone, especially, has an excellent data counter. It's not difficult to reset it on a monthly basis to keep track of your usage. Must have been some usage though, as I was really giving the iPhone hell for leather for data usage and I never went over the 250megs. Closest I got was 220.

helimachoptor · 06-06-2008 02:42PM

drunkmonkey wrote: »

3 are the only network with 89% HSDPA Population coverage.....Vodafone is not a HSDPA network it is a 2.5g network branded as 3g.....

02 are still a good bit behind 3 for HSDPA coverage.....

3= utter crap, I've tried it many many many times

Vf = Fantastic network and beleive me I've been putting the HSDPA network through its paces for 2.5 years now.

02 = actually pretty good. much better than 3's.

i went over my mobile data allocation... and they charged me...

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