How do I get my $15 a month prepaid plan back?

[si]

Hi, I hope someone can help me here. 

I am a prepaid Fido customer, and have been using the $15 a month prepaid plan for the last several months. This plan includes 75 minutes and 75 text messages for each month, which suits me fine as I normally only rarely use my Fido phone.  This month has been exceptional, however, and I have just used up all of my alloted 75 minutes. I then proceeded to add $15, so as to get 75 new minutes, but I am not being credited with these new 75 minutes, I am told by the automated service that I will be charged 60 cents a minute. So yes, the automated service says I am still on the $15 a month prepaid plan, but yet I am not getting 75 new minutes? I certainly don't want to be charged 60 cents a minute, especially since I've just added $15 to this prepaid plan to keep it active. Why am I not getting another 75 minutes? What, if anything, am I doing wrong? Any helpful reply would be appreciated.

[Cawtau]

Hello Si,

---

@si wrote:

...I then proceeded to add $15, so as to get 75 new minutes, ...

---

  It is unfortunate you do not understand how the monthly prepaid plans work. They monthly plans include a certain amount of allotted minutes (and other services, if applicable) for use in that month cycle. If you exceed those allotted minutes, additional minutes would be charged on pay-per-use basis. In your case, it appears that would be 60¢ per minute (note with the current $15 Talk & Text plan it's 70¢ per minute).

**edit** If you have the same plan as before (see here), it does note additional local anytime minutes: 60¢/min**

  The monthly plans are not merely blocks of minutes (and other services) to be added when needed. In addition, there are no additional minute add-ons. Adding money to your account would not allow you purchase another monthly plan of 75 minutes.

  The good news, though, is that I don't think you lost your current $15 plan, you would just be charged additional minute usage for the remainder of your monthly cycle. When your monthly plan renews, you would once again have your original allotment to use (ie 75 minutes). You should note that you would need to ensure your account has sufficient funds remaining to pay for the monthly plan fee when your plan renews. If your account does not have sufficient funds to pay the plan fee, you will be charged per minute (see Full Details here).

  If you feel you regularly need more minutes, you might consider the other monthly Talk & Text plan.

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers

[si]

@Cawtau: I have just spoken to a Fido customer service agent on the phone, very helpful she was, I was informed of yet another new prepaid plan that has been introduced by Fido, 100 minutes a month for the same $15 cost, and I was invited to switch to it, no strings attached, no catch, and so I switched to it, and I now have 100 new minutes for the next month.

[Cawtau]

Hello again,

  My apologies, my mentioning of your misunderstanding the plan details was not intended as an indication of intelligence. You made a statement which was contrary to how the plans actually work.

  If you exceed the monthly allotment of minutes, you will be required to pay additional minutes by the minute for the remainder of the monthly cycle. As previously mentioned, there are no additional minute add-ons.

  I am glad you were able to switch your plan to the new $15 Talk & Text offering. However, you might consider verifying that you have access to the full 100 minutes and not merely the additional 25 minutes on top of your previous plan. Generally, customers have access to the larger allotment when changing plans mid-cycle. However, their current usage for that cycle usually is still considered. If that is the case, you would have already used at least 75 minutes of your new plan.

  In addition, you might consider verifying whether your monthly cycle has changed. Now that you have changed your plan, you should note that additional minutes for that plan is now 70¢ per minute.

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers

[si]

Thank you for your reply.

Prior to making the change, I made sure to ask the Fido agent precise details on this new prepaid plan that she had proposed to me. She said it would begin on that very day, 100 new minutes for the next month, so I accepted the switch. I later checked with the automated service, and yes, it confirmed that I have 100 minutes left. Today, 9 days later, the automated service says I have 99 minutes left, as I have used less than one minute of air time since. 

On another subject, I do hope Fido compensates me for the day long outage Friday, July, 8, 2022. Then again, I wasn't compensated last time there was a long outage. in 2021. Is it because I am a prepaid customer?

[si]

@@Cawtau: Thank you for your reply

Yes, it is unfortunate that I "do not understand how the monthly prepaid plans work", especially since I've only been a Fido prepaid cuistomer for over 20 years now.. It is indeed unfortunate that I am not smart enough to keep up to date with Fido's ever-changing prepaid plans..

As I mentioned, I only rarely use this Fido phone line that I have, that is why the $15 a month with 75 minutes included suits me best.  The last couple of weeks have been exceptional however, I've had to use the phone much more than usual, and I used up my alloted 75 minutes a couples of weeks before a new cycle, as you put it, started.  So for the next couple of weeks, if I dare use my Fido phone, I will be charged 60 cents a minute, and there is no way around it, is that it? Please clarify for a dim-witted person like me who, "unfortunately does not understand how Fido's prepaid plans work". I wish to be able to return a.s.a.p. to this $15 a month with 75 minutes included, as I do not want to pay 60 cents a minute for calls made or received. What do I need to do? Any helpful reply appreciated.