Prepaid Voucher Card with Post-paid Account

[XEROXEROXERO]

Hi, I recieved a giftcard about a month ago from my S/O which was an $100 Fido voucher card. This gift ended up being more of a headache than I expected. 

This was her first time getting a fido giftcard which she assumed was like a top-up card for a phone plan. This wasn't the case and I didn't expect this either. Fido has prepaid AND postpaid plans which you aren't able to use the giftcard interchangably which is so weird to me. On the card itself, there's no warning of any sort that this wouldn't work on a regular fido postpaid account and further more, IT DOES NOT SAY IT'S A PREPAID CARD on the front. 

I spoke with 3 agents from fido in the past month and none of them can help me in anyway. They weren't able to take the balance from the giftcard and credit my account, refund me, or give me any useful advice on what to do. Instead. I have a $100 giftcard that my S/O lovingly gave me sitting on my desk. I can't even change my plan to a prepaid plan to use the card as I have a 2 year contract right now.

This is really frustrating and disappointing.

[XEROXEROXERO]

Why would you even continue to let stores sell your prepaid card when fido doesn't even offer phone services to new customers. No disclaimer/warning that people who buy the "voucher" will be stuck with it with no refunds, credits, or alternatives whatsoever besides selling it to someone who has a prepaid account. This is an absolute joke.

[Cawtau]

Hello again,

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@XEROXEROXERO wrote:

Why would you even continue to let stores sell your prepaid card when fido doesn't even offer phone services to new customers....

  The vouchers are probably still sold in stores so their existing pre-paid customers can avail of them. It doesn't make sense to get rid of them entirely when they still have a customer base that continues to use them.

Cheers

[Cawtau]

Hello XEROXEROXERO,

  Welcome to the community!

  Sorry to hear of your situation. I understand it is frustrating and disappointing not being able to use the gift your S/O gave you. Unfortunately, we would not be able to offer any meaningful assistance regarding the use of the card.

  I also understand the card does not explicitly state it is for pre-paid services. However, you note that the card is a voucher card. A voucher, as you are now aware, is used to top-up pre-paid services (see here and here). As far as I am aware, the term voucher is only used with pre-paid services (see here, under Mobile Phones). 

  While your S/O was correct in thinking it was a top-up card, post-paid services don't, strictly speaking, require top-ups. They are billed monthly. Fido does have gift cards which can be used in stores to pay a bill (see here). It's unfortunate your S/O did not realise voucher referred to pre-paid.

  Sadly, I'm not sure if you would be able to actually use her gift. I understand you would have been willing to switch to pre-paid services if you were not under contract. However, I don't believe Fido offers pre-paid services for new customers anymore (see here). I do not know whether it would be transferrable to Chatr or Rogers.

  While not ideal, you might consider trying to sell the voucher to someone with existing Fido pre-paid services.

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers