Overcharge due to international

[muskaandhillon]

I just saw my bill and was shocked that it was 229 . I was under the impression that my plan still includes the 1000 free international minutes . I usually don’t call internationally by sim unless it’s an emergency but my dad was very sick and at times he or my family members weren’t able to take WhatsApp calls due to network issues in hospital. He’s still not well but he’s at home now so I call on WhatsApp  . Usually, warning messages are sent whenever we cross the data limit. So, I was under the impression that I would be notified if I cross international calling limit. I did not receive single warning message . They gave 50$ credit but $178 is still a lot to pay considering that I didn't get any warning or notification . I'm a student and it's really hard to pay now . Is there any way I could get a reduction in fee?

[Cawtau]

Hello Muskaandhillon,

  Welcome to the community!

  Sorry to hear you've incurred unexpected long-distance charges. I understand your services include the 1000 International promotional add-on. However, you should note that those minutes are only to certain Countries. As far as I am aware, you can view the included Countries here.

  It is unfortunate you assumed you would receive a warning notifcation prior to long-distance calling charges once your promotion minutes had been exceeded (if that is the case). However, it has always been the customers' responsibility to monitor their own usage and bills:

   It is not necessary to cap voice or text messaging service charges since the use of these services is generally well understood and managed by consumers. ~ The Wireless Code; point 127

...it considers that a requirement to provide usage notifications or usage monitoring tools is not the best solution to prevent bill shock. ~ point 124

  While Fido does not provide notifications for long-distance or additional long-distance usage, they do provide a means of monitoring call usage (ie My Account app). 

  I understand this is a difficult time and receiving such a bill even more distressing. Unfortunately, even if people understand your situation, that does not mean they will be able to rectify those charges.  If you're unable to make full payment on the bill, you might consider arranging a payment schedule. To make an arrangement, you'll need to contact the credit operations team. It should be mentioned that a payment arrangement might not be available in all situations.

  You should note this forum is community-driven and not intended as a venue for customer services. If you would like to further discuss your situation, you would need to contact customer service again. Though, since they already provided a partial credit to you, I'm not sure what else they can offer. In addition, they can also be contacted via Live Chat, Facebook, or Twitter. Those methods can be accessed via the contact page posted above.

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers