Billing concern

[Ark74]

Switched from Zoomer to Red Wireless after promo offer was sent to me. Everything seemed fine until you get your initial bill. Then the shocker. My biggest complaint that everyone needs to be aware of is your billing starts on the day you signed up, not when you receive your SIM card. I was told it could take up to 2 weeks to receive my sim. Sounds ok as I’m still using my phone with zoomer until I receive my sim. BUT I’m billed from the day I signed up with Rogers and still paying with Zoomer. Double dipping! THIS was not explained that the billing starts immediately even though your phone is useless with Rogers until your sim is received and installed. Customer service says I should have gone to a Rogers store, of which none are close by to do the switch! Really!! So they’re doing this with everyone and how much double dipping is done without this being explained at signup. Let’s see, if it took 2 weeks I’m paying zoomer for this and Rogers that’s a months charges. Zoomer isn’t going to refund from signup that’s for sure. 

[LordDrakkon]

As much as I agree. I also understand how the system.works. When your account is created, that is when the billing starts. That's why you should never order a SIM online unless you order it prior to opening an account and have it in-hand when you are ready to do so.

[Ark74]

So why on earth would this not be explained upon signing! I was also told by my Rep yesterday that the Rogers store would not have been able to do this Red Wireless signing!! Which leaves doing this by phone and having it delivered. Activating a sim card and charging for usage should be illegal as I'm being charged for something that cannot be used. This kind of practice needs to be taken to higher authorities and consumer watchdogs to investigate.

[Ark74]

Also please explain how I order a Sim without having an account. Other providers I've dealt with NEVER start billing until the Sim is activated which means it's in the phone and ready for use. When I've been explicitly told I could not have done the signing from Zoomer to Red Wireless at the Rogers store my options are by phone, like most providers do.

[LordDrakkon]

You don't need an account to purchase a SIM. Lots of people keep an extra SIM or two around, just in case. I always have a spare when traveling and keep a spare at home, just in case I need to replace it or my device is lost or stolen.

I have seen people complain about the same thing on the Telus boards, so this practice isn't uncommon.

Just because you don't use a service doesn't mean they can't charge you for it.  If I don't use my cellphone for a month, I still get a bill and have to pay for that service.  You are mistaking usage for service.  An active account is the service, whether you use it or not.

[Ark74]

Do you think the offer of pre- buying my sim came up in the conversation with my Rep! No. I was switching providers to Red Wireless. In my encounters my sim was activated when I put it in my phone. If you paid for a service and didn’t use it that’s your decision, not the providers. I’m paying the Rogers corp like hundreds of thousands of other people twice for the same period. What does that add up to in the big picture. Say what you want, it’s double dipping and not right. At the very least this should be explained to you so you have options if available. 

[LCurrie]

We can all agree that Canadian Cell providers are not in it for service to customers, but making big bucks!  Sadly there are a lot of seniors who were and still are being given misinformation that CARP and Rogers were looking out for them.   Only to be double billed for cell phone services on top of exorbitant costs of $60 per account (which was changed to $70 after original papers were sent) and high cost for phones.   I will be sending a complaint to CRTC.  I have already sent a complaint to CARP and got a token reply.   Others should as well.   This is what I received after mailing back the sim cards and phone and cancelling the account.  Law gives us 30 days.  Rogers tries to ensure people fail in the process.  Took me  a couple of days and many hours of waiting on the phone and actually lost my temper with the sales representative of Red Wireless who was not at all as nice as when she was selling me the package.  This is what they sent me the day after they sent me a shipping label  (I still have not seen an invoice for the July-Aug charges, just a withdrawal from my VISA account):

Thanks for your recent order with Red Wireless - your exclusive Rogers dealer.

We wanted to let you know the Rogers Service Set-up Fee (SSF) amount has changed from $60 to $70 since your order was placed.

Rest assured, we will honor our current promotion which will grant you a 100% credit of the Service Set-up Fee over your first months of service.

As a result, you will receive a credit of $10/month for 7 months ($70.00), instead of 6 months, ($60.00) starting from your next Rogers bill.

The Setup Service Fee is charged for each line, so if you have multiple lines under the same account, you’ll see a Setup Service Fee charge under One-time charges and credits for each line that has been activated or upgraded.

Thank you for your understanding and thank you for your business.

The Red Wireless Team

[LCurrie]

Rogers is making a lot of money from the "interest free loan' they managed to obtain from Seniors who are paying up front and then being given rebates over 7 months.  I will also be sending my MP and offices of all parties a letter of complaint asking them to finally fix this.  Europe does not allow these kinds of business pracrices.  Marketplace is also going to get a letter.  Time for quiet seniors and other Canadian Cell phone users to rebel!

[LCurrie]

I agree with ARK74.  Both Zoomer Wireless and Red Wireless are part of Rogers resellers of Rogers equipment service.  Why does Rogers participate in double billing for same service period?  Seems like a quick way of making money by using the money of seniors interest free while Rogers takes it time to fix the overcharges and refund the seniors.  Of course this applies to only those seniors who catch the problem within the timeperiod allowed for refunds and complaints.  Salesperson tried to convince me that I had missed the 15 day period.  Why do I keep reading 30 days on CARP advertisement and seem to remember the law in Canada allows online purchases to be cancelled up to 30 days?