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New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

lmcjipo
I plan to stick around

Had my prepaid phone off during the holidays and just turned it on today to receive the following text from Rogers:

 

Rogers service msg: Starting at the end of 2018, our prepaid services will have a maximum allowed balance of $150. Any balance above $150 will no longer be available as of end of 2018. We will be in touch with more information on how you can use your balance soon, but in the meantime you can continue to use your balance as normal. Questions? http://rogers.com/contactus

 

What are the options? The option that I think that they will do is to force those high balance users to go to postpaid. Unless they give me the option to get a new phone, there is no way that I would be able to use my balance or reduce it to under $150 before the end of 2018. The only other thing which would reduce my balance is for me to take options/services that I don't need (like data/SMS/addon services) that I don't need for the sake of just reducing my balance.

 

This seems ridiculous.

 

***EDITED LABELS***

367 REPLIES 367

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

Johnny99
I plan to stick around

I just got off the phone with a Pay As You Go representative. She confirmed the maximum balance that is allowed at year end is $150. My one year term expires in Dec and I can pay $50 to extend the term by another 6 months but that $50 does not get applied as a credit. 

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

pegfredhead
I've been here awhile

Not surprised that one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing over at Rogers. There is so much racket in the background I don't know how they can think!  Anyway, because I had read through this whole thread last night,  I specifically asked at least 3 times if the max credit was $150 and was told there was NO max credit - I could have any amt on there that I wanted and nothing would happen to it at the end of December or any other time.  I do have the agents name because I have a feeling this will not be the end of this.

My plan is several years old - maybe 3 or 4? - and would seem to be the "Anytime" one as I had been topping up by credit card (automatically) at $10/month.  Texts were being deducted at $0.30 each and never amounted to more than a couple dollars a month at most. The only other thing that came off was a $0.75 9-1-1 fee each month.  Which is how I ended up with the large balance. Luckily not huge, but still a couple hundred bucks. (On looking at my account just now on the Rogers site, it is still listed as an "Anytime" plan, so looks like it has not been converted to Talk & Text.)

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

pegfredhead
I've been here awhile

@OLDYELLR wrote:

@pegfredhead wrote:

I just got off the phone with Rogers after 40 minutes of frustration.  I had given them $100 of my large credit balance so that I would not have to top up for a year.  As others have noted, this money did not buy me ANY minutes.  This was not explained to me when I did it or I would never have done it.  Live and learn.  As compensation for my "inconvenience" I was given $20. back onto my account.....*sigh*   However, I enquired directly with the agent as to what the maximum balance of credit was.....and was told multiple times that there WAS NO LIMIT. She continued to insist that there was no such thing as a $150. limit and that any balances at Dec. 31.2018 would NOT be reduced to $150.  I directed her to this forum with no less than 29 pages of discussion on the issue. She STILL insisted there was no such thing and told me many people had balances of over $1000. on their accounts and were in no danger of losing anything.  Have they changed their tune?  Or is she giving me incorrect information?


First of all, exactly which prepaid plan do you have and how long have you had it?

I have the original talk anytime plan that runs a balance and deducts from it so much for each minute or text or data used.  I can renew it for a month by adding various amounts or for a year by adding $100. I usually call and use $100 from my balance to renew if I have at least that much. However, this year Rogers announced

(a) Any balance amount over $150 at the end of this year will be lost unless it's used.

(b) These plans will be converted over to $10/month plans talk/text plans at the end of March, unless you called to have your plan grandfathered, which is what I did.

 

Some people with a large balance have asked to have it applied to a regular post-pay plan, but in my view, if someone accumulates a large balance on PayGo they they really don't use their phone enough to justify the cost of any post-pay plan.

 

The money you've paid Rogers has to be somewhere. I would suggest calling the PayGo number and get this straightened out. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

 

You can reach PayGo at 1-800-575-9090. To reach a representative choose option 4, then option 4 again (how to contact Rogers). At the end of the information on how to contact Rogers, you will select option 1 to speak with an a agent.


To clarify, I rec'd no notification by email, txt or letter that there was anything ever happening to my plan.  No mention ever of the $150 thing OR the plan conversion at the end of March.  The $100. I paid them was supposedly only to "keep my account active".....(I guess since my auto top-up was suspended for a year?) and any charges I incurred were taken off my remaining balance after the $100. came off.   Point is, while I was putting $10/month onto my account, nothing ever came off to "keep my account active" - ALL the money was used to pay for my texts, so why all of a sudden did they need that $100 to keep it active?!  

Incidentally, the reason I let the account balance build up was when I do go on vacation, I can use it up for long-distance calls home.  It's like a little bank of phone call money...lol

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

Johnny99
I plan to stick around

I've looked at the competition and I don't see anything better. My opinion is that these plans are a nuisance for the providers and the sooner (for them) they can get rid of the subscribers the better. Did everyone receive the text from Rogers offering the no contract $25 monthly unlimited Canada wide texting and calling? The offer expires June 30th.

 

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

OLDYELLR
I'm a senior advisor

Have you looked at 7-11 Speakout ? The charges for calls and texts are cheaper than Rogers and all plans last for 365 days, unlike Rogers where I have to pay $100 to get 365 days.  The only reason I'm still with Rogers PayGo is because the phone was a gift many years ago and I now use accumulated balance to pay whenever I can.  If you're just a casual PayGo user and have been now been pushed into a $10/month plan, consider switching if it will save you money. Just get Rogers to unlock your phone first.


Rogers PayGo. Location: S-W Ontario

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

Johnny99
I plan to stick around

My phone is unlocked and I just checked out 7-11 Speakouts. I am still considering the $25 Rogers option as I like the idea of unlimited canada wide calling and hopefully an end to this restrictive nonsense and rule changes. My wife has the best deal so far, grandfathered with a competitor for $5 monthly 250 outgoing texts, 15 cents a minute local calling (which she doesn't use), .75 cents for 911 and she has a balance of over $500 !

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

OLDYELLR
I'm a senior advisor

Certainly go with a plan that suits your needs. My landline is my main phone and I only turn my cellphone on and take it with me when I leave the house in case it's needed, which it mostly isn't. Before I knew I could use my balance to renew I would also use it for long distance calls, but now I don't need to do that.


Rogers PayGo. Location: S-W Ontario

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

fiona59
I plan to stick around
Well, after today's text about the August 4 conversion date, I get to keep my $3/month text plan.

Yes, the $150 cap will be in effect at the end of the year.

I love being a pain in Roger's hide. I want PayasYougo. I rarely use the phone and the text plan is so my kids can text home.

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

barndoor
I'm a trusted contributor

@Johnny99 wrote:

I've looked at the competition and I don't see anything better. My opinion is that these plans are a nuisance for the providers and the sooner (for them) they can get rid of the subscribers the better. Did everyone receive the text from Rogers offering the no contract $25 monthly unlimited Canada wide texting and calling? The offer expires June 30th.

 


I did  .... but I only use about 40 minutes a month  ....so I went with a competitor when they had a promo on for 100 canada wide minutes and unlimited texting for $15 a month .   The price is good for the Rogers offer if you can use it   but if  you don't need that many minutes what is the point in paying  the extra ?

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

Something happening to balance after Dec 2018?

 

I was at a Rogers location the other day and I overheard a conversation; something about remaining money on my phone (I have over $100) being cleared after December of 2018? Not sure if I heard correctly but I definitely don't want something like that happening; my balance says it expires not until July of 2019. If something happening to the Pay as you go service after this year?

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

OLDYELLR
I'm a senior advisor

Rogers service msg: Starting at the end of 2018, our prepaid services will have a maximum allowed balance of $150. Any balance above $150 will no longer be available as of end of 2018. We will be in touch with more information on how you can use your balance soon, but in the meantime you can continue to use your balance as normal.

 

In my case, I currently have a balance of $256.83 and I'm due for renewal in 2 weeks. I'll be using $100 from my balance to renew for another year. By the end of the year I'll probably have the surplus $6.83 used up using air time and the 911 charges. Anyone with a significant surplus over $150 is should use it up or lose it. Making long distance calls on yout cellphone instead of your landline is a good way.


Rogers PayGo. Location: S-W Ontario

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

Just to make sure I have this clear, by the end of the year, if I have over $150, I only lose the excess right?

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

OLDYELLR
I'm a senior advisor

Right.


Rogers PayGo. Location: S-W Ontario

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

OLDYELLR
I'm a senior advisor

My PayGo balance was $256.83 and my 1-year plan was due to expire on September 16, this coming Sunday. Since the PayGo help line is only available Mon-Fri: 8 am to 9 pm EST, I just called to renew for another year, taking $100 from my balance. It was easy and painless and the agent was very helpful. My balance now is $156.83. Probably at the end of the year, when balances are capped at $150, I and the monthly $0.75 911 charges will have used up the $6.83 surplus, and if not, no big deal.  If I make or receive no calls or texts at all, this plan costs me just $0.75 a month (the 911  fee).  I initially started with the $25 for 30 days plan and went to the $100 for 365 days when I found out about it.  Yes, there are other pre-paid providers who have lower per minute rates but unless you make a lot of calls, it's not worth the trouble switching. But then, if you use your cellphone a lot, pre-paid is not the cheapest way to go anyway.


Rogers PayGo. Location: S-W Ontario

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

north77
I've been here awhile

I could be wrong but under their new system they will deduct $10 month, every month, from your balance as well as the 75 cents so this plan now costs at least $ 10.75/month.

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

OLDYELLR
I'm a senior advisor

@north77 wrote:

I could be wrong but under their new system they will deduct $10 month, every month, from your balance as well as the 75 cents so this plan now costs at least $ 10.75/month.


That could happen if you let your Talk Anytime plan lapse instead of asking to have it grandfathered. I always renewed for $100 a year.  When migration to the new $10/month plan was announced, I called to stay on my original plan. See this thread.


Rogers PayGo. Location: S-W Ontario

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

north77
I've been here awhile

Yes, you're exactly right. I was confusing the old plan with the new talk&text which IMO isn't much use

for someone that only keeps a phone for emergencies,etc. and doesn't do any texting.

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

patdrummond
I plan to stick around

You can use a cellphone without a service plan (SIM card) if you don't need mobile call, text messages or internet access. It will still be usable with a Wi-Fi connection (skype, textfree, ...)

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

patdrummond
I plan to stick around
I have to top up in November ($100 + current balance $117) and the roll-over limit is $150. Can I still use my 'credit' to buy that $100 renewal?

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

patdrummond
I plan to stick around
Please explain - what plan are you on that is $10/mo. How can you pay $100/year plus $10/month and end up paying $7/month?

Re: New Pay As You Go Maximum Balance

OLDYELLR
I'm a senior advisor

@patdrummond wrote:
I have to top up in November ($100 + current balance $117) and the roll-over limit is $150. Can I still use my 'credit' to buy that $100 renewal?

You most certainly can use $100 from your balance to renew for another year. Just call 1-800-575-9090 +4 +4. It will leave you with a balance of $17. If that won't last you a year, you'll have to top up at some point.


Rogers PayGo. Location: S-W Ontario
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