Hi gang,
I have recently downgraded to the VAYA $18 Power Plan due to increased cost of my previous plan. My usage meter tells me that I have exceeded my call balance by $450. Can anyone with a similar experience help me resolve this issue? Without paying the full $450 as I am not able to afford it. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
Other than looking at the the individual 'itemisation' bills, is there any other way I can prove that this bill is from an error?
If you used that usage then pay up. Don't use something you can't afford. Try and make a payment plan with them? Unless you are referring to a billing error, then you need to explain a bit more detail to us so people can advise based on facts.
It shouldn't be a billing error. If it is, how am I able to find out?
My friend, "KAI", suggested that I port my number out ASAP before the end of the billing month. What would be the negative consequences that comes with such an action?
I want to weigh up all my possible options before paying this exorbitant amount.
If you actually used that amount, I don't think there is a way out except to pay up. They have your details, they are still able to contact you even if you port your number out.
Sometimes port out will fail if the account is not in good standing.
Sounds like you know you used this service to that amount and now you have buyer's regret. Yes?
Bad luck, chalk it up as one of life's lessons learnt and control yourself next time.
I've been in the same situation and called, the customer service rep waived the fee because I had multiple accounts which had been paying on time for months and this was the first time I had made this mistake. I reckon it's worth calling in for.
Pro Rata…
If you have $1000 worth of calls per month and change plans halfway through the month, then you're deemed to have only earned credit for $500 worth of calls..
If you used $950 worth of calls in the first half of the month, then you're liable for the outstanding $450.
Interesting.. does it work the other way as well? Can OP change to a $50 plan or something and have "Credit" for $1000 of calls or whatever?
Yes..
They'll pro rata the plan you were on and the plan you move to.
So in my example above, if the plan you change to has $500 calls per month, you'll only have $250 calls for the remainder of the month.
Same goes for data…
They similarly charge you a Pro Rata amount.
ie Original Plan $50 moving to $18
you'll pay $25 for the first half of the month and $9 for the second half.
This pretty much sounds like the solution then, right? OP can switch to Vaya's $44 plan which gives unlimited calls and thus avoiding the $450 excess?
@jzdhgkd:
No, if the calls were made within the first half of the month, then they count towards the Pro Rata amount of the first half of the month. You can't time-shift the calls to a different time of the month as you please..
Yea you dun goof. I'd give em a call and try to negotiate never hurts to ask.
Seems you just fell on the wrong style of plan :( Instead of on pre·paid.. . I hear you though.
In doing so they were able to control you, rather than the other way around. Common error
tip: I may save $10 routinely from any supermarket. If you can help it, avoid all MVNO.
Even though it sounds like you've exceeded your call usage by your own doings, no one should have to pay $450 Excess for a phone bill. It is just ridiculous and anyone who tells you to pay up should be ashamed at themselves.
Call up the company, i'm sure they will reduce it. It doesn't cost them $450 extra dollars, that's for sure. But also… don't be so stupid next time. You don't go $450 without realising, they would have sent you alerts.
It doesn't cost them $450 extra dollars, that's for sure.
I'm guessing it costs them less than $18, as they would still be making money on the $18 plan.
Except we have strict laws here to prevent mobile bill shock as explained here:
http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Telco/Reconnecting-the-custo…
Assuming the OP wasn't grossly negligent and ignored all the warnings they have a strong case to take to the TIO to have all costs dismissed.
I love the pro rata thing. Funny how I'm still waiting for my Pro rata refund when I left them.
Email VAYA, don't ask here. TIO if unsatisfied with their response. The post back what happens.
Stay away from vaya…. They're billing system is a complete cock up.
Internet usage is rounded up to the nearest MB per session so if you have something that syncs 5KB of data you just lost 1MB.
My wife had never ending issues going over the limit with this company. Using the phone the same amount as when on a plan with optus yet always seemed to be going over. I wrote up a review on them a while ago.
They're ADSL is also something to stay away from if you need technical support after 5PM you have to call back the next day. Too bad if you have no internet connection.
Agree with Itjet.
I worked in Telco billing (technical) for 10 years (carrier and MVNO), and used Vaya mobile myself for 3 months until I realised that their mobile data accounting was a complete shonk.
If the excess charges are all call usage, best to negotiate with them.
I know they do waive charges in circumstances where a customer's normal usage has resulted in weird billing due to pro-rata or similar.
With your bank, cancel any direct debit authority at least 14 days before Vaya are due to take the money out - if you can. Once it's paid, Vaya won't have much incentive to negotiate.
Thanks for your advice everyone. Would it be wiser to call them now in regards to this issue, or should I only take action when they release my next invoice?
Thanks for the advice everyone. Would it be wiser to call them now in regards to this issue, or should I only take action when they release my next invoice?
Call them now. My dad got a $750 bill from Vodafone late last year. Called them up and got it sorted out immediately. Error turned out to be a 4 hour international call. They were reasonable and removed it from the bill.
A few years ago I had a $900 optus phone bill (data charges) reduced down to the $49 cap. Admitted it was my fault by forgetting to turn on WiFi but they were good about it. Not too sure if Vaya would do that though.
I'm on Vaya at the moment as well and I'm hating it. Did you notice that they removed the 'Vaya to Vaya' service? I called them today in regards to that and they said that they sent out an email to everyone to let them know that they were removing it but I never received it.
Vaya to Vaya is NO MORE? Didnt know that! But http://www.vaya.net.au/?option=Mobile&4Gsimonly confirms they are not inc any more…
The only way customers would have known that Vaya didn't offer it anymore was if they looked on the website and the details. But why would i have to go and have a look at that in the first place?
HERE'S THE CATCH!! If you use the website on your phone, the Vaya to Vaya bar is still there, but at 0%. So at the start of the month, wouldn't you just assume that the meter wasn't updating?? well thats what i thought until i found out the hard way.
Vaya Vaya…Sneaky Sneaky
I have not got that email either. I did get the KB billing email yesterday. I have two connections, one with Vaya and one with LC. Calls between them are free at the moment. Which is a big plus.
Also Vaya's current $18 plans is exactly the same now as $19.99 LC's plan. As they are owned by the same company, is it worthwhile to move both connections to Vaya?
Yes, Vaya bought LC a few years ago.
DONT CALL THEM ~ you will never get through (didnt say their customer support didnt suck)
email or contact them on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Vaya.Australia or http://www.vaya.net.au/?option=Contact%20Us
OK guys. I gave them a call.
First person I spoke to,"X", suggested that I topped up some "credit" so I can continue to use the service for the next three days. She told me there will be no excess charges if I just simply waited for the first day of May for my call balance to be refreshed. This call lasted for 53 minutes.
The call was of poor quality. I told her to give me a call back. Did not receive any within the next 10 minutes, so I gave them another call.
Second person I spoke to, "Y", told me to wait for my invoice to come out before I can dispute anything. She apologized on the behalf of "X" as she was giving inaccurate information and advice. She said in most instances, customers are asked to pay for the excess they use in the next billing month.
calls to VAYA from your handset will add to your bill as the calls not free! i did say dont call them, remember!
To begin with, is this an error, or did you actually used it by that amount?