Etel Reduced My Data Inclusion without Letting Me Know

LEhrmantraut on 19/05/2020 - 17:15

Hi guys,

I signed up for the $19 25GB plan with Etel and started using my sim from the 7th of April.

I noticed that on my bill for April, I was charged $52.98 in excess data usage. I queried this with Etel and was advised that since I activated my sim only on the 7th, they reduced my data inclusion to 20GB. However, throughout April, my online account showed that i had 25GB and so I was never aware that they had reduced my data.

Is there anything I can do here? My direct debit is scheduled for the 24th of May.

Please help!

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[Deactivated] on 19/05/2020 - 17:19

+4

TIO
Mechz on 19/05/2020 - 17:24

+2

Disable auto recharge and port out ASAP.
- Ehrmantraut on 19/05/2020 - 17:26
  
  I thought of doing that but there is no option on the website to disable direct debit. They only allow you to add a new credit card or a new bank account.
Crownie on 19/05/2020 - 17:34

+5

Terms and Conditions for Big Data Plans:
5. Monthly plan fee is charged in advanced. If your first billing-period is less than one calendar billing month, the associated plan fee and call/data allowances will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis.
Billing Cycle is from the first day of each month to the last day of each month. Customers pay their monthly fee on a pro-rata basis for the first calendar month, similarly, data allowance and voice allowance for the first month is also on a pro-rata basis.

So your billing cycle is from April 1st till April 30th.
You signed up on April 7th so you get a pro-rata/partial month data limit/cap.
6/30 of your data is removed from the 25GB.

This is how 99.9% of company's calculate a customer's usage from their signup date.
- spackbace on 19/05/2020 - 17:41
  
  +3
  
  That's also mentioned on the plan page:
  
  What's the billing cycle and charge?
  Our billing cycle is on per calendar month basis (from the first date to the end of each month). Monthly plan fee is charged in advanced.
  
  If your first billing-period is less than one calendar billing month, the respective plan fee and call/data allowances will be auto-adjusted on a pro-rata basis.
  - Ehrmantraut on 19/05/2020 - 17:50
    
    There was an oversight on my part there.
    
    It's just that my online account never reflected this pro rata change. It always showed that I had 25GB throughout April. If that had been updated to reflect the adjustment, I could have used it accordingly.
spackbace on 19/05/2020 - 17:42

For $228/yr and 300GB for your current plan, I'd rather go for Boost Mobile
- Ehrmantraut on 19/05/2020 - 17:53
  
  Yeah… except that Etel has a $20 fee for leaving before 6 months and also any cancellations have to be made before the 15th of the month. So, I'm stuck with them atleast until the end of June.
  - HeWhoKnows on 20/05/2020 - 19:25
    
    WRONG!
    From thier CIS
    
    "There is no minimum term, change or cancel your plan at any time and your service period will cease at the end of the current service period."
    
    "If you applied for a new number with E.Tel, a $20 port out handling fee applies if you port the service away to another provider within 6 months. This fee does not apply if you ported-in your number or if you disconnect your service."
    
    And in relation to OPs excess data charge….
    "A new billing period begins with renewed allowances on the day when you have used up either your voice allowance or data allowance OR the day after the last day of the billing period, whichever comes earlier. Any excess usages will be brought forward to the new billing period"
brokenglish on 19/05/2020 - 19:11

+1

Why did you go with Etel :(
The website looks like it was made by students - dodgy af.
If Etel doesn't allow you to cancel your direct debit, contact your bank directly.
https://ndh.org.au/debt-solutions/cancel-direct-debits/
https://www.commbank.com.au/support.digital-banking.stop-or-…
https://www.westpac.com.au/faq/direct-debit-cancel/
https://www.nab.com.au/personal/accounts/manage-your-account…
- Ehrmantraut on 19/05/2020 - 22:53
  
  I tried this but Amex said it has to be arranged via Etel only and that they can't do anything about it..
- HeWhoKnows on 20/05/2020 - 19:28
  
  This is incorrect READ THE CIS
  I have posted the relevent terms above
[Deactivated] on 19/05/2020 - 21:09

+1
Mobile phone providers are required to provide you with usage notifications (also known as spend management alerts) when you reach 50 per cent, 85 per cent and 100 per cent of your voice, SMS and data allowance.

Did you receive those notifications? I bet you did. Why did you ignore them?

Your options are :

negotiate with them. I find if you ask nicely, telcos will usually assist.

port out. Not sure if this will have any effect on your credit rating.

If I'm wrong and you never received those usage notification texts, then by all means lodge a complaint with TIO
- Ehrmantraut on 19/05/2020 - 22:51
  
  I got a text notification when I hit 85% of my data limit on the 26th of April and when I logged into my account on the 29th, it said that I had used 99.04% of my data. I stopped using my phone internet after that as I didn't want to go over..
  
  However, on the bill they started charging me for excess data from the 23rd itself…
  
  I never received any text notifications saying that I used up 100% of my data…
  
  Will have a chat with them again and see how it goes.
  - [Deactivated] on 19/05/2020 - 23:53
    
    They have a 48-hour window in which to send the notification. It s not live.
    
    What do you mean by stopped using your mobile data? Were you on wifi the whole time? You have to turn off your mobile data in your phone settings. That's the only way to be 100% sure that you're not using it.
    
    Good luck negotiating with them :)
HeWhoKnows on 20/05/2020 - 18:25

Thats very weird
Its supposed to roll over into a renewal if you reach any of the limits.

Etel Reduced My Data Inclusion without Letting Me Know

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