Phone Bills should have a Cap

This isn't really about me, though I have a few friends that seem to have this problem

There shouldn't ever be a reason to have an insanely priced phone bill! Ever!!

Myself, I have a grandfathered plan.... I pay $45 a month for everything I'll ever need. And even if I happen to go over my data limit its $10 for an extra gig of data... which never happens

Mostly these days the average bill is at least $80... which is why I will never give up my plan

I have a couple friends with $2-$300 plans, which is nuts... but whatever... these days pretty much everyone needs their phone

now when I say "insane"... this is what I mean

I have one friend that routinely has a bill of over 1k... for a phone...……..

I didn't pay that much for my first car... but this month she got a bill for $1500!!

What gives these companies the right to charge that amount of money for phone service??

And this isn't the first time its happened!!

How is it that a phone company can basically demand someones entire paycheck for an essential service?

Highway Robbery... and they get away with it... they will end up dumping her in collections, and she will be forced to pay that bill

This is disgusting behaviour.... and it should be stopped

Phone service should have a max they can charge regardless of what is used

a reply to: Akragon

It’s not a phone anymore. It’s a communication device. Canada is getting thoroughly gouged on our data plans....I think the phone part of it is quite cheap in comparison

But you’re right. It’s disgusting what they charge.

How is it that a phone company can basically demand someones entire paycheck for an essential service?

***paycheque.

That isnt how it works and I'm willing to bet your "friend" either didn't read their contract, their is a mistake there or some part of the equation is being left out.

A 2 phone unlimited data plan on ATT runs $170 ish.
Now if your friend purchased a new device then I could see that $1500 cost being realistic but other than that like everything their is more to that story.

Also supply and demand allows business to charge what they want. You have plenty of options with phones from low cost budget carriers to high end unlimited plans.

what is the benefit of paying those prices?

170 seems up there

is it just to be with a big carrier?

a reply to: opethPA

she has a 10g plan... no new phones or anything...

This happens all the time, and she doesn't go over her 10g

The company is just gouging her because she has no choice but to pay it.... someone in their account dept. is screwing with people and she isn't the first

At&t has a 4 phone unlimited plan for $160.
With taxes and fees I pay around $220.

Now if you're one of those people that buy a new phone on a payment plan it would be higher.

a reply to: Bluntone22

personally I buy my phones outright... payed full price for my i8... i own it, and im good with that...

I don't see how a company can get away with prices like this though... sure if a new phone is included in the price maybe?

She just gets stuck with these huge bills, and when she calls to complain they don't even have an explanation

its Ludacris!!

She's changing companies now anyways... but this seems to be an epidemic in Canada

theres people that get stuck with insane hydro bills and end up getting their electricity shut off in the dead of winter...

Bloody Ontario.... what in the bloody F***

I don't believe that a SINGLE phone plan with talk, text and data is 300 dollars, let alone "routinely over 1K" a month.

There is much more to that story they probably aren't telling you. I have to wonder if they have appstore purchases being billed to their phone service, or something.

Canada’s phone companies are BS. I own a company that Canadians book with frequently. They want all communication thru email because they get f———Ed with long distance charges. We always tell them to give us their number, and we’ll call them.

Sounds to me like your friend is ignorant and not paying attention. Anyone who has bills like that is doing something wrong. Of course, she will blame the phone company. That's called "taking responsibility" these days. Good that she is changing vendors. I hope this time she READS THE CONTRACT and stays within limits. It appears she is addicted to the phone to use it enough to get charges like that. Perhaps an intervention is necessary.

a reply to: schuyler

nah I've dug through her phone... checked for any places her data might be being used...

I thought the same thing... but its not her... its the company

This sounds like a Canada thing.

Keep in mind they have comparable land mass with a tenth of the people. To get 4g I imagine everyone is paying more.

a reply to: Akragon

It's not highway robbery it's a service, run by a business. There should not be a max.
Your friend does need help though.

They are buying all kinds of crap they don't need or are using minutes overseas or something.
Also, have they heard of free wifi?

edit to add, I worked in a form of telecom for two decades. I would bet money your friend is doing something.

No choice but to pay it? Bullsh!t
Smash the phone and move on to any number of other cell phone providers.
When they call for payment, tell them to pound it.

Edit -
You guys are in Canada? Maybe they are gouging her or she is just racking up the data.
I had a plan for quite a few years with 5 phones with like 40GB of data between all of them that was only like $200/month

a reply to: JAGStorm

I disagree, and shes not buying anything... I've watched her sit on hold with her company in tears... and they have no reason to be charging her these prices as I've said in the OP

They have reduced her bill to a quarter of the initial price at least five times, and the same thing happens again a month or two later... Yet theres unlimited packages with other companies at a sliver of that price...

Its this company, its not her... There is no possible way to accumulate a $1500 bill other then someone in the company screwing with her... I've checked her usage... she doesn't come close to 10G

And even IF she did... $1500 for what? These companies offer digital space... nothing more

Its straight up robbery... and repulsive that anyone is ever charged that kind of money for a service

originally posted by: RazorV66
No choice but to pay it? Bullsh!t
Smash the phone and move on to any number of other cell phone providers.
When they call for payment, tell them to pound it.

Edit -
You guys are in Canada? Maybe they are gouging her or she is just racking up the data.
I had a plan for quite a few years with 5 phones with like 40GB of data between all of them that was only like $200/month

And they toss you in collections... then some D*** calls and threatens you every day of your life

a reply to: Akragon

Have you looked at her paper or online bill?
There has to be a line for line accounting of the charges on there to see what it is.

Does canada have a version of an attorney general she can call? Better Business Bureau? Drag a local investigative news journalist into it?

If my phone company gave me a 1500 dollar bill for a 100 dollar(max) cell phone plan I don't even think I'd pay it once, let alone roll with it and stay with them.

I'd call all of the above and figure it out. Honestly though I still think there is some pertinent facts that we aren't privy to.

originally posted by: RazorV66
a reply to: Akragon

Have you looked at her paper or online bill?
There has to be a line for line accounting of the charges on there to see what it is.

Agree, I'd love to see what a 1500 dollar a month phone bill looks like, itemized, that is only basic talk/text/data service.

originally posted by: Akragon

originally posted by: RazorV66
No choice but to pay it? Bullsh!t
Smash the phone and move on to any number of other cell phone providers.
When they call for payment, tell them to pound it.

Edit -
You guys are in Canada? Maybe they are gouging her or she is just racking up the data.
I had a plan for quite a few years with 5 phones with like 40GB of data between all of them that was only like $200/month

And they toss you in collections... then some D*** calls and threatens you every day of your life

They can try but they have apps to block assholes like that nowadays.
I don’t know....like Mr Spock says, I wouldn’t pay that once, let alone stick with it and keep getting gouged.
It has to be itemized on the bill statement....if it’s not, then something shady is happening.