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Complaint against Fido (Rogers communications)
My invoice numbers xxxxxx8529, xxxxxx8539, xxxxxx8549 - services for my iPhone:
When I received invoice number 8529 I was stunned to see I was charged $0.03/Kb for roaming data usage while traveling in the US - upwards of $400 in fees. I called to complain, and after haggling for a half hour the agent agreed to absolve me of half the debt - I was credited more than $200. I was willing to accept half the responsibility since I hadn't really paid attention to their roaming charges.
HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART: I then said to the agent: I travel in the US quite a bit for business and my company emails are received on my phone, so I will need a plan that prevents these kind of roaming charges. He told me I could add a $10 package to my plan that would cover my roaming fees for data usage in the states.
I hit the road - traveling sales manager, I was out of town and fell behind on my mail - I get home and open bills 8539 & 8549 at the same time. $383.61 in data roaming fees on one and $546.68 in roaming data fees on the other. I call immediately, where I'm informed that in fact the $10 monthly plan was to access a beneficial rate for my roaming data - $1.00/Mb instead of $0.03/Kb. This was not what I had been told, and certainly if I had been told that I would never have agreed! After haggling and elevating with customer service for over an hour I received a credit of $738.00.
• Here are the main points for my complaint:
• They advertise Data plans in Canada at $30.00 per 1 Gb
• They charge roaming data at $0.03 per Kb (this is $30, 000.00 per 1 Gb!)
• I need to repeat that again - $30, 000 per Gb
• They charge $10.00 per month to access the preferential rate of only $1000.00 per 1 Gb
1) How is it possible that the CRTC and the CCTS allow suppliers to charge 1000 or 100 times the price for roaming data? Bulk bandwidth is sold between telecommunications companies, in this case AT&T selling to Rogers(Fido), are nowhere near these prices - I promise you Rogers would not accept paying 100 or 1000 times the wholesale rate... This is criminal gouging. I'm not an idiot - I expect to pay a premium for roaming - but 1000 times the rate?
2) How are they allowed to mislead people on their documentation (website, pamphlets and invoices) by expressing their rates in different measures - how can you advertise Data by the Gb in Canada, but fine print the prices by the Kb and Mb on roaming.
3) How is it that they are allowed to sell powerful devices like the Apple iPhone that use considerable amounts of data by nature, without WARNING consumers of the potential costs - My iPhone should have come with a giant red piece of paper that said WARNING - if you cross the boarder and check your Facebook you will pay $30, 000.00/Kb of data...!
4) FURTHERMORE - why are they allowed to discriminate their charges based on the wireless device you use? Rogers only charges $0.006 per Kb of roaming data if you own a Blackberry! (still an exorbatent $6, 000.00 per Gb) Data transmission doesn't cost more based on the receiver - its a radio signal - signal sent, signal received...end of story.
5) This is the most important one - if a 12$/hour supervisor at a call center has the power to strike $738.00 off my invoice, how valid were the charges in the first place? Isn't this practically an acknowledgment of their practice?
Thus, on behalf of travelling business men accross Canada I ask the CCTS and the CRTC to regulate:
1) the rates allowed for roaming data (again, I reiterate - $30.00/Gb in Canada, $30, 000.00 per Gb if I roam in the US...) Isn't there a NAFTA clause we can apply to transmissions?
2) force the Cell companies to standardize their roaming data pricing regardless of what equipment is being used to receive the data
3) reimburse any customer who has been charged $30, 000.00 per Gb to the new rate decided on, retroactive to the release date of the iPhone
Sincerely,
outraged Canadian consumer of wireless gadgets
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I am very disapointed with Fido wireless... You accumulate these points over the time and try to order something but they never send it to you... I was tired of waiting so I called to ask when it will arrive and they had told me that the order was now cancelled and they dont have any record of it anymore... WTF... If you are a Fido user or thinking of being one DON"T They will screw you over... Think again... Your best bet is to go with Virgin or something else...
That explanation you were given in the end...it is the way the rogers service works, but it isn't a matter of "rogers" alone. It is the co-operation they have between certain carriers. It's a royal pain, and expensive. We weren't very happy about the roaming charges through the US, but rogers can't control how the US operates. So, we sucked it up and set about finding alternatives. We weren't using FIDO - I have a nokia and my husband has a motorola.
Once we understood how it worked, we travel with our cell phones off once we hit the US, and only turn them on long enough to collect our messages or make a call, and turned them off again. The last trip, we bought a new laptop equipped with a wireless internet connection. Most larger hotels, as well as libraries have free wireless access. We managed to get all of our messages, as well as talk using voice chat with no additional cost.
A little inconvenient, but the laptop has been used many times and so has paid for itself.
HI,
I just found this company That will help you reduce your bill If Fido refuses. IF you did it and didn't realize it would be that expenssive.(long distance roaming, INTERNET DATA over minutes. etc etc
THey bassically negociate for you, know the laws in canada (Including Quebec) and will help you reduce your bill even though Fido, Rogers, Telus, or BELL refuses.
send an email
fido.charges@gmail.com
Just got back from two weeks in France. I used wifi where I could find it, but it was sporadic. Checked my email 3x's a day (morning, noon, night) and an internet email account as well. Probably 15 mins. a day tops.
My Fido bill for that time? $915. Immediately complained to Fido and they immediately waved roaming charges - approx. 25%.
I've been with this company for 11 years and when I asked if there was anything more they could do - they forwarded me to accounting, telling me I had two months to pay it off.
Time to look else where. There is no such thing as customer retention any more.
Has anyone asked this consumer reporter for help - http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080104/chris_olsen_080104/20080104/
My girlfriend who lives in Vancouver also is being overcharged by Fido by $700.
Also has anyone tried this consumer helpline - http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080104/chris_olsen_080104/20080104/
I have never been treated so rudely and disrespectful in my life. This company has absolutely no people skills and they do not do anything to go out of their way to help their customers nor do they care if there customers are considering going to a new service provider. If it wasn't for the fact that my credit is not the greatest I would be gone in a New York second. This comany should be ashamed of their treatment of their customers. I always leave my conversations with Fido feeling totally humiliated.
Hi Bonnie. I just sent you a PM via this site for more information. If you could please email me with the specifics of your issue, I can certainly look into it for you.
Thanks,
Mary
My home phone is not working so I called Fido to confirm how many minutes a day I have under my plan. The rep said I have 200 minutes between myself and my husband. When I asked him, is this 200 minutes a day, he confirmed YES. As I'm working from home, I had to attend long conferences and I figured I will be fine if I keep it under 200 minutes. However, my monthly bill this month came to $357 ($25 on something I don't even know what it's there for). When I asked her to listen to the call I had with the rep, she said they can't pull the calls, they're only there for quality. Well, if this is not a good reason enough to listen to the calls, I don't know what is! She even said, I can see from your history that you never went above your minutes and you always paid on time. So what does that tell you? That I'm lying? What's more, I can't use my Fido dollars toward the bill. This company is just useless. I can't wait for my contract to end in one month so I can switch to Globalive.
I was simply trying to add time to my phone the rep named Jenna told me she refused to assist me with this since I did not know the code(that changes every time I call), I proceeded to explain to her that she was not being helpful since I have not had my code in past and they were still able to help me with this. she refused until I explained that I was going to make a complaint on her, once this was said she change her tune completely about it all and put my time on.
My other complaint is she expressed that there is no one on-site to complain to, if this is true then I am greatly disappointed that I have to have a computer or wait weeks before my complaints make it to anyone. This not a satisfying way for your client to express their concerns. How do you respond to your clients concerns? I don't believe that they are actually even delt with. I will be switching my services and it is directly related in the attitude of your employees and the lack of client interests shown by having such impersonal ways to communicate your clients concerns.
Hi Brena!
I'm MJ from Fido's online help team.
I'd like to look into this for you so I've sent you a direct message on how to reach me.
Hope to hear from you soon!
MJ
Specialist Social Media
What well is roaming charges? annyway ! so first they slapyou with a contract. then they make up their one fuking rules ...well, i to was surprized with a bill of 800 dollars the same price i paid for my ticket that toke-me 2 years to save .I try to reazon with them so they cut of my Phone just before christmas now they arras-me on the daily bazes now on top of that i got layoff.So would like the Goverment to step in and stop this Criminals from ripping of people and running our credit.this charks should go to jail an send my money back!
i want to know how the fido company will discredit me if i dont pay them money? are they going to call the police? do i have to go on trail?
will it effect me a lot since now i apply for BC housing and the college?
My Family was using Fido mobile service and I was shocked when I saw the bill of my daughter, I was the one who is paying her bills and I noticed that she was being overcharges which is ridiculous because I know she seldom use her phone and when I asked her about it she told me that she used the internet to communicate with her friends and rarely her phone. When I called their customer service and complained about it they can't offer any resolution. Class action suit should be taken against them, I worked hard to earn my money and they just rip me off.
Hi
I am Elise with Fido. Could you please give me your email so that we can discuss this matter?
Thank you
Elise
I had no data on my plan with fido and accidentally hit the web button on the qwerty board a few times. I was in the US at the time and had unknowingly accessd the web. Well that was worth a hundred bucks. Fido had told me that my data block only works in Canada, not in the Us. Too bad for you. They suck. I am going to take them to small claims court
FIDO lies! The day before I selected LG Optimus 2X from FIDO's website. Its price was @30 with 2-year contract. Next morning at 10 am I was in Erin Mills FIDO store to get that phone. They said the price was $225! I reminded them their web site price. They said it is now $225. What is going on? Is there anybody out there to protect consumers?
Later I asked FIDO to provide me unlockig code for the FIDO phone I had. They said there is a charge of $50!
I unlocked my AT&T phone from USA by getting unlocking code for free. You can compare the two companies.
I would say "DO NOT DO ANY BUSINESS WITH FIDO".
mehlivan
Fido Cellular Phone has sent me 3 massages that was a real surprise to me. Then they started charging me $29, 95 a month. So, please block them from contact me and I need my money back as a credit, text me when everything will be clear.