Amazon Fire text messages being converted and CHARGED to multimedia messages

[Anonymous]

I am disgusted with the complete lack of customer support I have received, over christmas I sent out numberous text messages on my amazon fire phone wishing my friends and family a merry christmas. As I have unlimited text messages as part of my package I foresaw no problems occuring. I couldn't have been more worng!

On Boxing day I received a message on my phone informing me I had gone over my text message allowance and now owed an extra £30.00 on top of my bill. As it was boxing day I wanted until the next day to contact O2 customer support, when the next day came and I phoned O2 I was informed I now owe £45.00 on top of my bill! It turns out my text messages we're converted to multimedia messages, I wasn't given any warning nor was informed it might happen prior to purchasing the phone! I was given a wide range of excuses as to why this could happen including: sending more than 2 text messages at one time, sending a contact, to sending a smilly face!

Customer services would only say that they have passed it over to the network investigation team and I would have to wait a few days for their decision. A few days passed and I called again only to discover it could take up to a week for someone to get intouch with me, and I should await their call / e-mail. After A WEEK AND A HALF I called again and the Network Investigation Team had made the decision that all charges we're valid and hadn't bothered to let me know.

I was then informed to send a complaint to the Complaint Review Service via e-mail informing them of everything that had happened to me. This I did on the 5th January, I have been waiting 21 days for a reply! I was orginally informed it would take three working days for someone to get intouch, then seven working days, after fourteen I requested customer services get intouch with the Complaint Review Service, or if I could have their number niether of these we're possible as Customer Services dosn't have the contact details for the Complaint Review Service. I have never been treated with such a complete lack of customer service in my life. O2 are after one thing YOUR MOMEY and are more than happy to scam you out of it!

[jonsie]

Conversely  the iPhone is a really nice dated drablet. ...ducking for cover....

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I really like the feel of it, you can tell its well made with high quality materials. The 3D screen savers are a nice touch. There are a lack of apps due to the Fire using a modified version of android and the O/S isn't optimised so the phone does tend to freeze even though it's a decent spec. I'm hoping in time updates will fix these issues.

Be warned if you use an android phone and move to the Amazon Fire don't expect to keep your apps.

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Thanks for your reply @Anonymous  I think some people who have got Android phones feel the Firephone tries to be Android but doesn't match up. I am sure a lot of customers do like the phone and you certainly seem pleased with it so that's the important thing....

I will stick with the Note 3. (I only got it in November...so will be a long time before I change :smileywink:)

[Anonymous]

Think I've found a solution:

Settings / Applications and Parental Controls / Configure Amazon Application Settings / Messaging / SMS Broadcast mode and select 'on'.

I've not tested it but hopefully it will work and other Fire phone users won't have this nasty surprise

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Think I've found a solution:

Settings / Applications and Parental Controls / Configure Amazon Application Settings / Messaging / SMS Broadcast mode and select 'on'.

I've not tested it but hopefully it will work and other Fire phone users won't have this nasty surprise

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Can you feedback please @Anonymous ?.... If it works is is indeed a solution that will help many users

[MI5]

That sounds more likely to be connected to cell broadcast which isn't supported (has no function) in the UK.

[viridis]

That's the alert type thing isn't it which allowed localised info to be sent to the handset. I think the only part of it I've ever seen was on some phones years ago, it would show the local dialling code for the area you were in.

[MI5]

Yeah it's main purpose is for emergency broadcasts to be sent to phones - used in the US I believe?

[jonsie]

Enabling cell broadcasts will give endless pointless and useless notifications.

[Anonymous]

I haven't noticed any difference since changing my settings, and so far no more nasty surprises in my bills. Still not heard anything from the complaints review service though.