Being charged for MMS messages that I sent as SMS problem

[Hughmungus]

Recently swapped to an iPhone 5 and head to swap to a nano sim, the change didnt go smoothly and I had to ring O2 to help activate my message service which they did. When I sent a message to a few of my contacts to tell them I was back online it seems that I was charged for MMS rather than simple MMS as the message was just text.

Contacted O2 who sent it to the grandly titled Network Investigation Team, err ally I ask you ?, and they came back after 4 days telling me that I had sent the messages.

THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION, THE QUESTION WAS I HAVE BEEN CHARGED MMS RATE FOR SMS RATE (sorry for shouting).

once again I have made a complaint and had to convince the nice Indian lady that I hadn't sent 150 MMS messages within a 30 seconds period on the 2nd of November.

Is there anyone else within the O2 empire that I can speak to if this sin,t sorted.

[Hughmungus]

Still no resolution on this I am being fobbed off so do I now progress it to the ombudsman ?

[perksie]

Did you see Adam's post on how to do that on the first page?

It was probably too close to your billing date to cancel the charge this month but they have offered you a full refund, so I can't see that a complaint will succeed for what appears to be an error.

[jimthing0]

I'd try to get them to send you an email confirming next month's refund.

Then pay it this month as they asked for, and if they don't refund you next month as promised, you have some proof of their statement. 

Sometimes you have to go with the flow, following the company's method of dealing with such things. We've all had to deal with funny credit-control departments policies from utility suppliers, and O2 is obviously one of them with their own quirky method. 

[Hughmungus]

It may be an error but its an error with o2and their systems, not mine. 

i am not happy to fork out money for something that isn't my fault hence my anger and frustration.

how many times I wonder have they done this to customers who don't check bills. Seems a nice little earner to me and totally wrong.

So who do I write to or email next as I'm fed up of the good Indian folk on the pages system who clearly have little training in anything other than simple tasks.

[jimthing0]

It may not be your fault, but I warn you now, that writing in will waste VAST amounts of your time (been there, done that), and probably go absolutely nowhere.
Reason: companies have stupid systems that fail continually, and getting to the underlying fault is obscured by vast layers of people/departments/technical issues. 

I've had countless wrong bills from utility suppliers in the past over things. If they have issued you the bill they often ask it to be paid, and then they apply a credit note (refund) to the NEXT months bill. It's a standard business practice. 

Hence I strongly suggest you just ask for the quicker email, confirming next months refund, pay it, and move on with your life. 

If you get the actual issue itself repeating itself, then waste time chasing it further. But arguing over getting your money back, when they have already agreed to credit you next month because that's how their billing system operates, is a waste of time. 

[Anonymous]

I was charged for MMS rather than simple SMS message  text.

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I was charged for MMS rather than simple SMS message  text.

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Most likely because you sent it in MMS format.

[Anonymous]

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@Hughmungus wrote:

It may be an error but its an error with o2and their systems, not mine. 

i am not happy to fork out money for something that isn't my fault hence my anger and frustration.

how many times I wonder have they done this to customers who don't check bills. Seems a nice little earner to me and totally wrong.

So who do I write to or email next as I'm fed up of the good Indian folk on the pages system who clearly have little training in anything other than simple tasks.

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The way bills are produced and credits arranged is as follows:

Once your bill is produced it is set in stone.  Can't be altered or amended.  Any changes have to be retrospective on the next bill.  This means crediting the account so that the amount comes off the next bill, not the current one.  Its just the way that the system works, no-one is trying to fob you off.

However, call customer services on 202 and ask them to place the "disputed" amount on hold until the next bill.  This should carry over the charges to be credited off, without you paying it first and without you getting any service restrictions. 

Any customer service advisor can process that for you.

EDIT - forgot to add, if you have a direct debit due out in less than 7 days, call your bank and have them stop it (avoids the full amount going out), call up and make a card payment for the "not-disputed" amount and ask for the advisor to do the rest with the "disputed" amount.