I’ve had them for several years, and have been reasonably satisfied. However: in September I changed my automatic billing to a new credit card. At the end of September, they charged me twice, on the same credit card, three days apart. I didn’t discover it until today.
Their answer was that they don’t give refunds more than 3 month old. My reply was fairly choice, including the observation that they apparently feel that it’s ok for them to steal money from their customers as long as the theft isn’t discovered within 3 months, that this policy does not encourage me to continue to use their service, and that I will be speaking to my credit card provider if they don’t give me back the money they stole.
So it looks like I may be in the market for a new cut-rate cell service provider, preferably one who will let me keep my phone number and use my very expensive phone that I paid for. Suggestions?
I was just going to post about Ting! I think someone here recommended it, and I gave them a try. I love it. I don’t talk much, but I do a ton of texting so it’s nice to not have to pay for voice minutes I don’t use. When I talked to customer service I got through right away. If you’re a heavy user it probably won’t work for you, but it’s just right for me.
Oh, I’m a very modest user. Maybe 5 or 6 calls in a busy week. Maybe twice that many texts. Unknown amount of data usage though, I mostly use it for maps.
I don’t know about Ting, but I think your number should be portable. I’ve even been able to keep my NYC number though I live in LA and have changed providers at least twice since I moved. As for the phone itself, you’ll have to ask Ting (or other provider).
Virgin should be able to provide you with your monthly data usage for reference.
5-6 phone calls a week? 10-12 texts? Your life sounds like paradise.
I had Virgin Mobile for the longest time, from 03/4 until late last year. I ended up dropping them when I couldn’t find a store to replace my phone that was getting old. I ended up switching to AT&T, which took my bill from $35 to $40 a month. But now I can find stores in lots of places and get what I need.
I will say that Virgin made it a minor inconvenience to swap carriers. They did not have my account number on my account page, I had to call them to get the number.
We used Virgin Mobile for many years, and were lured to MetroPCS, (now calling itself Metro by Sprint) a couple of years ago by their cheap family plan and free smart phones. So far, so good.
I would dispute that this is a transaction in the meaning of that regulation. For what it’s worth.
After my tart response to their first message, they kindly revealed to me that the extra payment was still there in my credit balance, and the only reason it hadn’t been used is that it no longer represents a complete payment (I had added one additional service for another $5). So I have topped up that $5 and the extra payment will be used for my next payment. We are more or less even, except for the extra tax that was also extracted, which they cannot do anything about, or so they say.
If the first respondent had been helpful instead of dismissive, none of this sturm und drang would have been necessary. So I am not quitting them immediately, but they are on probation.
When you call Virgin Mobile for your account number, be sure to tell them it’s “for your records” and not “because I’m outta here” because if you say the latter they will send you to the escalations/retention department and your transaction will take three times as long.
I’ve never switched providers with the same phone before. What exactly happens if/when I sign up with Ting, for example? Do I have to tell Virgin, or does the new provider do that? Do I have to stop the automatic payment from my bank?
The new provider should handle the switchover, but ask them to be sure you don’t have to do anything yourself. I think the last time I switched Verizon canceled my AT&T account with nothing further required from me. You’ll have to stop the automatic payments yourself. You may have to pay a remaining balance by check, credit card, or one-off transfer, or I suppose you might wind up with a small refund, which they will send you months later in an envelope that looks like junk mail, hoping you will throw it away.
By the way, getting to retentions might not be a bad thing. Usually they’ll offer you a deal to keep you.
You find this a lot with cable service. I distinctly recall the one occasion on which I called to threaten cancellation and they DIDN’T offer a sweetener. Made me almost as mad the lousy service they provided.
ETA, every time I’ve switched providers I also got a new phone; may be different with you keeping the phone.
Sure, but it is slightly possible he has an older phone with no SIM card. And didn’t earlier iPhones have a non-removable card? It’s going back some, so that generation of phones is probably utterly dead, but I remember buying a burner in the UK because I couldn’t swap out the card in my iPhone.
I had no problem when I left Virgin. My son had something, and I don’t want to call out the wrong provider, when he was in high school–I am not sure. His new provider (ATT) said be sure to check your account to make sure they don’t continue taking out the $$ (he had a pay-as-you go but automatic deduction) and the old provider did try to take out the $$ for a couple of months.
You should be able to get the same number.
It is also true, as someone above said, that if you do get to retention they will probably offer you a deal or refund the extra they took out. But if you’re dead set on leaving them, going that route will take longer.