Cell Phones

[Merged] Do not pay Rogers/Fido's 30 days of services when porting a number

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Sr. Member
Feb 15, 2005
627 posts
282 upvotes
Calgary

[Merged] Do not pay Rogers/Fido's 30 days of services when porting a number

With the many recent posts about the smaller guys (Wind Mobile / Mobilicity), I'm sure many of you are porting numbers.
I recently got charged with 30 days of billing because Rogers claims you need to give them 30 days cancellation notice.

So you are paying Rogers/Fido (probably Bell/Telus too) 1 month of services you are NOT receiving (since another company is providing them now).

This is ILLEGAL.

File a complaint with the CCTS
http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/complaints/guide

And you will get your money back. It's all done online and very painless. For 2 lines I got back about ~$100. Not bad for a few minutes of filling out a form.

Take your money back from those Robbers!


EDIT:
I should clarify. You fill out form all online. There is still a verbal conversation later on.
And to better your chances, you should have a verbal call 30 days prior to porting date too.

EDIT2:
After reading some posts, it seems to be hit or miss. To ensure a better chance of getting your money back, it seems like you should have a recorded attempt that you wanted to give 30 days notice. If you've already ported, it doesn't hurt to fill out the form anyways since it worked for me, but YMMV.

So new steps:
  1. Call them 30 days PRIOR to your cancellation date. Ask about your cancellation fee, and what the process is like.
    They'll say something about 30 days notice. So say you want to give your notice now to cancel in 30 days.
    They'll say you can't do that, OR if you cancel you cannot keep your number. (Sounds like a scare tactic).
    End the call saying how that's absurd and don't make changes to your account.
    The important part is they note that you inquired about your account/cancellation policies, and tried to give notice. Make sure they note the call in your account.
  2. In 30 days, go to your new provider (wind/virgin/mobilicity, etc), and port your number. (Keep same number).
  3. Optional Tip: Call your old provider again now to let them know you switched and you don't want to get charged this month. You can point out you called 30 days prior. If they won't do anything, then just change your plan rate to the cheapest one possible so in case it all doesn't work out, you're only paying ~15 instead of your old bill rate.
  4. If your old provider charges you with a bill you can first try calling them for a refund. Some people get it right away and avoid the CCTS form.
  5. If they won't help you, fill out the CCTS form above.
  6. CCTS emails saying it received complaint and will forward to Rogers to give them a chance to remedy the complaint.
  7. About a month later Rogers called about the complaint.
    He knows about your entire history (knows when you called last, etc).
    Keep firm. State it's unfair to charge for services that was impossible for me to use (since number already ported), and if we agree to disagree I'll just bring issue back to CCTS.
    They caved and gave the credit.
  8. Money is returned via cheque in 4-6 weeks.
512 replies
Newbie
User avatar
Feb 3, 2006
99 posts
1 upvote
After I got my final bill with cancellation charges additional charges I called them and had them issue a credit from the date the phone number got ported out. The way I see it is if they are not providing you with the service they can't bill you for it. Just tell them that ever since you ported out the phone number stopped working so you couldn't make / receive calls and therefore should not be billed for it.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jun 6, 2004
4154 posts
128 upvotes
Wow..This is interesting. Recently my GF porter her number from Rogers and had to pay a 30 day charge.

Will fill out the form and see if it works.

However, this is not a hot deal. Should probably be moved to Cellphones or Off-topic.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jun 2, 2006
7018 posts
1544 upvotes
Mississauga
Thanks this should apply with Telus since my dad was singed a month when he potted to wind.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 7, 2010
1003 posts
236 upvotes
Aurora
evilution wrote: File a complaint with the CCTS
http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/complaints/guide

And you will get your money back. It's all done online and very painless. For 2 lines I got back about ~$100. Not bad for a few minutes of filling out a form.

Take your money back from those Robbers!

I went to CCTS and got no refund, just a call from Bell saying the contract says so.

Please provide more detail on who you spoke to, who issued the refund, etc. What was the exact process you used? You say it was ALL done online? Are you sure as CCTS is industry funded, so they are not on our side. How did you get money back online?

Thanks for posting!!

Update: I just phoned CCTS on my November 2010 unresolved complaint, Bell has not responded to them although I had a call last year from them stating 'it's in the contract online', they offered to refund one cell for the 30 days but insisted on charging for my second cell, 'meeting you half way' he said, I said 'if it's good for one cell it must be good for both', he declined. Anyway, CCTS says 'You are in the queue for an investigator to follow up and could be another month.

So, tell me how you made the magic happen!!

Edit: CCTS process worked, got a check back. ALSO got paid back by Visa as I disputed the charge. Do it! It feels good!
Deal Addict
Jun 10, 2008
1206 posts
392 upvotes
PriceMatchIT wrote: Does this apply to landlines?

Yes, we recently canceled (not ported though) our Rogers home phone 2 days before the billing date. The CS agent got downright aggressive when my wife said she wanted to cancel and he not only talked about the 30 day notice, but he went on to check our account and canceled some cable TV HD add-on that we were not supposed to have too. My wife went ballistic on him and called again to speak to another agent... although the new agent also mentioned the 30 day notice, she agreed to cancel the service with immediate affect if we returned the modem before the billing date (which we did and did not have to pay for and extra 30 days).
Sr. Member
Feb 11, 2007
747 posts
251 upvotes
basiclogic wrote: After I got my final bill with cancellation charges additional charges I called them and had them issue a credit from the date the phone number got ported out. The way I see it is if they are not providing you with the service they can't bill you for it. Just tell them that ever since you ported out the phone number stopped working so you couldn't make / receive calls and therefore should not be billed for it.

That is my argument with Virgin Mobile unfortunately, Virgin Mobile refuses to call me. I have asked to speak to a manager and no one ever calls me. I guess since Bell took them over, customer service has been dropping to Bell levels. I tried CCTS and they told me that they could not do anything for me. I refuse to pay for 30 days of service when they were providing me with no service. I can't see how that can be legal. Regardless what a contract says, if no service is being provided, how can you charge someone. I think I might start a company and offer 10 billion tv channels and when I don't provide any channels, I will still bill everyone and expect people to pay me. Sounds like a great way to make money.
Jr. Member
Jun 16, 2009
156 posts
5 upvotes
why would it be illegal? Isn't it just like giving a notice for anything (and as mentioned is in contract), you can't just leave an apartment with no notice if you have another place lined up...
Jr. Member
Nov 30, 2005
117 posts
54 upvotes
saskatoon
snafu101 wrote: why would it be illegal? Isn't it just like giving a notice for anything (and as mentioned is in contract), you can't just leave an apartment with no notice if you have another place lined up...

But does porting a number over take 30 days? Probably not. It only takes a few hours. The phone companies just want the money. They are not upfront with it and if you question it you 10 different answers from 10 different reps. It just causes headaches. That's why people are so upset.
Sr. Member
Oct 5, 2008
754 posts
814 upvotes
GTA
snafu101 wrote: why would it be illegal? Isn't it just like giving a notice for anything (and as mentioned is in contract), you can't just leave an apartment with no notice if you have another place lined up...

Another problem with this is you have the choice to give your notice, and then still live in the apartment for the next 2 months. With a cell phone, if you want to port your number, they cut your service off on the spot. You have no option to cancel and keep using it for that 30 days.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 7, 2010
1003 posts
236 upvotes
Aurora
snafu101 wrote: why would it be illegal? Isn't it just like giving a notice for anything (and as mentioned is in contract), you can't just leave an apartment with no notice if you have another place lined up...
You may be correct in your thoughts, but real life is not that way sometimes.


Well, first, set the scene.. you are on a monthly contract after 20 years with Brand Y from the days of 2 dollar minutes and you know they require 30 days notice to switch since you've been monthly for 15 years or more.

On June 1 you phone them and say you would like to cancel June 30 since you are switching to Brand X and taking your number.

They say: No, sir, you cannot do it that way, first you go to Brand X and buy your new service, they call us and we port them your number.

You call Brand X to see if you are being scammed by Brand Y.

Brand X says: Correct, don't cancel at Brand Y because you will lose your number. Sign with us first and we call them, takes 4-72 hours.

You say: But I want to give them 30 days notice!

Brand Y says: (silence)

You call back Brand Y.... Please cancel me June 30

They say: If you tell me now you are cancelling June 30 you lose your phone number.

You say: )(*&)(*&

They say: Brand X does it too, just ask them, sir. Good bye sir.

You sign with Brand X, sure enough they call Brand Y, your number is ported 4 hours later, of course it died on Brand Y 4 hours ago...

You use the phone on Brand X June 1 to June 30.

Brand Y sends their bill for June 1 -30. They cut you off June 1 remember?

You complain.

They point you to the contract online: http://www.bell.ca/shopping/PrsShp_Bill ... sferNumber
If you want to transfer your wireless phone number to another service provider, then, as long as your account and phone number are active, Bell will process a "transfer-out" request from your new chosen service provider. You must pay any amounts due plus applicable taxes resulting from the termination of your Services before the expiry of your Service Commitment Period, and the monthly charges applicable for the 30 days after the transfer is requested.
You read this and go )(*&)(*&). "How can you charge me AFTER YOU DISCONNECTED ME?" you think to yourself.

You discover the CCTS, the industry funded complaint mechanism. Their rep expresses surprise as if he has never heard this one before, you are encouraged so you file the claim, it is accepted, it has time requirements for the parties, of course they do not respond. You phone back after a month of quiet, the next day Brand Y guy phones, points you to web based contract you never saw or signed. Offers return of charges of one cell of the two you cancelled, you say 'if it is good for one why not good for both?' he says he wanted to 'meet you half way'. You decline, he says the offer is good for 7 days, hangs up. Brand Y never replies to CCTS as to status of call, it is unresolved, 6 weeks later you phone CCTS, they say case is 'waiting in queue to be assigned to an inspector'.

You read in RFD that someone got money back online, you go )(*^)(*^.

Enough said?

They all do it, they have structured a way to be paid to port your number by taking it hostage and refusing to allow you to cancel without losing it.

I repeat, they planned this as a way to circumvent the CRTC and government who gave us 'number portability'.

"They" are smarter than the CRTC and our government. They make their own rules.

That's why so many of us hate them and the spineless CRTC. They are SMARTER than us.

Today, I disputed the Visa charge on the grounds of 'service not delivered' and I fully expect Bell will shove the contract around again, the one I never saw and never signed.

Moral: 1) Pay all your bills with Visa, they are the only one who answer the phone right away and politely go to bat for you. Forget about the CRTC, CCTS and MP/MPP's. 2) Don't get tied to a phone number in these days of dynamic deal making, it will cost you money, time, or both to keep it.

Next step Small Claims Court. I will be happy just to COST them more than my month's charges sending a lawyer.

Great sport for the retired person, painful for a working person.

Next Week's Episode: How Brand X screwed me on the 'new' pre-paid plan..... voice mail at no monthly fee which cannot be used in any fashion without paying them money per minute to program it, to leave and pick up calls... even leaving and pickup from a landline.....

After That: Switching to another prepaid plan which has not screwed me... yet.

After That: Why the USA gets prepaid contract free 10 cent a minute long distance cells and we pay 25 cents local, 50 cents LD at best.

Edit: CCTS process worked, got a check back. ALSO got paid back by Visa as I disputed the charge. Do it! It feels good!
Deal Addict
Nov 13, 2003
1065 posts
71 upvotes
Toronto
I had a lot of questions before the scenarios you portrayed and you answered all of them.
Thanks.
Please keep us apprised to what happens next.
Member
Nov 12, 2005
225 posts
36 upvotes
evilution wrote: This is ILLEGAL.

Before any of the steps regarding a complaint can be taken, you need to identify the source of this statement here in order to analyze what to do next. What is the name of the law or the regulation that says this is illegal? I'd like to take a look at it.
Jr. Member
Dec 18, 2004
128 posts
73 upvotes
Mississauga
What if I haven't paid my final bill yet? Is there any document online I can refer them to? I don't think I can simply say "it's illegal" and have them cancel my final bill.
Deal Addict
Jul 23, 2009
1059 posts
146 upvotes
So if I am on a month to month (contract expired), I still have to give 30 days notice to have my number ported to another carrier?! Are you serious?!

So I pay for 30 days of "service" even though I am not using it?
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 7, 2010
1003 posts
236 upvotes
Aurora
bdragon wrote: I had a lot of questions before the scenarios you portrayed and you answered all of them.
Thanks.
Please keep us apprised to what happens next.
I will.

I hope one of the effects of the UBB reversal saga we are about to experience is that it raises an opportunity somewhere to allow us to place more pressure on the CRTC or Feds or whomever about the ludicrous business practices of the Telcos. For example in this case, it seemed blatantly impossible that a provider of any service could come up with such a creative way to take your money... why was it not quashed long ago by them being told "you cannot charge for something you do not provide". You are in month 36 of a 36 month Ford lease, and you tell Ford you are switching to Chevy, they say: "Bring the Ford back now and pay me for the month anyway...." I cannot imagine it.

Consumers put up with such crap with these guys, maybe we need that to be the next election issue instead of UBB.

Edit: CCTS process worked, got a check back. ALSO got paid back by Visa as I disputed the charge. Do it! It feels good!
Sr. Member
Sep 19, 2009
796 posts
11 upvotes
Toronto
EvilMonkey25 wrote: So if I am on a month to month (contract expired), I still have to give 30 days notice to have my number ported to another carrier?! Are you serious?!

So I pay for 30 days of "service" even though I am not using it?

im wondering the same thing... im about to port a number over to teksavvy..... landline
Deal Addict
User avatar
Nov 7, 2010
1003 posts
236 upvotes
Aurora
EvilMonkey25 wrote: So if I am on a month to month (contract expired), I still have to give 30 days notice to have my number ported to another carrier?! Are you serious?!

So I pay for 30 days of "service" even though I am not using it?

Almost.. you CANNOT give notice if you want to move your number.... they force you to NOT give notice by threatening loss of your number the instant you give notice... it is for real.

Bell and Rogers yes, 30 days for no service possibility at all.

The rest? Dunno, who are you with?


Edit: CCTS process worked, got a check back. ALSO got paid back by Visa as I disputed the charge. Do it! It feels good!
Deal Addict
Jul 23, 2009
1059 posts
146 upvotes
boblepp wrote: Almost.. you CANNOT give notice if you want to move your number.... they force you to NOT give notice by threatening loss of your number the instant you give notice... it is for real.

Bell and Rogers yes, 30 days for no service possibility at all.

The rest? Dunno, who are you with?

Going from Bell to anyone who has good customer service. Bell has been nothing but episodes of crap.

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