The problem with cell phones.... the bills
By whiteheron
@whiteheron (4223)
United States
April 7, 2008 1:22am CST
Has the cell phone caused you problems?
Have your friends or family ever abused it and cost you too much money?
I have a good friend who is older and for a long time she did not understand that when she called people's cell phones, that it costed them money. I told her over and over that it did but she did not believe me until two other people told her and scolded her about calling them too much. Consequently she called me on my cell phone sometimes five times a day and because she had a private number and my boyfriend also has a private number I could not tell it was hear. I eventually had to give up my cell phone. Now she calls me at home where it costs me nothing.
Have your friends ever called you too much or texted you too much?
Have you yourself used the phone excessively to text or call people?
Fess up... I am sure that I am not the only person who has a story about cell phones.
2 people like this
10 responses
@luvstochat (6914)
• United States
7 Apr 08
I have alot of minutes on my phone at just a set price per month. I have never gone over my minutes so far so good. I know I have seen people complain about having $1000 dollar cell phone bills I could never imagine a cell phone bill getting that high!
2 people like this
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
I can't imagine a $1000 cell phone bill either... One wonders what the person was doing... calling a lot of 900 numbers, texting, going on the net and downloading games and music... Actually, I could well imagine a teenager doing this.
@SViswan (12071)
• India
7 Apr 08
I don't have a cellphone (yet). But I am aware that it costs my friends money when I call on their cell phone...it actually costs me more too....so I limit it to only emergencies and a few minutes at that.
But some service providers have a scheme where people having the sim card from the same company can call each other for free....then it's better for them to call each other on the cell phone than the land line. Some service providers even have some amount of texting free (provided it is to a number from the same service provider).
I'll soon be getting my cell phone (now that I've started working...I didn't need it earlier because I was always home)...and I've got to be careful about friends calling me. But I don't think anyone will do that because most of them are aware that it costs us money...and they refrain from calling on the cellphone especially to chat.
2 people like this
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
Good luck with your cell phone when you get it.
I am hoping that all of the people who call you are indeed respectful about using the phone...
The funny thing about my friend is that she said that if she ever got a cell phone she would keep it only for emergencies and that he would not share that information with me... That did cause a little friction between us for awhile. She is sweet otherwise so I forgive but still haven't quite forgotten... perhaps the forgiveness isn't complete yet as I am mentioning it.
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
Good for you that you have not the fear of the bills hanging over your head. Good for you that you chose that option. :)
@Lakota12 (42681)
• United States
7 Apr 08
the only thing I hated about our cell phones was the time of night you could use it for free min.
now I have my whole family on the iin program where we can call each other cellls anytime and it cost us no more than what the monthly bill is and its sort of high.
Also have set up my home phone with VOnage that is only $30 a month and I can call any one any timeand talk as long as I want. can even call my friends in Canada. it says puerto Rico too . but I have no one there to call.
1 person likes this
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
Very cool that your whole family is on the same plan and that this makes the bills less. One of the men who adopted me as his sister in the Lakota tradition was half Lakota and half Puerto Rican and apparently was born in Puerto Rico so it is rather cool to me that you, with your user name, mentioned Puerto Rico.
@plumwish07 (4059)
• Indonesia
7 Apr 08
dear friend,
please don't get me wrong cause i am not too clear in here. do you mean by receiving call or sms from your relatives would make you pay higher bill or what? if the case like that, its little bit weird cause in my country the cost would have by the person who sending the message or calling not the receiver.
but due to my experience, i also little bit bother if someone called me too much or sms me too many in one time. not because it made my cell phone bill getting higher but its more in time that i should spend to serve those calling or replying the message
1 person likes this
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
It is rather odd here... I had Verizon and they charge you for the minutes used on the phone whether the call was made by you or someone else... And if the person was calling me from a long distance number, they paid for calling me too only their bill was from their phone company (unless of course we had the same phone company and then it could be a free call for both of us if the company had that plan available.) The cell phone business here is full of ways for the companies to get money at the expense of the consumer and very few ways to save any money.
@plumwish07 (4059)
• Indonesia
8 Apr 08
hm it sound as like "roaming" cost then. we would some charge too if recieving some call from another city although in the same country. its ever happened in my country too but it got protest by people cause it makes higher calling bill. in fact, in my country every phone operator getting "fight" each other about pricing of their service to have many members as many as they can.
i am sorry to happen with you ear, i hope that your friend more understand now
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
9 Apr 08
It sounds like you are talking about price wars... all trying to get the consumer to switch to their phone service. We have that too a little bit but the rates still can be higher than most people like.
@zed_k4 (17624)
• Singapore
7 Apr 08
Hello there whiteheron, I also has the same amount of problems as you which is none other than cell-phones. But luckily, my company gave each of us engineer a special work phone to communicate so that isn't included in our daily cellphone talking bills.
I used to have numerous personal bills to pay because I talked to a lot of girls before, LOL. But since working in this Engineering line, I've gotten particularly busy and my bills have then subsided. I think one has to choose the most correct plan to match up with one's lifestyle so that the bills will not shoot up tremendously. There was even one time when my bills shot up to $400 for just one particular month. Haha.
1 person likes this
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
So now that you are an engineer it is work, work, work and less time for pleasure? :) :(
I am glad that your company gave you a phone to use... and they do expect you to use it a lot for work I imagine...
I think you are right about choosing the right plan... I thought I had but, every month that woman would drive up my bills.
You beat me at $400 for one month... I have less now to complain about... grins.
I am glad that this was not recent for you.
1 person likes this
@lucky_witch (2711)
• Philippines
7 Apr 08
Lucky me, I am using a prepaid cellphone. That is the reason why I dont go for cellular line. I am not really fond of using cellphones... I am plain mom who stays at home, and do my online jobs in front of the computer. I only use mine if I need to call or text someone and for important matters. But other tahn that like for looking for text mates and quotes sending... I dont do that.
So I decided to use prepaid cellphones where I can load anytime I want and not be tied up with monthy bills taht will come knocking on my door whether I use my cellphone or not.
1 person likes this
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
I am glad for you regarding the prepaid plan... I always wonder about the service area for the prepaid phones and the quality of the signal... How is it for you?
@idaantipolo (472)
• Philippines
8 Apr 08
I have not encountered any problem with billing in my cellphone subscription since I am using a prepaid service, which would only require me to buy a SIM card that is customized particularly for those who want this kind of service. The SIM, which costs only at about a little more than a dollar here in the Philippines, and I can reload it electronically for as little as 1 dollar or even less.
@heatian (49)
• China
8 Apr 08
Recently, cell Phone service providers offer many extra services, such as music ring, color text messeage. You have been ordered in unaware. When you check your bill at the end of month, you may be surprise to learn your have ordered my extra service and pay many bills. This happend on many my friends. If you want to cancel these services, it is very complicated and have to take many times.
@robert19ph (4584)
• Philippines
8 Apr 08
This is very true that's why I have my cellphone on prepaid. Most cellphone provider have hidden charges and if you are not careful they'll sucked you up dry. When you are in prepaid they'll only get what you have loaded on your cellphone. But think again they might charge you up when you have load again. Like our case here in our country where the provider sent you unsolicited SMS message and they charge you with it. One time I just passed some 10 pesos worth of load to my wife cellphone and there you are, her cellphone were flooded with SMS messages and all the load gone. She wasn't even have time to send text message to me. I hope there are ways to fight all of this robbery and let us enjoy fully the new technology we have.
@whiteheron (4223)
• United States
8 Apr 08
I am sorry that the provider was so money hungry that they sent you those long messages... I am in agreement that we should find ways to figth all of the robbery and enjoy the technology.
I have heard about people getting messages from their providers and that taking air minutes here at times but this did not happen to me ever unless unless the bill was late or there was a special that could save me money so I was okay with it.
I have seen one person who signed up with her provider to get regular calls with her astrology, stocks, etc. The phone rings and she doesn't put it on vibrate even when she should so it is most annoying.
