Cell phone plans, Just what does Unlimited mean?
By dloveli
@dloveli (4366)
United States
January 3, 2010 8:10am CST
My fiance has a cell phone thru boost mobile. For those who dont know, Boost Mobile offers $50 per month, unlimited. I put $50 on his phone on the 31st of December so he would be all set when his plan was up on the 6th of January. As I was going thru my emails I came upon an email from Boost Mobile. I almost didnt read it because I assumed it was telling me they've added $50 to his account. For some reason I opened it and it said that I needed to add money so that his plan would go into effect. I then checked his balance and it said that he had $45.05. What? How is this possible he is on the $50 Unlimited plan. I called and the woman proceeded to tell me that he was charged for 3rd party text message. What on earth is a 3rd party text message? I thought it was Unlimited? They told me that when you are on the internet and give out your cell phone number, these companies sometime offer free ringtones or wall paper. They are not free! They charge you anywhere from $4.99 - $6.99 as a fee. FEE I THOUGHT THEY SAID FREE!lol They ended up giving me back my money. SHOUT OUT TO TRIXIE AT BOOST!!! It made me so mad because I thought it was unlimited. On Boost's part it is. Its just the sneaky companies that try to bamboozle people that dont know any better. So Now I am telling you.... BE CAREFUL! Please If you have had any type of issue regarding cell phone companies, please share it with us so we can ALL be aware.. Happy New Year on MyLot my friends. dl
4 people like this
9 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
3 Jan 10
Am glad you got it fixed and got your money back.
and yup read really good before putting anything extra on your phone I dont text for it cost extra and I have freinds and family on cell so it doesnt cost me any mor eto talk to them any time I want!
2 people like this
@dloveli (4366)
• United States
3 Jan 10
You are right about that Lakota. If you dont read the fine print it will cost you in the end. The cell phone companies have created an new definition for Unlimited. As luck would have it, everything did work out okay. However, I have learned a new lesson. dl
@GardenGerty (157696)
• United States
4 Jan 10
So the way I understand your post, it was not Boost, but a third party that had gotten your number and texted you and charged you. Boost did not have to give your money back, but they did anyway, for good customer relations. Is the Boost plan good, then? Do you guys like it?
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
3 Jan 10
I think it is a disgrace to have your minutes used for text messages you did not want or approve. I think it is the cell phone companies who are behind it all. They may have some clerk in the office you sends dozens of text messages to unwary customers and then the customer has to buy more minutes. IMO it is a giant SCAM.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157696)
• United States
4 Jan 10
This is good information to know. I tend to not download the "free" ringtones, etc. Just like free wallpaper for your computer, I have the impression that there is nothing free and you may be opening yourself up to trouble.
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
4 Jan 10
Hi, dloveli. I am glad that you told us all this. I know not to ever sign up for an free ring tone nor an wallpaper. I know that these people are charging these fees.. That is why I will just use the ring tones that are come already on the phone. That is how companies will do you, give you something for free then in the end they will charge you. I call this hidden charges. I don't like this. I would have been getting my money back too. I don't blame you! What is free, isn't always free. There is always some kind of catch to it!
1 person likes this
@rosekiss (30380)
• Eugene, Oregon
4 Jan 10
I have had that happen to me as I would get a text message about something that I signee up for and I would be chareged $9.99 a month. Rught awasy when I got that message, I put a stop to it so I wouldn't be charged, but he thing of it is, I ended up paying the fee onc time, but they never charged me again. I just wish I had known that it would happen as I wouldn't have put my cellphone number online. I don't understand how they think it is fair to do that as it never said that they would charge me, unless it was in in the very fine print, and I really don't read that, but maybe I really should. It is something that I really watch now, and when anyone asks for my cell phone number in order to do somthing online, I will just forget about it. it is a lesson hard learned, that is for sure. Take care, and happy mylotting. 
1 person likes this
@bingchen (1119)
• China
4 Jan 10
i agree with your suggection,actually i met same thing around me and make me angry.i should pay much charge,i dont know why it exist many problem. because of unlimited mean,so my little sister often use it until the company talk to me my telephone costs have been overdrawn,well,i should pay nuch charge for it.i hate that this sale's way.so i think that there is no free lunch in the life.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
3 Jan 10
When I think of unlimited, I think of phone calls. I do not text, or download anything, so I would not have even considered those unlimited. I am glad they credited you.
1 person likes this
@Clicker625 (196)
• United States
7 Jan 10
I would have thought that unlimited meant all calls with no time or area limits. I don't do texting because I'm afraid of additional charges. I'm glad they gave you your money back. I think the only way to protect ourselves from these companies that depend on sneaky charges is to do a lot of research before signing up with one, especially looking for other people's experiences.
@niara25 (147)
• United States
7 Jan 10
The only problem I've had is with the Verizon prepaid service. It starts to charge when the call is made, not when it is answered. It doesn't make sense to charge when the call hasn't connected, but that's what Verizon does. That's why I'm back with T-Mobile prepaid. I don't have to refill every month with T-Mobile either. I only have to purchase minutes when I run out. That's about every three to four months.
