Rogers Rip off rant

[Intranetsites]

OK I just have to vent on Rogers here

I have had about 15+ Rogers phones for the last 15 years or so and must have earned them about $50,000 so far.

Boy am I upset
I also have Verizon and At&T accounts also with dramatically less costly monthly plans, so I certainly buy into the conspiracy rumours of Bell, Rogers and Telus controlling the CRCT to protect their excessive rates.
( Note we are one of the only countries in the western world where we cannot get a local Skype number)

Problem #1 Rogers Stick:

flex plan 5 gigs $70 dollars/mth

so I go over this plan and get a $291 dollar bill for Aug 15th
I have 2 active phones, one iPad and 2 Rogers sticks all on data plans and I cannot combine their usage MG.

Can not review the daily usage on my Rogers stick, but I get this stupid one liner bill record

Total data used:11,715,411.00(KB)

Come on Rogers ...a fat lot of good this one liner is!
At least my my cellular bill data plan shows daily usage to allow me to manage my usage.

So after a frustrating 45 Min's on Rogers support, Nice Nathan informs me that NO Rogers does not allow for any email alerts or warnings that your are about to go over your plan and will be charged 500% more the you budgeted.

So seriously on the Rocket stick the Connection Manager their appears to have no usage management tools and the on-line billing has no tools either.

So as I try and determine if I'm going to expect yet another HUGE F bill this coming month , and as of Sept 11 28 days into the bill even Rogers cannot tell me my usage until the bill is produced . are you KIDDING

This is criminal to present bills dramatically over the customers plan without any alerts of data usage reporting.

Then after the bill is delivered presenting nothing but a single one line on how much data was used with no method to review or manage.
GEEEEEEZ Rogers get REAL!

Now I bought my Rogers sticks Dec 2009 as a backups for my cable service, and for road connections.
I bought this Rogers HSPDA+ stick for the 21,000 megs download speed.

Well I have been extremely disappointed with the actual speed and stability in the Abbotsford , Chilliwack B.C. area.

It has rarely got 3,000 mgs download and has failed about every 3 hours even though my cell phone has 4 bars and we are located in the center of the city.

After 3-4 hours of tech support over time is was actually told that even though they sold the Rocket stick as UP TO 21,000 megs download that they only have to provide 10% of that = 2,100 mgs down.

MG Rogers are you kidding???.. I'm sorry but that is one huge misrepresentation and deserves a cl-a-s-s action suit.


#2 my personal cell phone bill gripes

with 2,000 Min's per month on occasion their largest voice plan back in June was only 750 Min's so you can just imagine my bills with their 35 cents overage ..

Well my last plan adjustment the sweet Rogers support person Sonia by error managed to disconnect my BB data plan and I then got this bill that they charged me $70 to disconnect the data.

So am i missing something.. Rogers has a $70 data disconnect charge for mobile phones.????

Did not know i was locked into a term contract for my data??
When you buy a blackberry and activate a data plan , their s a $70 dollar cancellation fee .... are you kidding!!!

I can see the 3 voice plan has a cancellation fee to cover the discounted purchase price but since when did the data plan have a cancellation fee .


So please feel free to join in.

So is any other carrier any better??

Bill

[davidA]

So please feel free to join in.

So is any other carrier any better??

Bill

I feel your pain Intranetsites and will say that Telus have more business accumen than Rogers (they also treat their customers better) Their plans however (and options) are almost equally as bad. Bell is (imo) worse than either one.

After years of throwing money at these companies and receiving little back, I have simply stopped using a smartphone. Currently I am managing with a Speakout PAYG phone exclusively. I will see how long I can last - at least when out of the country I have better options, so will be able to enjoy the pleasure of using a smartphone occasionally.

[kman]

I think the consumer needs to continually call out, *****, complain, shame, and har*** companies that aren't meeting their expectations. Global cell companies, and how they treat their customers are easy to compare thanks to the internet and forums like these. If we aren't happy with the service we're getting, we have to fight these companies and lobby the government that regulates them.

More power to you. Spread the word to everyone you know when a vendor screws you around and do your best to hurt them where it hurts, on their balance sheet.

[kman]

... wow thats some pretty extreme language filtering. There was nothing in that post that was even PG. Weird.

I think the consumer needs to continually call out, *****, complain, shame, and har*** companies that aren't meeting their expectations. Global cell companies, and how they treat their customers are easy to compare thanks to the internet and forums like these. If we aren't happy with the service we're getting, we have to fight these companies and lobby the government that regulates them.

More power to you. Spread the word to everyone you know when a vendor screws you around and do your best to hurt them where it hurts, on their balance sheet.

[Keithyv]

I would dispute the bill....

Roger's billing is so wildly inaccurate that you will probably get a credit for the next months bill as well.

Ask them to breakdown your wireless usage per day so that you can check your records. Tell them that you have kept accurate records using a data tool which records your actual usage.

Demand that if they can't demonstrate that you have used that much data that they reissue their bill with your plan amount.

Believe me Rogers has no idea on whether you billing is correct or not so they will probably give you the benefit of the doubt.

[Nomez]

I would also say Rogers on many occasions have charged me 2-300 + mins in daytime and when i added up the lines on the detail bill alone they were off. Yes I sat there and added every single line because 2-3 months in a row the same thing. I can see one month going over but 3 in a row. I had 300 mins free, first bill was 500, second was 600, then it went down to 450 and last one was 660 mins.

[maceacjo]

Hah! funny story...
See...
I had a My5 plan that I got when My5 first came out... it was 35$ a month and that was all I got... so i added the 10$ 2,500 text message plan to that because I text like a preppy high school girl on her BB. ANYWAY... I then noticed that they whipped up this awesome 25$ student plan that had exactly what i needed... So i called them and changed my plan to that. I asked if i could add my5 onto it for 10$ extra... they said "SURE, WHY NOT?" It sounded wonderful at first... My dad recently informed me that he needed $88 for my phone payment... now please tell me HOW THE HELL DID $35 TURN INTO 88?!?!?!

I check out the bill and at the top is states "$25 student plan (and lists all its features like call display, unlimitted text, yadayadayada..." then it states 2500 text messages a month for 10$ (well what happened to taking that off? i don't need that now that i have unlimitted text right?) then i see another 7 or 10 (can't remember) for call display (But wait... wasn't there a similar thing that happened WHERE THE STUDENT PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO COME WITH THAT?!) and then you see My5. But I gotta love how the rogers lady didn't ask "Oh well you already have My5 so you don't have to add it on again" but she sure was glad to have me pay twice for single things. I am thoroughly SICK of Roger's bull**** and am actually looking to pay the 400 and leave this hell hole because I don't want to have to deal with anymore bs from any of the terrible mobile phone "providers" (slave owners) in Canada.

Wanting to switch to pay as you go, don't care which provider, Roger's seems like they have some nice pay as you go plans but as long as im off this stupid monthly plan where they decide what i buy then I will be free and happy

[kes1984]

oh Rogers, how I loathe thee.

That data thing you mentioned OP, really grinds my gears. I had (stupidly) started a 3 year plan with Rogers in May 09. I got a BB. Fast forward to Feb 2010, the phone was incredibly outdated and I wanted a new phone. I went to Future Shop and bought an Iphone outright. So, a few days later I called Rogers to change to visual voicemail and they extended my data contract by almost a year. WTF. Did the rep tell me that? Nope. I found out when they "updated" their website. There in tiny red letters, my contract for data was extended until March 2013. I bought the darn phone outright, I don't think that should change the data contract. What an effing rip off. Not happy. Thanks Rogers rep. You airhead.

[Meadus101]

Here we go.

after the bill is delivered presenting nothing but a single one line on how much data was used with no method to review or manage.

Without The "Detailed Billing" SOC (Service Order Code) on the account, the Data usage will not show session by session. This is done in attempt to make bills smaller and less confusing.

After 3-4 hours of tech support over time is was actually told that even though they sold the Rocket stick as UP TO 21,000 megs download that they only have to provide 10% of that = 2,100 mgs down.

This is a representation of the wireless Device. The Device is Capable of 21Mbps download speed via USB interface. The network at this point will not support those speeds until the network moves into LTE.


I have 2 active phones, one iPad and 2 Rogers sticks all on data plans and I cannot combine their usage MG

In order to group together Multiple lines in usage, no lines can be on a Flex plan. This is a Limitation of Vision21 ( The Rogers Billing system) and all carriers have a similar limitation. How would you decide which sticks go up and which ones stay down in a way that would be fair to the customer?

Boy am I upset
I also have Verizon and At&T accounts also with dramatically less costly monthly plans, so I certainly buy into the conspiracy rumours of Bell, Rogers and Telus controlling the CRCT to protect their excessive rates.
( Note we are one of the only countries in the western world where we cannot get a local Skype number)

Verizon and AT&T are US carriers. The US and Canadian wireless market are like comparing apples to oranges. The easiest way I can explain it is this:

The US has a 2010 Estimate of 310,681,000 people. Spread over an area of 9,826,675 Square Kilometres, Giving a Population density of 32 People per Square Kilometre.

Canada has a Estimated population of 34,310,000, Spread over an area of 9,984,670 km2. Giving Canada a much lower population density of 3.41 per Square Kilometre.

Canadian Providers have to invest much more than American and most other global providers to reach the same amount of customers. Where canadians are so spread out over this beautiful country, it takes more resources to bring services to them. One tower might cover say 20,000 people in Canada, where as in the states it could cover 80,000. Since Canadian providers have to invest more, Canadian consumers have to pay more for the services to allow them to still make a profit of some sort.




Roger's billing is so wildly inaccurate that you will probably get a credit for the next months bill as well.

Ask them to breakdown your wireless usage per day so that you can check your records. Tell them that you have kept accurate records using a data tool which records your actual usage.

Demand that if they can't demonstrate that you have used that much data that they reissue their bill with your plan amount.

Believe me Rogers has no idea on whether you billing is correct or not so they will probably give you the benefit of the doubt.

While this will work for most people, Rogers Billing system is 100% accurate. The issue lies within Lazy and Incompetent Representatives not willing to do the research to find out where the usage is coming from, and just credit it in the system and send you on your way.


But I gotta love how the rogers lady didn't ask "Oh well you already have My5 so you don't have to add it on again" but she sure was glad to have me pay twice for single things

Vision21 will not allow Multiple SOC's for the same feature to be added to a single line for the same dates. You most likely received additional charges to the Pro-ration (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proration) and failed to see that the dates for each service did not match for the same thing.

[davidA]

Verizon and AT&T are US carriers. The US and Canadian wireless market are like comparing apples to oranges. The easiest way I can explain it is this:

The US has a 2010 Estimate of 310,681,000 people. Spread over an area of 9,826,675 Square Kilometres, Giving a Population density of 32 People per Square Kilometre.

Canada has a Estimated population of 34,310,000, Spread over an area of 9,984,670 km2. Giving Canada a much lower population density of 3.41 per Square Kilometre.

Canadian Providers have to invest much more than American and most other global providers to reach the same amount of customers. Where canadians are so spread out over this beautiful country, it takes more resources to bring services to them. One tower might cover say 20,000 people in Canada, where as in the states it could cover 80,000. Since Canadian providers have to invest more, Canadian consumers have to pay more for the services to allow them to still make a profit of some sort.


Meadus101: Thank you for the informative post. I am not 100% sure however that your argument holds true. Rogers and Telus (both) - only a couple of years ago now, were charging upwards of $40 a month (which was IMO pure unadulterated graft) for only 4 MB of data. I travelled much (in those days and before) and was able to open a Verizon 'international long distance' account - which gave me almost unlimited data (in Canada) for peanuts. I did gather from this, that if I was able to travel to the US (on a regular basis) in order to keep a presence, that I would be able to use Verizon forever (in Canada) at very cheap rates, which does make one think... does it not...

[no_one]

Verizon and AT&T are US carriers. The US and Canadian wireless market are like comparing apples to oranges. The easiest way I can explain it is this:

The US has a 2010 Estimate of 310,681,000 people. Spread over an area of 9,826,675 Square Kilometres, Giving a Population density of 32 People per Square Kilometre.

Canada has a Estimated population of 34,310,000, Spread over an area of 9,984,670 km2. Giving Canada a much lower population density of 3.41 per Square Kilometre.

Canadian Providers have to invest much more than American and most other global providers to reach the same amount of customers. Where canadians are so spread out over this beautiful country, it takes more resources to bring services to them. One tower might cover say 20,000 people in Canada, where as in the states it could cover 80,000. Since Canadian providers have to invest more, Canadian consumers have to pay more for the services to allow them to still make a profit of some sort.



I'm sorry, I have to dispute this. Yes, Canada's land m*** is 9,984,670 km^2. What the Telcos neglect to factor, is that 85% of that is not populated, well over half isn't even reachable without air transportation (not that there is anything but wilderness to reach - certainly no wireless coverage). Given that really, 75% of the population lives in urban centers, and 95% of our population lives within 150km of the US border, that density goes much higher. Upwards of 20 people/km^2 easily. Seems far more similar to the US market than the Telcos really want us to believe, doesn't it?

[Nex]

I've been with rogers fido and bell now. Rogers was by far the worst for customer service and setting up your plan.

That said, most people are pretty stupid when it comes to setting up your plan. If you're using 2000 minutes a month, you should be getting something with unlimited minutes for a fixed price, like my5 or fido unlimited long distance.

at fido, youu can get unlimited ld for 20 dollars, and data for 25. Phone plan with unlimited texts is another 25. So for 70 dollars you get unlimited everything, pretty much. Why are people paying hundreds a month for their plans?? The deals are there, you just have to be observant enough to find them.

[Nex]

I've been with rogers fido and bell now. Rogers was by far the worst for customer service and setting up your plan.

That said, most people are pretty stupid when it comes to setting up your plan. If you're using 2000 minutes a month, you should be getting something with unlimited minutes for a fixed price, like my5 or fido unlimited long distance.

at fido, youu can get unlimited ld for 20 dollars, and data for 25. Phone plan with unlimited texts is another 25. So for 70 dollars you get unlimited everything, pretty much. Why are people paying hundreds a month for their plans?? The deals are there, you just have to be observant enough to find them.

[hunter rutledge]

I have been with bell, fido and now with rogers for 10 yrs.
they all suck equally.
now why is it that if your a new customer they bend over backwards and give you all sorts of deals on a new phone, but if your a existing customer and your contract is up its tough pay full price. how does it make sense to diss a existing customer?

[The_Saga]

Because it's a h***le to switch, so they figure that the more "new" customers that they get and that less will leave so their customer base will continue to grow.