Copyright 2006 Mary Greenwood
Have you ever opened your phone bill and found that the amount is double or triple the amount of your last bill.? This just happened to me. Don't despair. Here are some tips for getting that phone bill adjusted.
1. Call the phone company immediately.
My phone bill had started to escalate over the last few months, but I did not have time to look into it right away. I thought it might be a one-month irregularity and did nothing until the next month's bill. When I did call, the phone company saw the problem right away. I had been using my rollover minutes up and now I was way over the amount of minutes on my plan. You should call right away and nip the problem in the bud because it is not going to go away.
2. Ask the phone company to put you on a different plan.
Ask what all the options are and the requirements of each plan you are considering. Ask them if there are any other alternatives. They might tell you something if you ask for it that they might not tell you voluntarily. In my case, I needed a plan with more minutes. My base monthly charge will be higher but nowhere near the phone bill I just got.
3. Ask the phone company to "rerate" your past bill
I asked if my bill could be reviewed and any adjustments made. I found out this is called "re-rating". The customer service rep calculated my current bill using the requirements of the "new plan" and I got a credit for the difference. It seemed very complex and complicated and it took a half-hour. I also asked them to "re-rate" the previous month and I got a credit for that as well. However, the rep was reluctant to do the second month and another rep might have refused. That is why my first tip is to call the phone company immediately.
4. Ask if this new plan affects your contract date
I found out that my new plan with the additional minutes had an impact on the "mobile to mobile" plan that I was already on. The "mobile to mobile" plan was a special promotion and in order to keep it, I was told I would have to sign a new contract for an additional 11 months. I decided to take my chances and drop the "mobile to mobile" plan and just watch my calling patterns. I want to keep my options open in case I want to go with a different company when my current contract expires. You should specifically ask if any of the changes you have made to your plan have extended your contract date.
5. Get an extension on your payment date Don't pay your bill until the credit has taken effect. You can usually get an extension on the payment date because of the changes in your plan. This way, you don't have to pay the original bill because the credit will offset it. You can check your balance and when you have gotten the credit, you can pay your bill.
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Mary Greenwood, J.D., LL.M: Arbitrator, Mediator, Author of How to Negotiate like a Pro, 41 Rules for Resolving Disputes
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