There are a good number of SMS Text News readers that, it seems, get a substantial amount of pleasure out of reading about my T-Mobile billing issues.
Every time I post on the subject, I get dozens of emails. Most of them say ‘change to Vodafone’ (done that) and a lot of them express outrage or disbelief together with empathy.
So for those readers, here’s the latest update.
That’s me screwed again.
I’ve got two T-Mobile accounts: a “main” one and a secondary one.
The secondary one has been causing me no amount of annoyance. I tried to put it on direct debit. Couldn’t. Can’t. The system can’t hack it. Tried to pay for it with my bank card. Can’t. Because I’ve got that card ‘locked’ (for ‘security’) to my main T-Mobile account.
Blah blah blah. [Insert more rubbish experiences here.]
I *thought* I had finally got it on to direct debit so I didn’t have to worry about paying it. Every time I get a ‘You haven’t paid us, you scoundrel’ demand from T-Mobile’s computers, I go nuts.
Well. Got another one. Another sodding demand. £25 pounds. Clearly the direct debit function on the T-Mobile billing system didn’t actually work.
You’d think someone would do something about this.
I’ve tried phoning them. The last time I phoned, the chap on the other end of the phone did the virtual equivalent of resting his head on his hands, shoulders on the desk, staring at me.
“Do you have another bank account?”
“No,” I say.
I do, but I want my T-Mobile payments to come out of one bank account.
“Er, well since this account is also paying for your other T-Mobile account, I don’t think the system will let me do anything.”
“Right,” I say.
“Yeah,” he says.
[Insert silence]
“Ok, thanks for that then. Byeee.” I hang up.
We move on.
The, er, case continues.
Can’t be as stupid as being a “VIP” business customer of Orange.
They ring, don’t leave a message and when you ring back they don’t know why they called.
Maybe they are just adding minutes using an auto dialler?
Also try to get 3g Sim from them when you buy a cheap business phone, ok I admit I’m not the most technically astute person, but it can’t be too hard to actually CHARGE me for one by adding it to my multiple phone business account.
Frankly I think the lad was upset when I said that I get my mobiles free directly from Nokia.
And technically can anyone advise on this? Does the standard Sim allow access to the 3g network?
Is this on the way in future or will I have to buy a fully loaded phone to get one?
Slightly bemused Ash…