"but you're DOUBLE billing me!"

[CrazedClerk]

Ok, a bit of cell phone usage 101 here.

When you pay to download a ringtone and have no internet plan, you are going to be charged TWICE. Your cell provider will charge you for the data usage and the website you get the ringer from will bill you as well.

They do show up on the bill as two SEPARATE charges, but inevitable people call in complaining they were double billed.

"You're double billing me"
"The data charges ma'am are for the ringer you downloaded"
"but I paid $2.50 for the ringer"
"yes but you also have to pay for the internet service on your phone that allows you to get the ringer"
"but I PAID for the ringer!"
"Yes ma'am and you also paid for the service that allowed you to put the ringer on your phone"
"So then you are double billing me?"

"NO ma'am...Ok, let's start over..."

This is where I give an example using home internet service. You pay your ISP to get online, while online you pay other sites to download movies, music, pictures whatever. Two companies (ISP and website owner) equals two charges). In this case, the cell phone company is your ISP and of course the ringer comes from a separate third party.

Try repeating this conversation 5-10 times a day...

I always believed that for most people cell phone bills were relatively easy to read and understand, now that I work in this call center I see I was wrong, so very very wrong.

[FloridaLizardQueen]

If I downloaded a ringtone from a website and my cell phone company AND the website charged me, I too would have called questioning it. But I wouldn't go freak out on the customer service rep over it, I would be nice about it, and let the rep explain it to me.

[justintyme]

If I downloaded a ringtone from a website and my cell phone company AND the website charged me, I too would have called questioning it. But I wouldn't go freak out on the customer service rep over it, I would be nice about it, and let the rep explain it to me.

I think you missed what the original poster explained.

[Rapscallion]

Not quite certain I understand what you mean, Justintyme. Seemed to have understood fine.

Rapscallion

[CrazedClerk]

If I downloaded a ringtone from a website and my cell phone company AND the website charged me, I too would have called questioning it. But I wouldn't go freak out on the customer service rep over it, I would be nice about it, and let the rep explain it to me.

Ok, bear with me here.

Let's say you download songs of the Itunes store on Apple.com for $1 each.

In buying those songs you are not only paying Apple for them, you are also paying your ISP for the internet service which allows you to download the songs (the flat monthly rate you pay for internet service allows you to go online and download songs).

To clarify, I meant downloading a ringtone from a website USING your phone to surf to the would result in two separate charges, one for the web surfing and one for the download.

EDIT: Ok I actually realized that you understood the process but would've called questioning it. It looked a bit funny to me at first two, but when I thought about it for a moment, I realized the reasoning behind the charges.

[Jack7957]

I make my own for free. If it's allowed, I can post how to do it with Verizon.

[KamenRiderOsaka]

I think people are looking into this too much. If you are using the internet on your phone, you're charged for surfing the internet. If you decide to buy something, while surfing the internet, youre charged for the item you bought, and then the internet services you use to download the file.

[Rapscallion]

I make my own for free. If it's allowed, I can post how to do it with Verizon.

If it's not illegal under terms of service with Verizon etc, go for it - Off Topic would be best

Rapscallion

[ominousoat]

Just the words "You're double billing me!" drive me insane! Especially since we have this system for billing that makes them split up the charges into seperate pricing...it's confusing, but so many people are convinced that just means we're billing them twice for the same thing, and even after I give them a great explanation they'll still say...okay, but it STILL looks like you're double billing me!

DAH! BUT WE'RE NOT! AUGH! *leaps out window*

[Shironu-Akaineko]

I think people are looking into this too much. If you are using the internet on your phone, you're charged for surfing the internet. If you decide to buy something, while surfing the internet, youre charged for the item you bought, and then the internet services you use to download the file.

Well that's how I saw it when I got the speak 25 package on my phone... Why is it so hard to grasp, really?

[Jack7957]

If it's not illegal under terms of service with Verizon etc, go for it - Off Topic would be best

Rapscallion

I really can't say if it's illegal since I can't find my contract right now, I think it's just a way of getting around not having to pay for ringtones. It doesn't involve any back door hacks or secret codes. Anyways, here's my write up....
How to do your own ringtones with Verizon

[SuperB]

Shouldn't be any illegal issues to worry about. Fair use allows you to turn any music you own into a ringtone for your own use. I do it all the time using my Motorola phone tools. Then, when my husband misplaces his phone for the hundredth time and wants to borrow mine I can change the ringtone to "It's raining men" or my usual, "That's why the Lady is a Tramp". (serves him right)

[Kara]

I hate these kinds of services. Especially places like Jamster that advertise on MTV, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, etc, knowing full well that kids are going to see "GET FREE RINGTONES NOW! IT'S TOTALLY FREE! DO IT!" and miss the teeny-tiny print at the bottom that says "Subscription is $X.XX per day/week/month, if under 18 please get parent/legal guardian's permission before signing up."

Then Mom and Dad get the bill and ask why I am charging them for this service they don't even know about. Well, because that company charges me for it, so I, in turn, charge you for it since you're the one who wanted it. Oh, but Mom asked Junior about it and he swore he never signed up for no ringtone/chat/whatever service. Yeah, guess what? Junior lied. What's that? You say you believe your innocent child more than the evil cell phone company? Yeah, Junior was counting on that, and look who's not getting yelled at about this...