Warning for those switching carriers (no pro-rating of final bill)

[aneftp]

Just a warning for those switching carriers (In the USA at least).

Carriers in the USA do not pro-rate your final bill. This may end up costing you over $200 if you port to new iPhone 5 with another carrier right after your new billing cycle starts.

I got screwed over with Sprint a few years back when my new billing cycle started on the 24th and I started service on the 26th and Sprint never pro-rated.

ATT, Verizon, T-mobile all do not pro-rate. It's ironic you pay pro-rated charges when you start but they won't pro rate when you terminate your contract.

Yeah, there are some who may call and complain and sometimes you may get a willing rep who will refund you back the pro rated charges but it's getting more difficult.

 

[willmtaylor]

So why not just end your contract on the last day of the billing cycle?

 

[Oakmhcky21]

Sprint prorated mine. Just tell them your selling the phone to someone that afternoon and they shut it all of right then. my final bill dropped from $75 to $14

 

[aneftp]

Sprint prorated mine. Just tell them your selling the phone to someone that afternoon and they shut it all of right then. my final bill dropped from $75 to $14

Sprint did not pro rate my final bill. I was charged $80 plus for the 2 days of service I actually used before porting to att.

Also att does not pro rate per terms of their wireless contract. Like I said it depends on the rep you get. They don't have to pro rate and refund.

http://forums.att.com/t5/Wireless-Billing/Problem-with-final-wireless-bill-not-prorated/td-p/3051429

 

[ElZeus]

Att prorated mine and so did verizon when i was testing them out last year.

 

[GoCubsGo]

File a complaint, that is unacceptable and they cannot do that. AT&T prorated my final bill, I switched 10 days into my billing cycle.

Don't accept these things and then put some PSA out there about how they don't do it. Instead, file a complaint and fight back because they cannot charge you for service they did not provide. That silly contract that so many people try to get out of when a new phone is released can actually help you in times like these.

 

[paulrbeers]

Sprint did not pro rate my final bill. I was charged $80 plus for the 2 days of service I actually used before porting to att.

Also att does not pro rate per terms of their wireless contract. Like I said it depends on the rep you get. They don't have to pro rate and refund.

http://forums.att.com/t5/Wireless-Billing/Problem-with-final-wireless-bill-not-prorated/td-p/3051429

Hold on.....

They charged you 80 + 2 days of service... Sounds like your 2 days of service was the prorated portion wasn't it? So basically before the number ported, you ended one month and then went into the next one for 2 days right? So they prorated the NEXT month for only 2 days since that is when you fully switched.

Am I missing something here?

Edit: And remember all cell phone contracts are POST paid therefore you pay after you have used the month. So in this case it was done correctly.

 

[aneftp]

Hold on.....

They charged you 80 + 2 days of service... Sounds like your 2 days of service was the prorated portion wasn't it? So basically before the number ported, you ended one month and then went into the next one for 2 days right? So they prorated the NEXT month for only 2 days since that is when you fully switched.

Am I missing something here?

Edit: And remember all cell phone contracts are POST paid therefore you pay after you have used the month. So in this case it was done correctly.

No. $80 was my usual entire month charge. U pay one month in advance and sprint did not pro rate. My billing cycle with sprint ended on the 24th and I ported to att on the 26th. This was many years ago.

Same thing happened to my friends who ported from att to Verizon last year.

 

[paulrbeers]

No. $80 was my usual entire month charge. U pay one month in advance and sprint did not pro rate. My billing cycle with sprint ended on the 24th and I ported to att on the 26th. This was many years ago.

Same thing happened to my friends who ported from att to Verizon last year.

Here's some wikipedia for you....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postpaid_mobile_phone

Sprint is a post-paid cell phone company which means they charge you after the fact. That's why when you sign up with them, you don't pay for your first month right there in the store but rather are billed afterwards. This is why you had to pay a month + 2 days. For the month you used and they are just billing you for it and for the 2 days into the next cycle you used. That was the prorated part.

This gets confused by a lot of people because they often get charged a full
month and possibly even a partial month on their first billing because of the billing cycles (you might have started mid-previous cycle but after the billing had already occurred).

Or am I missing something completely here.....