Why does it charge me when no one picks up?

[MBX]

Just curious, why am i being charged when no one picks up?

Is this standard or just evil At&t?

There are many times examples someone doesn't pick up. Right now i called somebody and it charged me 30cents even though i didn't talk with the person!!!

WTF?

 

[cellocello]

Call at&t and ask.

 

[dukebound85]

are you talking about being charged once over you minutes?

the phone plans from att are for both receiving and sending. same with texts. seems like they are double billing for sure. i mean you charge the person sending the call as well as charging the person answering it lol

i know some other countries have plans that everything incoming is free and you pay for only outgoing

 

[nickspohn]

^ True but remember we get free mobile to mobile, so AT&T isn't making double on the call.

 

[chimpboy74]

are you talking about being charged once over you minutes?

the phone plans from att are for both receiving and sending. same with texts. seems like they are double billing for sure. i mean you charge the person sending the call as well as charging the person answering it lol

i know some other countries have plans that everything incoming is free and you pay for only outgoing

In the uk you only pay for outgoing. So the plans that include 600 minutes are outgoing minutes included. I can't imagine anyone accepting paying for an incoming call here.

 

[abijnk]

You might not be talking to anyone, but you are still connecting a call. There really isn't any mystery there. You aren't charged for talking to people you are charged for using the network. Making a call, regardless of the end result, is using the network.

 

[Josh]

You might not be talking to anyone, but you are still connecting a call. There really isn't any mystery there. You aren't charged for talking to people you are charged for using the network. Making a call, regardless of the end result, is using the network.

A standard call, with no answer, should not result in a connection and a charge. It works that way with every home service, and all cell phones (that is, until I saw this thread).

Not until the person answers is the connection made, and only then do fees begin (starting at 1 minute, even if you talk for 15 sec).

Imagine if you got charged for calls you did not answer. A popular phone could go over their limit without ever actually calling anyone. To avoid this, you only get billed for talk time, not ring time.


Now...I'm sure the OP knows this, but just incase: if it goes to voicemail, it's considered answered, regardless if it was their inbox or the real person. That is the only thing I can think of.

If its just ringing, no answer, no voicemail, and you hang up while its ringing - and then get charged - definitely call. That isn't right.

 

[BaldyUK]

In the uk you only pay for outgoing. So the plans that include 600 minutes are outgoing minutes included. I can't imagine anyone accepting paying for an incoming call here.

I agree. I can't believe in the US you have to pay to receive a call or text. Unbelievable. I thought the UK was a rip off but that is taking the piss.

 

[Small White Car]

Now...I'm sure the OP knows this, but just incase: if it goes to voicemail, it's considered answered, regardless if it was their inbox or the real person. That is the only thing I can think of.

Why are you sure the OP knows that?

I'm guessing this is it. He's getting the voicemail and getting charged for the minimum 1-minute connection fee.

 

[donga]

i know some other countries have plans that everything incoming is free and you pay for only outgoing

In the uk you only pay for outgoing. So the plans that include 600 minutes are outgoing minutes included. I can't imagine anyone accepting paying for an incoming call here.

I agree. I can't believe in the US you have to pay to receive a call or text. Unbelievable. I thought the UK was a rip off but that is taking the piss.

i remember getting free incoming calls/texts in a foreign country and it was sweet. someone runs out of minutes, then the other person calls back...

i think the u.s. system is set up like it is because of how things work: lobbyists for big companies putting pressure on lawmakers/regulators to make rules and regulations help maximize profits. 'yay' for us.

 

[Small White Car]

I agree. I can't believe in the US you have to pay to receive a call or text. Unbelievable. I thought the UK was a rip off but that is taking the piss.

I've bolded that section for you there.

The 600 minute plan there (including data & 500 texts) is £35 ($50 U.S.).

In the U.S., the 450 minute plan (including data & 200 texts) costs $75 (£50). And since we get charged for incoming calls, let's actually call that 225 minutes, compared to your 600.

So the question is what, exactly, did you think was a rip off about your rates? Because I've seen a lot of complaints from UK posters saying that and, really, I think you all need to get over it.

 

[cellocello]

Both of you guys need to shut the hell up and come to Canada

WE get reeaammeedd.

 

[abijnk]

A standard call, with no answer, should not result in a connection and a charge. It works that way with every home service, and all cell phones (that is, until I saw this thread).

Not until the person answers is the connection made, and only then do fees begin (starting at 1 minute, even if you talk for 15 sec).

Imagine if you got charged for calls you did not answer. A popular phone could go over their limit without ever actually calling anyone. To avoid this, you only get billed for talk time, not ring time.


Now...I'm sure the OP knows this, but just incase: if it goes to voicemail, it's considered answered, regardless if it was their inbox or the real person. That is the only thing I can think of.

If its just ringing, no answer, no voicemail, and you hang up while its ringing - and then get charged - definitely call. That isn't right.

I've gotten charged this way since I moved to AT&T in 2006. Maybe its a carrier specific thing?

 

[Josh]

I've gotten charged this way since I moved to AT&T in 2006. Maybe its a carrier specific thing?

I think you're right.

I don't have AT&T, but after looking at their terms (http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp#iPhone)

I noticed this:

Unanswered outgoing calls of 30 seconds or longer incur airtime.

I don't know anyone whose phone rings for that long without going to some sort of voicemail, but it looks like one needs to start the stopwatch when calling such people.

But I am happy to see that it is not for all outgoing calls that are unanswered; I disagree with that practice and it would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[nick9191]

I've bolded that section for you there.

The 600 minute plan there (including data & 500 texts) is £35 ($50 U.S.).

In the U.S., the 450 minute plan (including data & 200 texts) costs $75 (£50). And since we get charged for incoming calls, let's actually call that 225 minutes, compared to your 600.

So the question is what, exactly, did you think was a rip off about your rates? Because I've seen a lot of complaints from UK posters saying that and, really, I think you all need to get over it.

Agreed.

We get screwed on many things, but the iPhone is not one of them. Our contracts are freaking amazing.

 

[jc1350]

I've bolded that section for you there.

The 600 minute plan there (including data & 500 texts) is £35 ($50 U.S.).

In the U.S., the 450 minute plan (including data & 200 texts) costs $75 (£50). And since we get charged for incoming calls, let's actually call that 225 minutes, compared to your 600.

So the question is what, exactly, did you think was a rip off about your rates? Because I've seen a lot of complaints from UK posters saying that and, really, I think you all need to get over it.

Maybe it has more to do with the tax that European big brother rips out of their....wallets. If the VAT and such applies to carrier plans...well..even if it doesn't, 20% is ridiculous unless that's the ONLY tax.

 

[MBX]

hey of course i know when it goes to a voice-mail you're charged.

but i'm talking about only trying to connect (ring) to either the person or it's voice-mail and yet when it doesn't happen i'm being charged.

how is that reasonable? so now even the attempt of trying to connect costs!?!?

 

[cellocello]

Call at&t and ask.

 

[gotzaiPhone]

I think you're right.

I don't have AT&T, but after looking at their terms (http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp#iPhone)

I noticed this:


I don't know anyone whose phone rings for that long without going to some sort of voicemail, but it looks like one needs to start the stopwatch when calling such people.

But I am happy to see that it is not for all outgoing calls that are unanswered; I disagree with that practice and it would be a deal breaker for me.

You hit the nail on the head!

I don't know how long you all have been with at&t, but this was something they changed a few years back, with the whole "if your phone rings more than 30 seconds" thing... they charge you. But IIRC, the 30 seconds doesn't start from the first ring, it starts from the second you try to access the network by pressing send. i.e. a long pause and then a ring, the pause counts.

So thats why you're being charged.