I was shocked when I see my this month Rogers wireless bill because I was charged $48.82 + tax for overage data use. They charged me for 950 MB with the rate of $0.51 per 1MB.
I just thought I should share my experience with you, so you won’t get surprised bills with overage charges.
I have been with Rogers for almost 9 years, and they usually send text-message notification when I hit 80% of the monthly data limit. For some reason, they stopped issuing notification, and I wasn’t informed the changes.
I know it was my fault; I should have checked the data usage, but I was lazy and thought I will receive the warning when I get close to the limit. I didn’t expect that Rogers changes its service without warning its loyal customer 😀 .
Next day, I called Rogers to know what happened to the warning text-message service; I was told that “according CRTC law (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) they are now only required to inform customers once they’ve hit an overage charge of $50.00 or more”.
I verified the CRTC website and realized that Rogers was right.
CRTC wireless code – under the section E.Bill Management – item #3 states “A service provider must suspend data overage charges once they reach $50 within a single monthly billing cycle, unless the customer expressly consents to pay additional charges.”
If you were over charged more than $50 without a warning, then you could negotiate with your service providers and tell them about the CRTC wireless code. Usually, they help you to reduce the cost. All service providers care about their customers. Customers are the heart of their business.
I asked the customer service representative to activate some sort of alert so I won’t get over charge fee in the future, she said she can’t do that for my plan and suggested me to download a Rogers App to monitor my usage. For some reasons, the App didn’t work well in my phone. I uninstalled it because I can monitor same sort of similar information in my phone without the App.
Later update:
Some of my friends told me that they continue receiving warning text when they get close to their usage limit. I guess some Wireless plans do have the alert feature, and some don’t.
I am not against Rogers, they are just following the CRTC wireless code properly. It is not their fault. In fact, I am a happy Rogers customer because their wireless service and coverage are absolutely fantastic 🙂 .
Again, I just thought I should share my experience with you, so you won’t get surprised bills with overage charges from your service provider.
Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.|
There is an internet application that helps you track your usage and anticipates overages. Not one data overage fee since I started using it.
https://as11.as26286.com/bfcplace/R0001/wtmMetric.asp?Submit=NewCustomerWirelessData01&ReferralCode=blog001
Hello Mike,
Thank you for sharing. I didn’t personal verify the accuracy of this internet application, but it may be a useful tool to track.
Cheers,
I have iPhone 5. I have a 10 Gb plan. Since I am with Rogers, I am almost always over that 10 Gb, and they charge me fees. Next month, I will reset my Internet use on my Settings, and I will also download an App to follow the Internet flow. If both systems give me a Internet use lower that that given by Rogers, I won’t pay my overcharge bill.
Hello Mike,
Thank you for stopping by, sharing your concern with other readers here.
I also have iPhone 5s now. I always reset my internet usage on my settings every month and monitor. Both my system and Rogers give me almost same information. Please keep in mind that Rogers update its usage in 12 hours delay.
To avoid overage data charges, try to use Wifi as possible as you can.
Best regards,
Thanks for the info, I got extra charged of $37 for data overage from Rogers cellphone. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any warning when it got exceeded it limit. Man I hate it!
Hi RJ,
I am sorry to hear that. You should monitor your data usage especially when you get close to your billing cycle.
Best Regards,
I got charged over $400 for exceeding data usage. I remember getting a warning and made sure that I did not use my data because of the warning.
I will file a complaint with CRTC against Rogers.
Hello Santos,
I am very sorry hear about your $400 unexpected overage charge. After you received the warning, you should have closed your apps. Some apps run in background and use your cell data. I would suggest you to contact Rogers and ask them to reduce some charges. If it is your mistake, then CRTC wouldn’t be able to help you. Only Rogers can.
Good luck!
I was reviewing my bill and noticed an overage for data the last two months I did not go back any further because for fear of ruining my day. I called Rogers Support in hopes of the same thing from as the original post. I requested to have a feature initiated to have the phones not use data over the 4GB shared plan I purchased. There is no such feature available. The phones do have the app that you can check your usage for each phone. The responsibility is clearly on the Customer and Rogers is in no way going to help you to eliminate a overage charge. It is another brilliant way for Rogers generate more revenue off lackadaisical customers like myself. Rogers does have great service and once you are in a contract with them it certainly seems hard to move to another provider…. I take my hat off to all the others who have and will continue on my merry way paying overage fees being lackadaisical and being an unhappy Rogers Customer like most…. Thank you CRTC for making it easy for Rogers to generate the overall revenue in the neighborhood of 3.24 Billion…. Thank you Thank you Thank you…
Hi Brendan,
I know CRTC rule helps to the wireless provides, but also for their customers.
I am with Rogers for more than 9 years now, I used to receive warning message when I get close to the usage limits. But, they removed the features now.
Company can make profits for long run, only if they have happy customers.
Thank you for stopping by.
I got overcharged for data usage for almost CAD$300.00 last month. I contacted Rogers and was advised that my account type (government plan) would not receive any notifications as it’s my responsibility to view my current usage online. So I asked why I never received an alert when I got overcharged for $50 & up according to the CRTC rules. The sale rep said it doesn’t apply to all plan, but she can set up this kind of alert for me going forward … this is very frustrating so I am going to try to file a complaint at the CRTC website, wish me luck!
Good luck coco,
$300 is absolutely high 🙁 . I am so sorry to hear).
According to the CRTC rules, providers must alert their customers when they reach the overcharge limit close to $50 regardless of the plan. You could negotiate with them, there are high chance that you get some discount.
Please keep us informed the status, so other will benefit from your advise.
Good luck once again.
Hi all, I am just wondering if anyone had any luck negotiating away data overage fees when you were not given a notification after $50 of overuse. I was told by the rogers rep that “getting this notification is not part of my contract”. I feel like I have some stance to argue, but have already been arguing with Rogers for awhile and haven’t gotten anyway other than cutting off $50 of charges. I have a total of $200 in data overage charges. Thanks!
Hi m7997,
I tried to negotiate, but ended up with no luck as I still have contract for a while. If we don’t have any contract, then we can negotiate with our providers – it is the only possible time providers willing to negotiate with their customers.
Good luck!
Rogers are crooks. They have removed this alert service. They charge min. $50 overage before they stop the overages bleeding. I’m buying out my flex tab and moving to Wind.. it’ll be poor quality data but atleast it will be set to $35/mth vs. $300. WE ALL NEED TO PETITION ROGERS AGAIN!!!!! these * are raping Ontarians!!!
Hi,
Sorry to hear you also got overage charge. Other providers have the alert service… Wind mobile is a good, but it doesn’t work in high rise buildings and basement.
Regards,
I too got hit by overages by Rogers, but wasn’t explained at all on the bill. Its $120 more than the 2 year share everything plan I have. I’m in negotiations with Rogers about this, but like was stated before, their customer service is non existent unless you want to upgrade for more money!
Hi Loupy,
Sorry to hear..
I know Rogers customer service is not good as other providers. They keep losing their customer because of their bad billing practice. I would say wait until your contract is end, and then negotiate for better plan or move on.
Best Regards,
I think you mean $0.051 per MB based on $48.81 for 953+MB of Data, right? I *just* went over myself, this month, and I got both a 80% and 100% warning from Rogers. I went to MyRogers page, and I’ve apparently gone over 133MB. I’ve turned off my data on my smart phone since I got the message. By $0.051 per MB, I should pay about $6.80 for my overages… I’m sincerely grateful for the warnings I got by text!
Hi Angela,
Thank you for taking the time to post your comments.
Glad to hear that you got the warning notification at 80% and 100% of your data limit. I guess you didn’t update/change your plan recently.
Note: I called Rogers to verify this, and a Rogers Representative said that notification feature is only available for the customers who have old plan. No more warning for those of you, who changed/updated your plan recently (I guess mid-2013 and after).
I was just billed $90 for overage. I am very careful in monitoring my data. My phone acted up a few times and I thought nothing of it. I tried to get it corrected but with no success . My history of usage should’ve signaled this was an anomaly but no dice. So pissed off.
Can’t wait for my contract to end !
Hi Val,
Very sorry to hear that you got $90 overage charge. It is pure rip off, and this is why Canadians hate our wireless providers. We should get some sort of warning when we get close to the limit. It is really hard to check our usage everyday.
Regards,
Ditto, I was hit with $97 but they didn’t inform me after hitting $50. Even the overage rate seems to be too high. I’ve used 1.9gb and they charged $97 for it. $50/gb seems to be outrageous. May be this is one way to pad their revenue.
Hi Raj,
According to CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission), your providers must inform you once you hit your overage charge around $50. You can negotiate with your provider and tell them about he law. If they don’t agree to reduce your price, then you could file a complain at CRTC website below:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/rapidsccm/register.asp?lang=e
Hope this help..
Best of luck
Thanks for the info… Ive been in a contract since late Nov.2013 and never had an overage charge …until now! I usually pay $56/mth for my cell phone services. I just received a bill for $980 this month! All data overage! No warning text/email… nothing. I’m in the process of figuring things out with my provider, but have a grave feeling that Im not going to get anywhere.
We’ll see what happens. I have added CRTC to my desktop!
Thank you JCB for stopping by.
$980 bill is ridiculously high. Your provider must give your a warning when you hit the overage $50. It is a regulation (law). You could negotiate with your provider to reduce your bill or fill a complain at CRTC.
Please post your progress here, it many help many people.
Thank you,
It’s articles like these that make me happy that we have alternatives to the big name cell providers. Currently, I am with Ting but also looking at Republic Wireless. I said goodbye to $60+ cell phone bills and now pay close to $13 a month. It is unfortunate that you have been a customer for such a long time only to get zapped one month with overages. Thanks for sharing your experience and look at Ting and Republic for a change.
Thank you DivHut for stopping by,
$13 per month is an amazing deal. I will switch my plan once my contract is over..
I feel I am spending a lot for unnecessary things. I have to track my expenses.
Best Regards,
I carry two phones, an HTC Wildfire smart phone and an iPhone 3G.
My cellphone bill is $25 a month (with tax it comes to $28.50) It never changes and I am counting on that. I am in a three year contract.
I use the HTC for calls and texts only. I have 100 anytime minutes and its free from 7pm to 7am. I also have the ability to call across the country (Canada) for free as long as its between those times. I have unlimited texts as well. I’ve put a block on data and sending or receiving pictures. In order for me to receive one picture, it would cost me an extra five dollars!
The iPhone I use for everything else. I use it for anything data related. Emails, stock info, weather, youtube, music…anything that requires data. And it’s all FREE. The phone is used and I bought it when the 4’s came out and people were unloading their 3s. I could still use it as a phone but don’t need to at this point.
My data is free because I go and park outside places that have free wifi. I live in the country so there are only a few places that have it, not like in the city where its everywhere. Libraries and coffee shops are usually the only place to get it.
Keep your life simple and you won’t be working your ass off so you can read about The Kardasians…and paying for it.
Cellphone 25
Television FREE
Internet 24
@drmchsr66
Thank you CM for stopping by,
Actually, last bill alerted me to review my spending habits. I need to track my spending all my spending and bring my monthly budget under $2000 per month.
As you said, free WIFI is available almost everywhere including malls, coffee shops, etc. I made a mistake in signing up for 2 year contract (including data).
Best Regards,
That really sucks. Im sorry to hear that you are being charged an arm and a leg. The CRTC and the Canadian government would like us to think that they are fostering competition but they really arent doing anything. Its all talk and no walk.
Of course, Rogers will say that they cant setup an alert. How very convenient!!
Its the same story with Bell and other mega corps (read: Banks) here in Canada. Hate them with a passion as a customer, but love it as an investor. I decided to initiate positions in BCE and RCI last year because of how these kind of tactics…they have a complete stranglehold on the public.
regards
R2R
Hi R2R,
My carelessness has cost me around $50, but I will use this as a learning experience and improve my saving in many other ways. As you said, I love those three telecom stocks as an investor, but little scare because of their rip-off tactics may not last longer as people will look for alternative services.
Regards,
Man that sucks. When I used to have ATT, you could check your data usage but it was lagged a few days, so you could very easily hit the cap. They would also send an alert. About a year ago I switched to Airvoice Wireless for 10 dollars a month (2 cents per minute, 4 per text). No data, but the amount of usage my phone was getting fit pretty well into that plan. Plus, pretty much anywhere I go has data, so I don’t need that service. And if there is no data Ill just have to pay attention to something else =)
Take care!
Thank you ILG,
I made a mistake in signing up for data. I can’t cancel it for next two years :(, I need to pay around $400 fine otherwise. As you said, data is available pretty much everywhere now.
Regards,