Baronic: pinned by request. But be aware of the following.

1. Recently (as of Jan 2011) maxis had a system failure of which a lot of users who had iPhone maxis data plan, were charged not according to data plan but as per standard data usage. If you find your bill suddenly high and you know u did not exceed please immediately lodge a report (I find phone service better than walk in) and ask them to check technical department. Obtain the cust service rep's name, and case ID to report to higher ups if no action taken or unsatisfactory.

2. The word data in the maxis bill can be misleading, as the word data is also used for "SMS". Make sure you're interpretating the bill properly. This is because there is another issue where sometimes Family Rebates (calls and SMS) if u have it, are not implemented or only captured in either the sub or the parent and not both. So make sure you complain about the right thing so that they can check the right thing as well.

3. Do not ever bring forward your billing date, or if new iPhone user Check what's your billing date. If it's less than one month do remember everything is prorated. Meaning your first bill cycle is half month means u actually only have 500mb free data not 1gb (I value 1). If it's one week, or less, do the math.






Dear All,

I am making this thread at the request of some forumners on my issue of complains of excessive data usage charge by MAXIS. This will probably applies to all TELCOs as well. I hope the mod can make this into a pinned thread for future reference and other similar cases. Hopefully, some of experience here will be beneficial to others who encounter the same situation and also avoid some errors i made in the process.

The Story:
I have a main line + sub line with MAXIS postpaid (value 50). Usually my bills hovers around RM100 plus/minus. I don't subscribe to data plan as i don't surf internet or use other services. Only do WIFI surfing internet at coffeeshop occasionally and sometimes use the A-GPS services for my Garmin, which use very little data (usually, 10 cents or so per satellite lock...data is very little). I have even use Garmin in Thailand and Singapore and the charges are still very low...nothing more than additional RM20 or so, usually much less when using locally. Oh yeah, i use a NOKIA 5800 during this period (which i have now sold...haha).

3 months ago, i get the infamous MAXIS BillShock™ treatment.

Event chronology (roughly, no exact date)

1) 1st month: Received bill for RM 270++....got electric shock...the bulk is in the data usage....so i called up MAXIS to lodge complaint...MAXIS CS says can only waive RM90 (as "goodwill", my arse!)...i was not happy and couldn't accept the decision. But in the end, i paid up, i thought maybe i DID ACCIDENTALLY surf the web on 3G....an it's all a miserable 17MB++ according to the MAXIS bill.

Note: Mistake made here, i should have also immediately check my unbilled usage...i didn't do so, and in the end get my 2nd month BillShock™. Just key in the *700xxx number to check the unbilled usage on your phone. Also, the CS never advised i can disable all the internet connections during my first complaint.

2) 2nd month: Received bill for RM 3xx!!!!!...again the bulk is in the data usage....so again i called up MAXIS to lodge complaint...this time the MAXIS CS even more lanci...says CANNOT WAIVE at all...but after i screw him a long time, then only he advised me to disable all internet connections, which i asked him to do immediately. After i hang up (with no resolution and 'I dun wanna entertain you' MAXIS CS), i remembered my unbilled usage function and promptly checked...got another MAXIS BillShock™...over RM3xx in usage again!!!

Note: Mistake made here, if you have sub-line, remember to ask them disable internet for all sub line as well....the MAXIS CS obviously never bother to do it for me until i found out later.

3) I know it's useless talking to MAXIS anymore...so i lodge a complain to MCMC via this link:
http://www.complaint.cfm.org.my/

It's very fast and easy, just register a login, key in your complain (provide information, a summary of your case and your account no.). I got call from MAXIS within 3 days including over the weekend, a case was registered and i got an SMS from MAXIS confirming my case#. It took them about 1 week++ to investigate and get back to me.

4) After 1 week, with no reply from them, i dropped by a MAXIS branch and enquire my case status. The girl at counter was smiling first, when i told her i want to know how to terminate the line, immediately her face turned so dark like Justice Pao. Pretty face useless...no character. It's TTDI branch btw...girl at cash counter... ...Then i took a number and get a CS to serve me, got another shock here as it is only here i know my subline internet is still active...asked him to disable immediately and i made him signed a black and white regarding the request...cannot trust CS over the phone anymore....


Finally, when they called, they said couldn't trace the URL of local website. Then i told them they have no proof. So they offer me their RM18/100Mb data plan for the 3 months this is happening. This is what they should do in the first place, it's insane to charge me RM750(max RM250 data each month) for about less than 100MB data for 3 months (1st month 17MB, 2nd Month 20+MB, 3rd month- dunno..should be around there)!!!

So i accepted their offer (only pay RM 54 for 3 months data usage), they revert back all the previous charges and my current unbilled usage is RM20++. The same day, they revert back to MCMC and i got an e-mail from MCMC regarding the case (still can complain if not satisfactory...).

Here is a final screenshot of my login and complaint status screen at the CFM website, with the case resolved.



Updated: 17th Jan 2011 4:13pm. The following are the final screenshot of the report status between me and MAXIS, eventhough MAXIS waived my charges, they still said the 'charges are valid'. I just put a note to disagree with them for the record.




The thing is here, MAXIS is obviously trying to slaughter unsuspecting customer. I've been using MAXIS for > 10 years, and this is what i get in return!!! They should have offered me the amicable solution (to pay RM18 for 100MB and below) AND advised me accordingly to disable all internet services in the first place. I don't deny the possibility of my phone got hit by a virus or malware or something that makes it keeps connecting to the internet, but i am 100% sure i didn't use any excessive internet services on purpose or by accident. But instead, they refrain from giving best advise to customers and hope that customers keep quiet and let them slaughter kaw-kaw. Only when you make an official complain to the gov body, then only they move their arse to investigate.
Hopefully, my experience here will help you guys avoid some pitfall, and knows that you must channel your complaint through proper channels. No use keep ranting in Lowyat.net if you don't take the neccessary actions to make your stand.

Good Luck to everyone here. I am jumping ship to DIGI once my contract expires in 4 months.

Mod: Pls move this to appropriate forum if needed. TQ.

Update: 17th Jan 2011 5:06pm
Credit Limit:
Thanks to y3ivan for reminding...my credit limit is freaking huge over RM1k....i just called MAXSUCKS™ to reduce my credit limit to RM400....so this is another way to combat MAXIS BillShock™.

Update: 01st Feb 2011
Already jumped ship to DIGI a week ago. Too TULAN with MAXIS. Just paid a small penalty and be free from the evil clutches of MAXSUCKS!™

Update: 9th Feb 2011
Got ANOTHER MAXIS BILLSHOCK™ in my credit card statement!
2 days ago received my credit card statement and MAXSUCKS™ charged me RM 6xx!!!!! Called and screw them and they said the charges will be revert by Feb 10. Since they know the charges are to be waived, why charge in the first place? And why does it takes so long to revert??? The WORST part is, the CS at MAXIS Centre (Sunway pyramid this time), LIED TO ME when he said there is no auto-debit to my credit card when i cancel the contract. I informed him to cancel any auto-debit credit card charges and he said there is no credit card attached to my bill! Either he lied or MAXIS somehow illegally charged to my credit card based on previous credit card auto-debit instructions!!!!!! Only after i called they said the amount is due to revert by Feb 10.
I'll wait until Feb 11. If by Feb 11, they have not revert yet. I'll make another CFM complain and maybe even make police report if they failed to prove the auto-debit instructions!!!!

F***K MAXIS!!!

Update: 11th Feb 2011
MAXIS STILL DIDN'T REVERT MY CREDIT CARD CHARGES AND ACTS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENNED!
Called my bank this morning. As expected. NOTHING WAS DONE. So i called cheebai MAXIS again. Previously, i demand a case no, but the CS told me BS story the line is now transferred to DIGI blah blah, can't raise a case. So today i *** them kaw kaw, only then give me a case no. I suspect the previous CS didn't do anything at all....why is it MAXIS CS all like that? Just treat like nothing ever happened??? So now they saw will revert my charges, 3 days by Maxis and then another 14 days or so by bank. So i'll need to call the bank again 3 days later to see if they've received any instructions to revert the charges. If not, then this time i'll make another report to CFM.


Update: 14th Feb 2011
Made 2nd complaint to CFM. Will update again.

Update: 17th Feb 2011
MAXIS called me again yesterday. Said the charges will be revert from my Credit card by 21st Feb 2011.

Case closed.....HOPEFULLY NO MORE BILLSHOCK™
Update: 21st Feb 2011
Called my bank this morning, MAXIS has reversed the charges to my credit card....hopefully, this is the LAST of anything from MAXIS....Don't want to deal with them EVER AGAIN.


This post has been edited by Matrix: Feb 21 2011, 09:47 AM

good one matrix. isit possible that you also show us your screenie of your complain to MCMC? also the email between you and MCMC? of coz you should blank out your account number and other sensitve info there.


btw, you mean that when you go to TTDI branch, nothing was resolved too besides disable to internet of your subline?

You must wait until they call?


another thing to clarify

You did pay your 1st month bill of RM270++ (before the RM90 waive)

how about your 2nd and 3rd month bill? Did you pay?

a bit confuse with it

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Added on January 17, 2011, 2:55 pmPS: mod, please pinned this thread

This post has been edited by samlee860407: Jan 17 2011, 02:55 PM

i had this issue with maxis too. paid RM160 for 2 months for just pluggin my sim to a ipon 2g. i went and rage at maxis centre, and gave me RM25 waive.

2nd time i did the same thing, recieve a RM600-700 for 2 months just by web surfing using unstable wifi eventhough i request them to shut down my internet during my first visit. in the end, manage to waive to 150.

seems like maxis knows where to earn fast cash. Anyway, its a risk using iphone with a non-package line.

hey...this issue from Maxis has been persistent for a looonng long time.... and those freaking buggers should have informed customers a loong lonnnng time ago about this possible issue for all existing customers...

really damn... until today they close one eye?

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Added on January 17, 2011, 3:37 pmand i wonder why ppl still go for Maxis when Digi has unlimited no bill shock plan?

p/s: Digi also can kena, i just kena for supplementary line..but if you act fast, you call the customer service to disable data plan, they really disable... almost instantly...

This post has been edited by kevyeoh: Jan 17 2011, 03:37 PM

IMO this thread should be more to discuss on the procedure on how to let maxis to reverse the bill amount. if not it will just turn into the other thread, which is full of rant

good job TS.
Before this I was also using maxis for nearly 7 years.
After I got my first billshock of the month, then I went down to maxis centre.
Debating with like 2 staff there then finally had negotiating talk to the branch manager at his office.
The point to where his arguments was useless.
Talk talk and light threatening the guy was kind enough and waive all fee.
Dunno how lucky was I that they didn't charge for me the usage which obviously I didnt use.


Straight go back and the night itself after persuasion of my gf I port over to Digi the next day.
Was so disappointed with maxis that after being so loyal to them for 7 years and this is how they repay us??
Sigh


This post has been edited by sicklad77: Jan 17 2011, 03:47 PM

1) Yep, TTDI did nothing except tells me 'typical investigation takes 7 to 14 days'. I got reply from MAXIS a few days after that. I only disable the sub line internet there that day.

2) Yes, i paid the 1st month RM270.

3) 2nd month, nope. I refused to pay the RM3xx until i get their investigation feedback. So with the credits revert, i don't have to pay anything the 2nd month, coz first month already overpaid.

4) 3rd month - it is unbilled yet. But previously i checked my unbilled usage is RM3xx. Now it's like RM20... So this month bill should comes back to my normal phone bill level.

---

Added on January 17, 2011, 4:05 pmYeah. no ranting here...we want positive actions on how to get your money back from MAXIS!!!

This post has been edited by Matrix: Jan 17 2011, 04:05 PM

---

Added on January 17, 2011, 4:05 pm
Yeah. no ranting here...we want positive actions on how to get your money back from MAXIS!!!

[/quote]

+1

great idea posting this thread by the way..this way,people who suffered any errors that maxis did in the bills n want justice can go through proper channels like u did..can be a good guide

Samlee: I've updated my Post with screenshot of my complaint and MAXIS replied.

From my experience, verbally informing maxis centre to disable the internet, they wouldnt do it. i did inform them several times, no action taken. only when i write in to maxis centre, they act. i think maxis need black and white before proceeding.
Maxis have altitude of "dont ask, dont tell". plus most of their plan have high (250-500) credit limit, just for someone who uses 50-100 on calls. and i dont think u can adjust the credit limit.

This post has been edited by y3ivan: Jan 17 2011, 04:56 PM

After kena a third time in 2010 in December for exceeding my data package and kena rm250, I've decided not to give up the fight and do the ultimate scr*w maxis move by moving providers.

As far as I'm concerned, maxis is scr*wing us on purpose. Firstly, rm0.01/kb equivalent to rm10/mb is stone-age charges that have been unchanged since the days of gprs (not even edge). in comparison, my kenya and mauritius pre-paid lines are usd0.10/mb, and these countries are so lousy compared to KL.

Secondly, my kenya and mauritius lines send you an sms when you have 5 mb left on your internet data package, so you know when you are about to start getting charged non-package rates. Are you telling me Maxis can't implement something this simple? Of course they can. But they won't, because it'll then be much harder for them to purposely scr*w us on their exorbitant out-of-package data.

Yeah, my credit limit is RM1.3K!!! f***...i think i need to call them now and see if can reduce the credit limit....now my new hobby...call in every few days to MAXIS and ask them questions....haha.

c my point, i m paying for my sis, who uses the phone like nobody business. manage to reduce to 250 (lowest for what maxis centre told me) the default is 1k.. wtf

Just called...Credit Limit is now reduced to RM400 only......i think i need to update this on main post...thanks for reminding me bro...later kena slaughter again...

Speaking of credit limit,actually u CAN reduce the credit limit..they actually change our credit limit without us knowing UNLESS we notice it..here's the chronology of what has happened to me n what i did to reduce it;

1) b4 purchsing iphone 4,i used standard phone with Value 80..the standard credit limit was rm150(if i'm not mistaken)..that time, don't bother to change credit limit coz just using GPRS n no shock bill.

2) after purchased the iphone 4 back in September,i get the ivalue 1 n they automatically change my credit limit to rm 250..after my horror bill in the 1st bill(at least for me),i quickly told them to change my credit limit to rm150(min. for ivalue 1) so that they can block me earlier if i exceed that amount.

3) 2 months later,i subscribe to maxis broadband rm48 per month(rm38 for 1st 5 months,rm 48 on the bills onwards)..they change my credit limit again to rm400(bills for maxis broadband is merged with my ivalue1 bill BTW).. then again,i asked them to reduce my credit limit to rm250(the min is rm150 for ivalue1 n rm100 for maxis broadband)

So,one of the method to avoid any SUPER-SHOCK bill (rm250 n above) is to set our credit limit to the minimum. This is what i did to reduce it;

a) You HAVE TO pay any unpaid billed amount (this exclude the unbilled amount)

b) call 123 n talk to their CS n reduce it(choose the appropriate command)..they just ask for confirmation of our particulars n u're done

c) later,maxis will give u notification via sms when they have change the credit limit

Hope this helps

This post has been edited by maderfader: Jan 17 2011, 05:23 PM

Thanks. Btw, by goodwill gesture? LOL

yea, regarding the credit limit, i rmb maxis sms me and say that since i am a good customer, they had increase my credit limit to rm1500 (its like a prostitute saying that since you always find me, now i give you a chance no need wear condom to fark me, so your chance to get AIDS is higher).

Hence my next step is, log in my account, decrease my credit limit to RM500, then call up maxis in next few days, and ask what is my credit limit. When he tell me RM500, i say cool.

ok, on serious note,matrix, when you mentioned

"they still said the 'charges are valid'. I just put a note to disagree with them for the record."

then you close the case already right? Or is there any further investigation that will rectify it?

I am not sure. In fact, i just read that MAXIS reply and update today. I think it is considered closed, because i received an-Email from CFM after Maxis feedback to reply within 3 days or the case is considered closed.

i kena this bill shock b4 also..3 times total.

1st time, i called in n ask for details, maxis cs sent me email with the list of usage(just date by date n the usage amount). i paid them n i said i want to remove all internet component of my line.

2nd time, called in n asked y is it happening again since i've removed all internet component. they said the previous CS that i deal with did not remove ALL the internet component for me. they waived avthing for me in the end. (well bcoz i keep the email from the first complain so i got the CS name which i asked to remove internet component)

3rd time, called in n asked. CS told me "a lot of ppl also facing this prob. ip is a very smart phone. it can find its way to connect to internet even we remove the internet component". luckily they waived that for me also n tell me if things happen again they wont be able to waive for me again. i immediately tell the CS to subscribe a data plan for me to prevent further bill-shock.

my advise to u all when calling to maxis CS, ASK FOR THEIR NAME N JOT DOWN THE DATE U CALLED IN. words from CS just cant be trusted 100%!

Yep, that's why those MAXIS CS told me also...frankly i think it's bullshit. There's no reason they can't barr internet access from their end. Either they don't want to do it or they don't want to implement a system to do it. So that they can have an excuse to slaughter their customers. I did subscribe for a dataplan....DIGI Smartplan that is, on my new phone. And as some other people pointed out, how hard is it to implement a system to inform customers when their quota almost exceed??? These are some of the things which they CAN DO, but won't. It probably doesn't takes more than 10 lines of code to do it.

If quota_used >= 90/100 * quota_limit
then SEND_SMS;

How hard????

For those people using an iPhone without data plan, please make sure that the 'Cellular Data' option is always turned OFF. This is because even when idle the iPhone regularly polls the apple server. I found that it uses like 1 MB/day.

There is a LOT of hidden data being transferred in the background.. e.g. even going to the Settings.. About screen takes up 512KB. Running an app or game also sometimes secretly contacts a server somewhere.