NEWS HIGHLIGHT

I have been using the iValue plan 100 (500 MB data plan) and iValue plan 155 (1GB data plan - got two plans under me) for the last 2 months.

First month bill not a problem. However on the second month when I received the bill I got a shock of my life that they charge me RM250 extra for my iValue Plan 100.

You see, we have been very careful when it comes to using our datas - to not exceed them always checking on the settings > general > usage on the iPhone.

My last month usage for the plans were 420 MB (for iValue 100) and 320 MB (for iValue 155) - from checking the iPhone usage BUT when the bill came - my iValue 100 was 580 MB however my iValue 155 was correct at 320 MB.
I have to pay an additional RM250 for the 80MB!

My question is that if there was a variance between the iPhone usage indicator and Maxis billing, it should be +/- maybe 50 MB but the variance is a whopping 160MB!!!

I complained to Maxis and one of the staff couldn't understand what I was talking about and just say that it was cheap already. Wah, damn irritating man when talking to her - seems like it was the time of the month. Slammed the phone down and called another staff - This one wrote in a complain for me.

Have anyone of you face this problems as well? Is there a big difference from your iPhone usage indicator compared to your bill? Feedback appreciated.

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 22 2009, 10:22 AM

iPhone has a setting where you could track your data usage. The variance between maxis bill and the usage on the iPhone is a whopping 160MB!!!

Maxis is like turning our data taps without us knowing and asking to pay RM250! Some more say RM250 is cheap - damn the customer service lady - I hope her management hears our conversation on how dump she sounded.

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Added on May 21, 2009, 11:59 amIt is inclusive of uploading as well. We have proof to show - The thing I am trying to stress is that 160MB difference is just unacceptable. If +/- 50MB then I understand... And if we really exceeded the usage and shown on the iPhone then no choice la... have to pay... BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE!

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 21 2009, 12:00 PM

Yes iPhone can track all uploading and receiving of data under SETTING > GENERAL > USAGE

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Added on May 21, 2009, 12:06 pmDepends really I use about 320 MB a month for games, internet surfing, youtube, push mail, fring and cydia

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 21 2009, 12:08 PM

I use quite a lot of apps actually. Any software or anyway to track the usage other than iPhone's tracking?

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 21 2009, 12:10 PM

No ads...

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Added on May 21, 2009, 5:33 pmHere is an interesting article on Optus and my related issue :


iPhone bill shock hits Optus
Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet.com.au
21 August 2008 05:27 PM
Tags: optus, iphone, mobile, vodafone, bill, data, plan, customer

Like Vodafone, Optus has started to receive complaints about iPhone billing problems relating to excess data charges.

Yesterday Vodafone revealed a number of customers had been hit with larger than expected bills after the carrier had not correctly transitioned them onto a new plan when they purchased an Apple iPhone.

Today one Optus customer told ZDNet.com.au that he had received a $693 bill with large data excess charges, despite the fact that he was on a $79 monthly iPhone plan with a 700MB allowance per month, of which he had used under 100MB.

The customer called the Optus call centre, where the operator tried to explain the extra charges away with pro-rata data limits. The theory was that because he had only been billed for part of the month he only had a portion of his 700MB allowance.

However, the bill covered around two thirds of the month, which meant that the under 100MB usage the customer had clocked up would have been within the allowed data usage.

After a second call, Optus discovered that he was still on his previous GPRS data plan, having not been correctly migrated, although the voice plan had been. His bill was reduced to just under $90.

However almost $130 was charged to his bank account when the time came to pay, which he has not yet sorted out. The customer speculated that with the bedlam on the day of signing up, human error could have caused him to have not been migrated to the correct data plan.

Optus declined to comment on how widespread the issue was.

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 21 2009, 05:33 PM

yes I did. Why?

Thank you but like I mentioned in my first post I have 2 iPhones with both iValue plans from Maxis.

I used a lot of Skype using 3G with the iPhone that did not exceed the data plan. However the other iPhone which did exceed by 160MB rarely use any voip - however I noticed that we use alot of FRING on it. Could FRING have not clock in the datas used?

Yes but your theory has not been proven. The data plan I used for skype over 3g proofs to be correct on my phone usage indicator and bill. Why the huge difference when it comes to fring which is used only for messaging and not voice.

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Added on May 22, 2009, 1:56 amWell it hasn't happened to you. Just imagine being billed for calls that you did not make. Or being billed rm250 more when your phone says you have not met your data plan. Imagine one day when you thought you have only used 100 mb but being billed for 2gb. Are you going to just keep quiet and pay and do nothing? Sorry I need to voice out some how else we would all be blindly surfing or making skype calls and at the end of the month slapped with a huge bill.

For now I am presuming that maxis has miscalculated on my usage because I have two maxis iPhones - almost the same data usage or type of application is being used. Apparently one does not match the bill received.

You are right it is improper to use the word scam but a particular cs lady in maxis just pissed me off. Will take it down once a friend of mine in maxis has investigated on this. But seriously this kind of events is happening all around. In the mean time I will leave it on to tell users to go below about 200mb of their monthly data plan just to be safe.

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 22 2009, 10:13 AM

Finally someone who was in the same predicament as me. Thank you Derlin for the valued advise.

This could be true poyol but I need feedback from guys who have jailbreak their iPhones & use 3rd part apps - and whether their counter differs from their bills or is the same. It is the only way we would know if the iPhone data counter can be dependable to track usage - if not what is the variabce - 100MB / 200MB? Else we will all be very afraid to use surf / chat or even play games - afraid that we may exceed the data plan rate.

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 22 2009, 10:10 AM

the 5MB on an iPhone is nothing. The iPhone can suck 5MB without you knowing in a couple of minutes.

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Added on May 22, 2009, 10:21 amYes the unlimited plan is the way to go... the RM250 paid - it could already pay for 2 1/2 months of unlimited Data with maxis.

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 22 2009, 10:21 AM

hahaha... I have heard stories where people in singtel got a bill of SG15000 for data usage. So basically we have to be very careful when it comes to telcos. Got to know your rights and what we are allowed and not allowed. The maxis bill is pretty long and complicating journey to look into but it is best to scrutinies it.

My guess is to call them every other day to ensure that they look into this issue.

Some of the MAXIS CS are really unhelpful. I keep dropping the call and calling 123 again if ever I noticed the CS executive seems blur or unfriendly but there are some who would really go all of their way to help you out. Keep trying NXaqua. We as customers have the right to dispute and not blindly pay what they bill us.

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Added on May 22, 2009, 8:15 pmyeah WTF? isn't the RM99 an unlimited plan? Now they are saying pay RM99 and get 3GB only. Frankly I know some applications on cydia can use up that 3GB in no time.

This post has been edited by yewjin: May 22 2009, 08:15 PM

It seems that I am not the only one who is having this issue when I first started this thread.

Ever since I complained to Maxis with regards to the inconsistency of the data usage and billing me an additional RM250 - they said they will look into this matter and will call back but THEY HAVE NOT CALLED BACK!

Word of advise - Be cautious of your data usage. I may launch a complain with MCMC with regards to this.

AND I noticed that Maxis hires talk cocking CS people which dont understand the iValue Plan or about data usage - I must agree how can you lump wife and 3G data together? This is just ridiculous.

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Added on June 1, 2009, 2:37 pmDo you mind breaking down what did Maxis charged for RM720... It is quite impossible that the bill came up that high.

Let's say you use RM155 package + RM30 for sms + RM50 for international calls (for example) = RM235.00 - and let's say you exceeded on your data usage so that is RM250.00 = Total bill should be RM585.00 or less. To be billed RM720, you calls & sms should be additional RM140 ++

This post has been edited by yewjin: Jun 1 2009, 02:37 PM

You need to get your bill itemised. By not getting them itemised it is like giving them the license to charge you anything! Please get it itemised. Call 123 now!

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Added on June 1, 2009, 9:45 pmA lot of iValue users does not realise that the iValue plan does not include SMS usage, International calls, Roaming charges and toll free numbers. That means if you are subscribing to iValue 155 and your itemised bill is as below :

1. Usage - RM10.00
2. Toll free numbers - RM30 by calling stupid tm net
3. SMS - RM55
4. International calls - RM40
5. Roaming charges - RM30

What you will be paying is - RM155 (even though you use RM10) + RM30 + RM55 + RM40 + RM30 = RM310.00 is what you will be billed. AND if you exceed your 1GB data usage you will be paying additional RM250 - so it is RM560.00 not inclusive service tax and value added charges.

And just to let you know if you dont pay your bill on time, the refund on the deposit will be on hold till you pay your bills promptly.

This post has been edited by yewjin: Jun 1 2009, 09:45 PM

I think there is a confusion between wifi and 3G - which one will be clocked?

From where I see it, with both wifi and 3G turned on, if wifi signal is weak, 3G will step in. This is what I gathered from one of the staff but I could be wrong.

I always believed that the Value Plus plan that Maxis offers is a good plan. The iValue Plan was a get rich quick scheme for Maxis to gain more $$$$.

They must know that most users or at least 10% will exceed their Data plan and will be forced to pay the RM250.00 additional. Some will not utilise the free usage and on top of that have to pay additional for sms & international calls.

So in my opinion if you must take a maxis plan - take the Value plus plan + unlimited data or the idata of 3GB at RM99. I think hardly any of us has exceeded 3GB right? no?

That's true but the horror stories of some who is in the ivalue 155 with 1GB data plan has exceeded 1GB usage is very scary. I am on that same plan and I have utilise only about 500MB+ while my other half is on the ivalue 100 did in fact exceeded her 500MB allotment which caused us to pay the extra RM250 (very painful) eventhough she was very careful not to exceed her given data plan but when the bill came we were surprised.

The scary part is not knowingly exceeding the data allotment but being charge more than what we have used. and there is no argument - losing battle if we fight with Maxis.

When you said Disable Data Connection, did you mean that you have turned off Enable 3G? I think like in the previous post, you should screw up your Cellular Data Network Option as well.