PCCW always lives up to expectations. That is, if your expectation is that they will rip you off.

They’ve now confirmed my earlier suspicions on the huge charge I got for international roaming for their Netvigator Everywhere Pocket WiFi.

Here is what they promise: up to 20 megabytes per month for HK$388.

I used 20 megabytes in the period from November 2nd through November 10th. Here is what they charged me: $1,822.24

How can that be, you ask? That’s certainly what I asked.

After checking with our record, I would like to let you know
that due to the bill-cut off date is 9th on every month and the
activation date of $338.00 data roaming monthly plan is 30th October
2009, we have calculate prorate of the related monthly service fee and
usage. Therefore, you may not able to enjoy the full 20MB roaming data
usage from 30th October 2009 to 9th November 2009 and it should be
around 7267KB only.

20480KB (1024 KB = 1 MB) / 31days x 11 days (30/10/09-09/11/09) = 7267KB

Since you have over used 13643KB roaming data service during 30th
October 2009 to 9th November 2009 and the extra usage will cost $0.1/KB,
your bill statement of November 2009 reflected the $1364.30 extra
roaming data service fee.

So I called them on October 30th. I told them I am going to the US and want the international roaming for the month of November. They told me okay. They did not say that there was a cut-off date. They did not say that I could not apply for the service for a single calendar month. They did not tell me anything about pro-rating the service for the first 9 days of the month.

In other words, they ripped me off.

My response to them:

I find this to be a highly deceptive practice and thoroughly unethical.

In essence, you are telling me that you have a service plan that charges $338 for 20 megabytes of data within a 30 day period, I used 20 megabytes of data within that thirty day period, and you are charging me $2,000 for it?

I activated the international roaming in order to accommodate my needs for a 10 day international trip. I told the person on the phone of my needs. I was not informed of any pro-rated dates or periods or usage amounts.

I insist that you should only charge me $338 for the usage of 20 megabytes within that 10 day period that occurred within a single calendar month.

Let’s see what happens next.

Hongkie Town
Share