Data usage doesn't go with the oldest add-on first

[Coryl1]

After accidentally buying two of the 3GB add-on, when I was just trying to browse the add-ons (and the "pay now" button is oh-so-conveniently there), I tried to ask for a refund. Standard "no refunds, we're a prepaid company", so that's fine, I'll put up with paying 67.80 for data I don't need, maybe I'll spend some more time out of the house for the next while.

But they also said I had used part of the data already. This confused me, because I had data leftover from a 1GB top-up a while ago, so why didn't that get used for the few seconds I was using data at the start of today's road-trip?

Apparently, they will NOT use data in a specific order, so they'll just allocate it/take it from whatever add-on, no clear policy on that at all.

Editing to add: Data add-on with "60/60" for a double purchase of two 3GB add-ons apparently expires in 30 days anyway. I am waiting escalation to the manager, who is off today (3 Sep)

[Coryl1]

Very late update regarding the 60/60 from the stacked, double data.

The 60/60 did last me all 60 days. Screenshots from October 3rd (32 days left) and October 8th (28 days left). I had that remaining 124mb last past the 30 days from purchase date.

Screenshot from October 8, 2023Screenshot from October 3, 2023

[maple_leaf]

Hello @Coryl1 , Happy to have helped. Pleased to see that Customer Support removed the add-on and applied credit to your account. Thank you for getting back to us with the result. Take care.

[dust2dust]

We have seen a ##/90 from someone that first brought this to the attention of the community.
It might have been more interesting if you waited a day or three to buy the extra one and/or to have used a bit of it before buying the extra one.
If it's a little benefit that works for us then the company doesn't need to be pushed to change it 🙂 Which is why I like getting real world experiences from actual customers. You're being great with all this.
So the test now is to see if you can continue to use bits of that data bucket for the next 60 days. I think you will. That will take you past two renewals. This one coming up soon and the next one where maybe you would also use up your plan data to make it use this data. But we'll see. Keep us posted.

Adding - I edited the 90/90. I don't remember if it was a lesser number to start.

[Coryl1]

That's an interesting way to test it out. Sure I can toss another 5 bucks at it to see if all of it goes or if only 200mb goes. I have another trip coming up where I will need to use it, so I may as well make sure I have enough beforehand. Screenshots for posterity.

Bought at separate times as well, so it wasn't like adding two of the same to my "cart" and then buying. It would also stand to reason that it would go to 90/90 if a user purchased 3 of the same type. Sounds like someone didn't properly test with the website development!

[dust2dust]

So now you have $55 in your balance?
You have corroborated for us that the extra days get tacked on to an existing add-on. If you're willing, then you could use some of the 200mb (before your plan renews) and then buy another one and get the extra 30 days (##/60) and then go past the initial 30 days and see if all of it (shows the total amount available) is still usable through to the end of 60 days. Of course only buy data if you need it. Unless you like testing these kinds of things with your money 🙂

I prefer real world experiences over the company line that may or may not be true.

[Coryl1]

They completely removed the add-ons I didn't want (I didn't want 3gb or 6gb, just wanted the cheapest one, and so all of the add-on was removed even though it was partially used). I bought the 200mb that I wanted and that shows 30/30. I'll follow up and see if this manager has an answer for what expires if buying two of the same add-on.

[dust2dust]

So now does the remaining add-on show 30 days expiry?

[Coryl1]

After escalating to a management agent and explaining the situation, I was able to get a credit applied and the add-on removed for the data I did not want to purchase, which was not quite what this post was about haha, but thank you everyone for the advice. I've accepted a solution for the data add-on usage that seems the most logical even though it was not confirmed by a CS_Agent

[Coryl1]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I am still waiting on escalation to a separate agent.

[hTideGnow]

hi @Coryl1 

Agent usually able to put the credit back on guru account.  So, wait for escalation.  And you are ok using one of the addon??

[dust2dust]

I don't have much trust in these kinds of replies from support. Just try to focus on getting back the second purchase. Just a credit I'm sure will be fine for you. Then as I say that 60 day should become 30. We have seen other reports of the day counter getting extended and the item remains in the add-on list. Why else would it show 60? That support response makes no sense.
Trust the real world, corroborated experiences from fellow customers.

[Coryl1]

I'm not sure how to check the last 24 hours. It also hasn't even been 24 hours. The purchase happened at 9:00am ET today and I messaged them as soon as I could to tell them it was an accident. It took me a good 15-20 minutes to get pages to even load at all, since the direct message system kept glitching out. The transaction is still pending on my credit card. I turned my data off after the purchase and, because I was on the road for 5 hours, only checked and replied to the agent's messages when I had Wi-Fi.

[Coryl1]

This customer service agent says they will expire after 30 days, so the 60/60 is incorrect or the agent is incorrect. I have escalated and the manager is off today, so I don't know when this will get more attention.

The 24mb is probably from when I was waiting on the page to load after I immediately hit backspace to try and stop the transaction from going through, so I was still on data (to try and top up my data for today's trip) and the web page was loading. Ironic that the only webpages that load instantly are the payment pages.

[maple_leaf]

Thanks @dust2dust , I'm tired 🙃

[dust2dust]

@maple_leaf- The counter counts down like roaming add-ons. 15/15 down to 0/15. Your math is out by a decimal point. 6144 * .004 = 24.576

[maple_leaf · Accepted solution]

Hello @Coryl1 , I've had a look at your screenshot. This is only my interpretation of what may be happening here:

• Screenshot shows 0.4% of your data add-on used. Data add-on (3GB x 2) = 6GB
• 6GB * 1024MB (per GB) = 6144MB
• 6144MB * 0.4% = 24.576MB

Possible reasons:

• Your data add-on bucket is utilized first because it has a 60 day expiry

Please let us know what the reply is from a Customer Support Agent.

[dust2dust]

---

@hTideGnow wrote:

tell PM they need to do better job on page refresh 

---

100%

[hTideGnow]

hi @dust2dust @softech 

LoL no fight you two.  . Just personal preference

but yes @softech ,  tell PM they need to do better job on page refresh 

[dust2dust]

@softech- Do you really want to fight about this? You play your way, I'll play mine. I never use incognito. When I'm testing usages and minutes and such, I click the spinner and see the new usage. But hey you do your thing and leave me alone.

[softech]

No, never trust the spinner.  And there are so many spinners to click one at a time, and there are section with no spinner to refresh. Always trust the browser mode more 

[dust2dust]

I've always "trusted" the spinner. What does your phone say for the last 24 hours or since you bought the add-on?

Adding - lol - say - for data usage.

[Coryl1]

Yeah it shows the same

[hTideGnow]

hi @Coryl1 

instead of spinner, try using Incognito/private/secret mode to check again

[Coryl1]

Yeah I clicked it a few times before taking the screenshot for this post and for 90 minutes ago when I sent them my screenshot to ask why it wasn't used. Agent says "around 100mb" so maybe that means "130mb" to them.

[dust2dust]

Have you clicked the little spinner refresh icon lower down? If so then the agent is lying. That front page counter is accurate. It shows you've used about 20megs of that 6gigs.

Adding - the 60/60 is the day counter. You just bought the add-ons so you're at the start. My guess is that all of it will last the 60 days. But no one has fully tested that aspect.
If only just one add-on. Then that day counter should be #/30.

[Coryl1]

I haven't been able to get an answer yet on what the 60/60 means. I don't know if 3GB expires after 30 days, or if it all will last me for 60 days. I've asked twice now about that and will update if they finally answer what it means. I could understand using the expiring data first; I hadn't thought about that.

I will try escalating to see if I can get it credited, but I have doubts.

[Coryl1]

The agent said it was 100mb on their end. Even if the information is from midnight, it wouldn't have been more than 100mb for today's usage. My phone shows 308mb used from Aug 13-Sept 12; I update my phone's tracking of it every pay period so the dates line up. Even with a small discrepancy, it's unlikely I finished off the 1GB yet.

[Chalupa_Batman]

I agree with @hTideGnow .

Reply back and say you're asking this be escalated. You purchased the add-ons by accident and you reported it right away. They have some flexibility with refunding. They should also consider your time as a customer with PM. 

With regards to which allotted data is used first, I call BS. First goes what your plan is which is 250mb. Then your first add-on purchase. It should not even touch that "accidental purchase". HOWEVER with that being said, both your screen shot and the CS Agent state there is 100mb left... that may not be up to date accurate is if I remember correctly stats are updated every 12 hours. So you MAY have already used up the 1GB data and it started on the added data. I'd ask for at least 1 of those refunded and you'll take more care when browsing the add-ons in the future. 

[dust2dust]

Yeah one would think they could reasonably credit you (not refund) the second mistaken purchase. That's pretty nasty of them not to. As for order of use, I'm not sure the community has reasonably settled that question. I have an original data add-on still. I've received data freebies. Then more freebies. It's the middle one that seems to be currently used. Not sure of the rhyme or reason.
And further corroboration of buying another add-on makes it all extend the day counter. Interesting. So you do have 60 days for all that 6gb. That would go past your next-next renewal if you run out on your next renewal.

Adding - I wonder if it could be argued to save the non-expiring data and use the expiring first.

[will13am]

@Coryl1 , for housekeeping it might be nice to see one add-on used up before proceeding to the next.  Otherwise I don't see any difference.  As long as the partly used add-ons do not drop out, the total available should remain accurate.