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Hangup call charged toward 50 minute plan

P_A_G
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Hi all,

We just signed up for a 50/50 $10 plan. My wife made a couple of test calls to see if the service was working. The calls connected, the number displayed correctly and everything seems fine. I failed to mention that both parties did not answer and my wife hung up, just to see if the call displayed the proper phone number. Everything seems fine.

While navigating the PM web site to check her profile and usage, the account was charged for 2 calls. Her usage is down to 48 minutes with nary an answered call. No call was answered and both were hung up by the caller (her). First call was 17 seconds and the second one 5 seconds. 

Can anyone explain this? Thanks

16 REPLIES 16

FBR
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I'm currently on unlimited talk, but out of curiosity I did some testing anyway:

If someone calls me and leaves a voicemail, e.g. - I decline or don't pick up or caller number is blocked, then I see the minutes logged in my usage history.

- the amount of airtime used depends on the length of the voicemail left. My tests ranged from 2 seconds (hang up when greeting starts) to over 1 minute (the approximate length of my test voicemail)

* Ring time doesn't not count towards used airtime if caller hangs up before directed to voicemail

 

So, if this indeed how PM counts airtime, customers not on unlimited talk plans could see their minutes being used up faster than expected. Especially if they get spam calls often and these spam calls leave lengthy voicemails.

 


@Lieux wrote:

Finally @FBR @P_A_G ....I made 4 calls 3 from my cell phone and 1 to my cell phone. The first 3 never appeared in my account....2 from my cell and 1 to my cell and I didn't answered any rang 3 times...but the last one I hanged up it appeared...so they didn't count on my 50 available calls!!


I also have access to a $10 Public Mobile plan.  I didn't do any extensive testing, but when I set it up for a family member, I did call it a couple times to make sure that incoming calls were working after a number port request.  The unanswered calls did not count.

Finally @FBR @P_A_G ....I made 4 calls 3 from my cell phone and 1 to my cell phone. The first 3 never appeared in my account....2 from my cell and 1 to my cell and I didn't answered any rang 3 times...but the last one I hanged up it appeared...so they didn't count on my 50 available calls!!


@ShawnC13 wrote:

@computergeek541 wrote:

@ShawnC13 wrote:


Found in the ToS

How Public Mobile services are charged How are voice and data usage calculated?
Voice calls Charges for voice calls are based on the airtime used when you make and receive calls on your mobile phone. Voice airtime is calculated, for both incoming and outgoing calls, from the time the call is initiated to the time it is disconnected, including the time used to route the call through the network and any ring time. The airtime for each voice call is rounded up to the nearest minute.


The TOS says that, but surely that is meant to be intended for completed calls only. It would be rather strange for Public Mobile to count usage for a call that has not been, and they'd also be the only carrier to do that. 

 

There are weird glitches at some companies that bill by the minute, and I remember a long distance calling card company that would sometimes do that for calls that were not completed.  Months later, those charges mysteriously stopped reducing the calling card balance if no one answered.


@computergeek541, It says routing and any ring time that is pretty straight forward on how the minutes are counted

 


Yeah - I know it says that, but it would be a Canadian carrier first.  Who/which carrier actually does that for an unanswered call?  I was already was aware that ring time counts, but that is for only completed calls at all other carriers.

FBR
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

 


@computergeek541 wrote:

@ShawnC13 wrote:


Found in the ToS

How Public Mobile services are charged How are voice and data usage calculated?
Voice calls Charges for voice calls are based on the airtime used when you make and receive calls on your mobile phone. Voice airtime is calculated, for both incoming and outgoing calls, from the time the call is initiated to the time it is disconnected, including the time used to route the call through the network and any ring time. The airtime for each voice call is rounded up to the nearest minute.


The TOS says that, but surely that is meant to be intended for completed calls only. It would be rather strange for Public Mobile to count usage for a call that has not been, and they'd also be the only carrier to do that. 

 

There are weird glitches at some companies that bill by the minute, and I remember a long distance calling card company that would sometimes do that for calls that were not completed.  Months later, those charges mysteriously stopped reducing the calling card balance if no one answered.


@computergeek541 the TOS seems pretty clear to me, although a bit unreasonable or unfair to include any ring time. But it is what it is.

 

Will wait for test results from @Lieux to confirm.


@computergeek541 wrote:

@ShawnC13 wrote:


Found in the ToS

How Public Mobile services are charged How are voice and data usage calculated?
Voice calls Charges for voice calls are based on the airtime used when you make and receive calls on your mobile phone. Voice airtime is calculated, for both incoming and outgoing calls, from the time the call is initiated to the time it is disconnected, including the time used to route the call through the network and any ring time. The airtime for each voice call is rounded up to the nearest minute.


The TOS says that, but surely that is meant to be intended for completed calls only. It would be rather strange for Public Mobile to count usage for a call that has not been, and they'd also be the only carrier to do that. 

 

There are weird glitches at some companies that bill by the minute, and I remember a long distance calling card company that would sometimes do that for calls that were not completed.  Months later, those charges mysteriously stopped reducing the calling card balance if no one answered.


@computergeek541, It says routing and any ring time that is pretty straight forward on how the minutes are counted

 

 


I am happy to help, but I am not a Customer Support Agent please do not include any personal info in a message to me. Click HERE to create a trouble ticket through SIMon the Chatbot *


@ShawnC13 wrote:


Found in the ToS

How Public Mobile services are charged How are voice and data usage calculated?
Voice calls Charges for voice calls are based on the airtime used when you make and receive calls on your mobile phone. Voice airtime is calculated, for both incoming and outgoing calls, from the time the call is initiated to the time it is disconnected, including the time used to route the call through the network and any ring time. The airtime for each voice call is rounded up to the nearest minute.


The TOS says that, but surely that is meant to be intended for completed calls only. It would be rather strange for Public Mobile to count usage for a call that has not been, and they'd also be the only carrier to do that. 

 

There are weird glitches at some companies that bill by the minute, and I remember a long distance calling card company that would sometimes do that for calls that were not completed.  Months later, those charges mysteriously stopped reducing the calling card balance if no one answered.

Lieux
Oracle
Oracle

@P_A_G I have the same plan as yours...and making test..I will come back with what's going on here when the usage history will post it....Smiley Wink


@P_A_G wrote:

@ShawnC13 wrote:

@P_A_G wrote:

Hi all,

We just signed up for a 50/50 $10 plan. My wife made a couple of test calls to see if the service was working. The calls connected, the number displayed correctly and everything seems fine. I failed to mention that both parties did not answer and my wife hung up, just to see if the call displayed the proper phone number. Everything seems fine.

While navigating the PM web site to check her profile and usage, the account was charged for 2 calls. Her usage is down to 48 minutes with nary an answered call. No call was answered and both were hung up by the caller (her). First call was 17 seconds and the second one 5 seconds. 

Can anyone explain this? Thanks


You said the call was connected correct as it in rang, I think that once it has actually connected to the number you have dialed and rings that is when the timer starts not if the person you are calling answers or if it goes to voicemail answering the call.

 

ETA:  All calls are rounded up to the nearest minute and I believe it will say that in the ToS


Sounds strange to me. Link to the ToS please. No charge for not answering a call, I hope. Thanks Shawn


Found in the ToS

How Public Mobile services are charged How are voice and data usage calculated?
Voice calls Charges for voice calls are based on the airtime used when you make and receive calls on your mobile phone. Voice airtime is calculated, for both incoming and outgoing calls, from the time the call is initiated to the time it is disconnected, including the time used to route the call through the network and any ring time. The airtime for each voice call is rounded up to the nearest minute.

 

ETA:  @P_A_G, here is the link to the ToS.  The statement is on page 3  https://publicmobile.ca/pdfs/Public_Mobile_Terms_of_Service.pdf

 


I am happy to help, but I am not a Customer Support Agent please do not include any personal info in a message to me. Click HERE to create a trouble ticket through SIMon the Chatbot *

srlawren
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@FBR wrote:


That's a valid theory, except that @P_A_G already said that both calls were ended by the caller and not the receiver.


@FBR  thanks for mentioning this.  I'm not sure how, but I totally misread the original posting as if it said the calls were hung up by both parties.  Clearly, I need more coffee.  Sorry for any confusion.


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FBR
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

@srlawren wrote:

@P_A_G  if you hit the end / deny call button *first*, then your wife would have been directed to your voicemail box, even if only briefly before she also hit the End button.  This would count as a connection (for her), and even if it was only connected for a second, calls are billed by the minute and always rounded up. This would explain how these two test calls resulted in 1 min each being deducted from your wife's available 50.  Next time you try this, *only* have the calling party hang up.


That's a valid theory, except that @P_A_G already said that both calls were ended by the caller and not the receiver.

 

I'd like to know as well because I'm planning to switch to the $10 plan.

 

Thank you all for investigating.

 

moegagner
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

@srlawren wrote:

@P_A_G  if you hit the end / deny call button *first*, then your wife would have been directed to your voicemail box, even if only briefly before she also hit the End button.  This would count as a connection (for her), and even if it was only connected for a second, calls are billed by the minute and always rounded up. This would explain how these two test calls resulted in 1 min each being deducted from your wife's available 50.  Next time you try this, *only* have the calling party hang up.


Makes sense, thanks

srlawren
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@P_A_G  if you hit the end / deny call button *first*, then your wife would have been directed to your voicemail box, even if only briefly before she also hit the End button.  This would count as a connection (for her), and even if it was only connected for a second, calls are billed by the minute and always rounded up. This would explain how these two test calls resulted in 1 min each being deducted from your wife's available 50.  Next time you try this, *only* have the calling party hang up.

 

EDIT: I was corrected by @FBR below.  Sorry!!


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@P_A_G wrote:

Hi all,

We just signed up for a 50/50 $10 plan. My wife made a couple of test calls to see if the service was working. The calls connected, the number displayed correctly and everything seems fine. I failed to mention that both parties did not answer and my wife hung up, just to see if the call displayed the proper phone number. Everything seems fine.

While navigating the PM web site to check her profile and usage, the account was charged for 2 calls. Her usage is down to 48 minutes with nary an answered call. No call was answered and both were hung up by the caller (her). First call was 17 seconds and the second one 5 seconds. 

Can anyone explain this? Thanks


This shouldn't have happened.  A call is not considered to have been sucessfully completed unless answered.  This means that it's not supposed to count as part of your usage unless someone answers the call or unless the call gets transfered to that person's voicemail.

 

If the receiving person is hitting the end key to silence the ringer when you are making this test call, it's possible that the call was sent to voicemail.  On current smartphones, there isn't usually a hard reject button which would send the call immediatley to voicemail.  But, with some older phones - espcially with physical buttons, pressing the end key can do that.  This is netowrk or device software dependent and I have seen rejecting a call do either (send immediatley to voicemail or just silencing the ringer) on different occasions.

P_A_G
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

@ShawnC13 wrote:

@P_A_G wrote:

Hi all,

We just signed up for a 50/50 $10 plan. My wife made a couple of test calls to see if the service was working. The calls connected, the number displayed correctly and everything seems fine. I failed to mention that both parties did not answer and my wife hung up, just to see if the call displayed the proper phone number. Everything seems fine.

While navigating the PM web site to check her profile and usage, the account was charged for 2 calls. Her usage is down to 48 minutes with nary an answered call. No call was answered and both were hung up by the caller (her). First call was 17 seconds and the second one 5 seconds. 

Can anyone explain this? Thanks


You said the call was connected correct as it in rang, I think that once it has actually connected to the number you have dialed and rings that is when the timer starts not if the person you are calling answers or if it goes to voicemail answering the call.

 

ETA:  All calls are rounded up to the nearest minute and I believe it will say that in the ToS


Sounds strange to me. Link to the ToS please. No charge for not answering a call, I hope. Thanks Shawn

ShawnC13
Oracle
Oracle

@P_A_G wrote:

Hi all,

We just signed up for a 50/50 $10 plan. My wife made a couple of test calls to see if the service was working. The calls connected, the number displayed correctly and everything seems fine. I failed to mention that both parties did not answer and my wife hung up, just to see if the call displayed the proper phone number. Everything seems fine.

While navigating the PM web site to check her profile and usage, the account was charged for 2 calls. Her usage is down to 48 minutes with nary an answered call. No call was answered and both were hung up by the caller (her). First call was 17 seconds and the second one 5 seconds. 

Can anyone explain this? Thanks


You said the call was connected correct as it in rang, I think that once it has actually connected to the number you have dialed and rings that is when the timer starts not if the person you are calling answers or if it goes to voicemail answering the call.

 

ETA:  All calls are rounded up to the nearest minute and I believe it will say that in the ToS

 


I am happy to help, but I am not a Customer Support Agent please do not include any personal info in a message to me. Click HERE to create a trouble ticket through SIMon the Chatbot *

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