Virgin Media Community

[OliverX]

Just got my bill - we have a landline and Talk More Anytime.  I have been charged over £28 for a four hour call to Boots. That call was not made - and why would my wife, daughter or I phone the local chemists for four hours?  However, the following day, my wife says she tried to phone Bank of Scotland - she tried a few times but each time Boots answered!

I have tried phoning Customer Support, got passed round the houses, and was told the call was made and there is nothing that they can do about it.

This is not good enough.  I expect this to be sorted out and soon.

[Ian014]

What is the full telephone number of the number that was called?

[OliverX]

02078373430

[Ian014]

According to Mr. Google, that London number most definitely belongs to Boots in Islington.

If you have it noted as the number for your bank, there's an error in your contacts list.

That doesn't explain the very long call unless the phone was accidentally knocked and re-dialled a previously dialled number. 

In that case, the first 59 minutes would have been inclusive in allowances and anything beyond 60 minutes would have been charged at 16p per minute.

[japitts]

I also have a nasty feeling that landline call packages generally include calls upto 59minutes as inclusive. Once a call goes over 60minutes, I suspect the whole call becomes chargeable, not just the 61minute onwards element.

I can't see anything in the T&Cs that contradicts this, indeed the FAQs state "Re-dial before 60 minutes to avoid call charges. Calls over 60 minutes will be charged at standard rates".

WIth that in mind, 16p/minute equates to £9.60 per hour. Although I've managed calls of 2hours before now, I believe EE for one has a network-induced cutoff at 3hours - presumably to prevent this sort of problem.

[Graham_A]

In my experience the first 59 minutes are covered in the inclusive package but the remainder of the call is charged for.

As for @OliverX original query I believe this type of issue can be caused where lines have become crossed in a local cabinet.  If you call your home phone from another phone number do you receive the call?

Suggest you get back onto customer services or wait here for this thread to be picked up by the VM Forum Team. This may take a day or two with the weekend.

[Ian014]

Where calls made from landlines are inclusive in allowances, calls up to 59 minutes duration incur no additional charges.

Just to clarify and confirm, if the call exceeds 60 minutes, it is only the excess call time beyond 60 minutes that incurs the additional per-minute charge. That is, a call of 90 minutes duration would be charged for the final 30 minutes. 

If you need to continue talking, simply hang up before 59 minutes has elapsed and re-dial the number. This will be a separate call and the 59 minute counter starts again.

[OliverX]

Thanks to all for your replies.

The phone number I supplied above is for the local branch of Boots.

On 13th Sept. my daughter made a short call to Boots with a query. Boot phoned her back shortly after with some information.

The following day, my wife tried to phone RBS. She tried a few times using the correct number for RBS but each time Boots answered, so my wife gave up and thought no more of it.

Now I have a bill including a charge of £28.64 including VAT for the short call to Boots. FWIW, we also think the time of day given for the call (14.46) is wrong. My daughter is at work during the day. She thinks the short call to Boots was made later in the evening.

My wife, daughter and I have been trying as best we can to piece the above chronology. But in short there is no way anyone from my house made a call to Boots lasting 239 minutes as per VM's bill. We are very aware of the advisability to redial if a call is going beyond 59 minutes or whatever. The bill is wrong and I am being grossly overcharged.

I'll be very pleased if someone from VM can investigate this.

[Steven_L · Accepted solution]

Hi OliverX,

I would like to take a further look into this for you but would need some more details to do so. I will send over a private message now with a request for more details and I can then take a look at this issue for you.

Regards

Steven_L