Verizon Wireless might chalk this one up to bad luck.
The carrier’s system that is designed to alert customers when they’re about to incur overage charges apparently isn’t foolproof. If it’s going to fail, the last person you probably want impacted is someone who works for Consumer Reports. But that’s exactly what happened.
CR reporter Jeff Blyksal got a bill that included $70 in overages, but he never got a call or text message warning him that he was getting close to his limits, as had been promised when he signed up for service. Blyskal told San Francisco’s KGO-TV he finds it ironic that the carrier has no problem reaching him regularly with promotions for new devices, but can’t come through with simple communication about pending overages. Verizon told the reporter that, in his case, the alert system failed for a number of reasons, and encouraged customers to monitor their usage online or via the company’s automated phone system.
Blyksal’s issue is part of a much bigger problem both in the U.S. and abroad. You’ve heard the horror stories of bill shock – with some people opening up their mail to see they owe thousands of dollars in overage charges. While the debate rages on as to whether it’s the consumer’s responsibility to read the fine print, the carrier’s duty to let its customers know when bill shock is about to happen, or both – governments are taking steps to get involved. The FCC is mulling whether to make overage alerts mandatory. The European Union has already adopted similar standards.
