# Meteor Samsung Android phone off contract credit usage



## Slim (27 Feb 2012)

Hi. Mrs Slim recently came off her Meteor contract and went pay as you go. She has switched off external data roaming etc but the phone still debits minimum 70c per day regardless of usage. This usually happens overnight but when she switched off the phone it debited it as soon as she switched it on in the morning. Meteor shop not helpful as she has come off contract.

Any ideas?


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## Knuttell (27 Feb 2012)

There are apps running in the background,she needs to turn them off,she may think she has but in reality I think she probably hasn't,the daily cost for the internet on Meteor is 69c per 24 hour period,sounds like your culprit,surprised the staff couldn't have figured this one out.
Try this...

Go to *settings/wireless and networks/Mobile Networks *and make sure *"use packet data"*is turned off..I have a Samsung Galaxy phone so I would imagine the navigation path is similar.

When she needs to use the internet then its the same steps and just tick on *use packet data* and she can roam for 24 hrs,just make sure to turn it off before midnight.


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## Slim (27 Feb 2012)

Knuttell said:


> There are apps running in the background,she needs to turn them off,she may think she has but in reality I think she probably hasn't,the daily cost for the internet on Meteor is 69c per 24 hour period,sounds like your culprit,surprised the staff couldn't have figured this one out.
> Try this...
> 
> Go to *settings/wireless and networks/Mobile Networks *and make sure *"use packet data"*is turned off..I have a Samsung Galaxy phone so I would imagine the navigation path is similar.
> ...


Hi. Thanks for answering. Under 'mobile network settings' there are 4 options: data roaming, access point names, network mode, network operators. 
Nothing about 'packet data'!


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## Knuttell (27 Feb 2012)

I have a samsung galay mini,on that model the path leads to *use packet data.*..have you tried scrolling down maybe its at the bottom?there is an option somewhere on your phone that controls turning the internet on and off.try googling your model phone with that question.


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## Slim (28 Feb 2012)

Knuttell said:


> I have a samsung galay mini,on that model the path leads to *use packet data.*..have you tried scrolling down maybe its at the bottom?there is an option somewhere on your phone that controls turning the internet on and off.try googling your model phone with that question.


 
No, her phone is the i9000. She thinks she has turned off the internet. The debit of 69c appears after she has charged the phone, interestingly, no matter when she does that, usually daily. Thanks for trying to help. The search will continue. Slim


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## Lightning (28 Feb 2012)

It would be email refreshing that is causing it? 



Slim said:


> Hi. Mrs Slim recently came off her Meteor contract and went pay as you go. She has switched off external data roaming etc but the phone still debits minimum 70c per day regardless of usage. This usually happens overnight but when she switched off the phone it debited it as soon as she switched it on in the morning. Meteor shop not helpful as she has come off contract.
> 
> Any ideas?



Several package options: 
1) Buy a 500 MB Meteor data add on for 30 days for 4.99 EUR. 
2) Top up by 30 EUR and get 1 GB of free data per month and other goodies. 
3) Switch to 3 and get unlimited free data for 30 days when you top up by 20 EUR


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## gipimann (28 Feb 2012)

There may be an automatic daily upgrade of the apps on the phone - thought I remembered reading about this feature before.

There should be an option to turn off daily upgrades.  I don't have a smartphone so can't be of any help in that regard!


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## Slim (28 Feb 2012)

CiaranT said:


> 1) Buy a 500 MB Meteor data add on for 30 days for 4.99 EUR.
> 2) Top up by 30 EUR and get 1 GB of free data per month and other goodies.
> 3) Switch to 3 and get unlimited free data for 30 days when you top up by 20 EUR


 
Hmm. 500mb add on might be  agood idea. Trying to keep overall bill down to €20 pm. Thanks.

Gipimann. yes, probable updating of apps or suchlike.

Thanks all.


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## Full_Irish (3 Mar 2012)

Hi Slim,

We have the exact same problem.

I bought the Mrs a Samsung android last June. She never used it for the internet but late last year she mentioned to me that her Pay As You Go Credit was disappearing much, much quicker than it used to before she got her new phone. When I logged on to the Meteor site, I discovered that amounts of 56 cent were being deducted virtually on a daily basis, sometimes even twice a day. When I added up the costs of these debits (the system only let me see as far back as 25 August) I found that over Euro 80 had been charged in this way. Like you, I was absolutely gobsmacked!

My wife rang Meteor customer services (they charge for the priviledge) and, believe it or not, their only suggestion was to turn off and then on the phone. Unbelievable! She then brought the phone to a Meteor shop and explained the problem. They suggested that she buy a non-android phone. Even more unbelievable!

I search the meteor forum and found a similar complaint. The forum adminstrator told her how to prevent the charges (turn off packet sending, or something like that) and refunded the complainant. I emailed info@meteor.ie, got a useless reply, emailed them several more times and got more useless replies, with no offer of refund.

I then referred the matter to ComReg. Very soon afterwards, my wife received a call from Meteor. Their representative told her it was up to the customer to be aware of the charges, i.e. they were not going to refund her the money. After a lengthy conversation, the rep begrudgingly advised that he would credit her account with Euro 40 "as a gesture of goodwill".

We wrote again to ComReg and advised them of Meteor's response. They replied as follows:

"Your case with ComReg is now closed as a response was received from Meteor".

So, it seems that from ComReg's point of view, once Meteor responded (regardless of how they responded), that's the end of the matter as far as they are concerned.

Two of the key points I had made to ComReg (and Meteor) were that (1) the customer should be informed that an android phone would incur such costs and (2) the default setting for the automatic internet update option on the phone should be set to 'off'. ComReg had this to say in their response:

"ComReg does not have any regulations which would mean that providers must disclose this information at the point of sale, or that they must adjust handsets so that they default to a particular setting. However, ComReg is currently looking into the wider situation relating to the charges associated with handsets automatically updating".

So, I have had no joy from either Meteor or ComReg on this. I'm certainly not finished yet, though. My next course is to write to the Consumer Association of Ireland to see if they can or will do something.

Apologies for the length of this, my very first post on this forum. Just hope the information might be of use to others who have found themselves in the same boat.

Regards,

Full_Irish


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## shesells (3 Mar 2012)

Try contacting the CEO of Meteor on twitter...can't remember his name off the top of my head but I have heard of problems being solved really quickly following contact with him. Google should help find his name


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## Full_Irish (4 Mar 2012)

Thanks, shesells.

I don't actually use Twitter (it's just me - can't really see the point!) so maybe if Slim could try that avenue.

In the meantime, I've just written to the National Consumer Agency and will post again when I receive their reply.

Surely there must be lots of others who have been 'caught out' this way?

Regards


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## Full_Irish (5 Mar 2012)

I received a reply from the National Consumer Agency today (I only emailed them yesterday, Sunday). In fairness, both the NCA and ComReg have both responded very, very promptly to my queries - credit where it's due.

Here's what they said:

"The NCA cannot seek individual redress for consumers as that is outside our remit.  However, the issue you have raised will be referred to our Commercial Practices Division (CPD) for their information and any follow up that they deem appropriate from a general consumer detriment perspective."

So, hopefully, they will do something to protect the consumer.

BTW, I have been trying since yesterday, without success, to register on the Meteor forums so that I could raise this issue there. However, I keep getting a message saying "An Unexpected Error Has Occurred" (the msg is generated from their website, not my PC!). I've even tried different phone number/pin, email address, etc., (yes, I know..... I'm just being paranoid!) but keep getting the same message. Could their forum really be unable to process new registrations all this time?

Regards


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## Spear (5 Mar 2012)

shesells said:


> Try contacting the CEO of Meteor on twitter...can't remember his name off the top of my head but I have heard of problems being solved really quickly following contact with him. Google should help find his name



There is no ceo of meteor as it is now run by Eircom. Stephen Beynon is the top commercial guy there, who is big into twitter.


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## Full_Irish (5 Mar 2012)

Thanks, Spear.

I just might consider doing the unthinkable and sign up to Twitter . Not exactly sure what else I can do right now, although the NCA did also suggest that I consider taking Meteor to the Small Claims Court. Will also think about that.....

Regards


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## MB05 (5 Mar 2012)

Twitter seems to be the best way to get a response. I work for eircom and I can tell you that both eircom and meteor have dedicated staff just to deal with queries there. Even if you don't have a twitter account just create a dummy one and contact them. I think they are most active from 9-5 so you will get their attention immediately if you tweet them then.

Did you see Meteor's new 30 Day Sim Only contract? I saw it on the Meteor website the other day when I was logging on to my account. Don't know much about it but it's seems like a very good deal. I'd go for it myself except I am a very light user of the phone (barely text and don't use data). I top up by about €10 every month max as I get free meteor calls with that.

The deal is €15.25 a month and you get 200 any network minutes & texts, 1GB of data and free Meteor calls & texts. You are not tied to any lengthy contract so it's like payg. I think you have to sign up online for that price. If you are interested check their website because there could be another catch I'm not seeing.


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## shesells (6 Mar 2012)

Spear said:


> There is no ceo of meteor as it is now run by Eircom. Stephen Beynon is the top commercial guy there, who is big into twitter.



My mistake but yes that's who I meant. He is on Twitter. Don't waste your time with the Meteor account, go straight to him


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## AlbacoreA (6 Mar 2012)

I note with O2 phones we have, now, the default when you swap sims is for them to enable data by default. As do most apps, if your not looking. I got data turned off on the sim, and just use WiFi.


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