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Old 02-03-2009, 15:48   #2
AndyCambs
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Peterborough
Services: Virgin Media XL Broadband XL Virgin Mobile V+ installed! and a happy Virgin Media customer
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Re: Virgin Mobile overseas - charged £270 for voicemail error

I have to admit, I had a call when I was overseas. I was called by a friend in Canada (I was in Toronto at the time). They called me internationally (from Canada to the UK).
I had just gone through security, and the phone was therefore in my hand luggage, and was not answered.
I was surprised to see on the bill a charge for receiving a call (80p) and also a charge for making a call at exactly the same time which came to £1.00. I didn't call the answerphone until I arrived into the UK, as I only noticed the call when I was about to board the plane. If I had called the answerphone - then it would have been another outgoing call cost to listen to the message. That would effectively have been four international calls (Canada - UK and back to my cellphone,cellphone back to UK for answerphone, and then me to call the answerphone).

I'm pretty certain that no other phone company charges you for not answering a telephone call, and it does seem a little harsh to charge you twice in these circumstances. When I queried the cost, I was advised that it would be possible to divert all calls to the answerphone before you leave the UK, and this would avoid the double charge, but then you wouldn't be able to receive any calls whilst abroad which does defeat the object of a cell phone.

Fortunately my bill wasn't in the same league as this one.

You can see the information here on the website where it's explained in small print...

Quote:
Set your call diverts

  • When someone reaches your voicemail, you get charged the cost of sending the call to the country you're in, and then back to the UK even though they may not leave a message.
  • But you can get around this - just set your phone to 'divert all calls' to voicemail.
  • However, this does mean that you won't get any incoming calls.
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