You've Got to be Kidding

I can’t believe it. After half an hour on the phone with FIDO, I learned that if I am in the US and someone calls my cell and leaves a message on my voicemail, I am charged long distance and roaming charges. My understanding was that if I answered the phone, then I would be charged for the usage.

Not so says the FIDO customer service rep. If my phone is left on when I cross the border and someone calls, the US cell carriers picks up and will forward the call back to Canada and my voicemail. Thus the rationale for the long distance and roaming charges. And what are the charges? $1.75 per minute rounded to the minute. Good god.

I was also charged when I called from a landline phone back to my voicemail. This also resulted in long distance and roaming charges. I can’t believe it.

The customer service’s rep solution: turn off your phone before you hit the US. That way the US cell towers won’t know you entered their territory. Huh? Or deactivate the supposedly 3 call forwarding features that direct the calls to my voicemail. Huh?

I asked the service rep to send me the policy which states that I will be charged if a call ends up in my voicemail. He tells me to look it up on the FIDO website. Yeah, well how about mailing it to me buddy. It doesn’t matter, they can change their terms of service without notice I am advised.

Well for this time (only), they will give me a goodwill credit. However, now that I know how long distance and roaming works, then don’t call again for a credit. Thanks buddy.

All I know is that I will not lock into another 2 or 3 year contract again. We need COMPETITION in Canada NOW! These large companies are taking us for granted.