Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
lonegreywolf20

I am a Verizon wireless customer on a nationwide plan. I also pay $15.00 extra to get up to 1500 text messsages and pix/flix. I do not access the internet on my phone and the only thing I receive other than phoen calls are texts, either word or picture and rarely 15 second videos.

 

For a few months now I have been charged $1.99 data usage fee. When I called Verizon, they first said that I accessed the internet. Which I told them is something I just do not do. Then they said that I am getting charged the data fee for sending/receiving pictures and videos. These pictures and videos are of my children that are 1200 miles away (previous relationship) and I'm not about to lose my only ability to see them since their mother does not have internet access and is unable to send me pictures via the inteenet and email.

 

It's hard for me to believe that something I already pay for, texts, pix/flix is being billed again in the form of data usage charges. These are text messages, whether in word form or pictures and videos. The internet is not involved at all from what my understanding is.

 

Why am I being charged a data usage fee then if teh internet is not being used? Should I be charged this fee?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

lonegreywolf20

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
nmchileman
Master - Level 3

You absolutely, totally positive, 100% sure, under any circumstances DO NOT get billed any mebabytes for sending/receiving Picture/Video messages if you're paying for a messaging bundle.

 

The $1.99 Megabyte is coming from some type of web access. Either directly thru the Mobile Web or browsing the Media Center catalog or some games/applications will use megabytes. So you're using it some where, otherwise you wouldn't be getting charged $1.99 in the first place, you just might not realize what you're doing.

 

You can use this handy chart to see what does/doesn't charge you megabytes

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
lonegreywolf20

I actually just got off the phone with a Verizon CS rep. She did confirm what you had said about not being charged for pix/flix. She also mentioned that I do have everything blocked that will allow me access to the internet w/o sacrificing my ability to receive pix/flix.

 

So in essence she wasn't sure why I was being charged at all and said that I was given wrong info in regards to being charged for pix/flix. She mentioned that she thoroughly documented everything that her and I talked about, so that if it happens again I can call up and have the charge removed as she did this current time.

 

I know that I don't access the internet on my phone. I don't play any games, I don't download ringtones or anything that would constitute getting a charge. I'm 100% sure on that. I know my way around a cell phone and I have internet access at home for my internet needs. I don't need it on my phone.

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
Scipizoa
Newbie

Actually, there ish something fishy here, for one, I called verizon amonth ago regarding data charges on my bills which i found out were from backup assistant[who knew right??] anyways, I then deleted backup assistant and requested that all data access   that'll cause a $1.99 charge on my bill be blocked, I forget exactly what she said couldn't be blocked, but she said if I did block it, i couldn't get pictures or video's, since the technology to seperate pics and video messaging from data is not yet present.

 

So there must be something wrong with your phone or account for you to be getting charged $1.99 per pic send and recieve, but there is difenitly a link between pic/video messaging and data usage.

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
nmchileman
Master - Level 3

Scipizoa wrote:

but there is difenitly a link between pic/video messaging and data usage.


Yes, there is a link, MMS uses the same data connection as web browsing or downloads would. They both use the EVDO connection on your phone. However, for the purpose of billing MMS usage is tracked and not billed at normal per MB rates of $1.99. So, same connection yes. Same charges, no.

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
nellery28
Newbie

I have the unlimited text/pic/vid bundle. They told me that it included Mobile IM since that is like texting. What they didn't tell me is the data use charge to connect to it. Pretty messed up that I can't use a feature under my UNLIMITED PACKAGE but it costs me money to use it. Figure that one out. I didn't switch from T-Mobile to Verizon to get sneaky business.

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
SuzyQ
Community Leader
Community Leader

 


nellery28 wrote:

I have the unlimited text/pic/vid bundle. They told me that it included Mobile IM since that is like texting. What they didn't tell me is the data use charge to connect to it. Pretty messed up that I can't use a feature under my UNLIMITED PACKAGE but it costs me money to use it. Figure that one out. I didn't switch from T-Mobile to Verizon to get sneaky business.


The only "data" charge for Mobile IM is the initial download of the app.  Connecting and usage, although using a data connection, is NOT charged - it's all counted towards your texting allowance, or is all included in your case.  If you are being charged for MB usage, it's coming from something else.  Since I switched my shortcut keys to avoid accidentally "connecting" and also blocked web access and browsing, I don't get the stray MB charges any longer.

 

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
3AngryTeenagers

I am a 5 year Verizon customer.  I recently added unlimited text messaging and FREE picture messaging to my calling plan.  Since then I have received monthly 1.99 data charges on EACH of my four family lines for an additional $8 per month.  I have put all the web blocks in place, yet the charges continued to come monthly.  At first your customer service personnel were helpful at removing the charges, but in recent months Verizon's phone customer service staff have been rude, unpleasant, and refuse to delete charges.  They have also not responded to my request to speak with upper level customer service managers.  I was told I was "accidentally" pressing the web access key on my phone and therefore deserved the charges.  My only recourse has been to TOTALLY BLOCKS ALL WEB ACCESS INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL WEB ACCESS.  Unfortunately, this also completely blocks my FREE picture messaging.  I believe Verizon Wireless is falsely advertising FREE Picture Messaging and now you have 3 Angry Teenagers and 1 Mad Mom!

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
nmchileman
Master - Level 3

I have two lines on a family share plan also with unlimited messaging. These two lines do not have data plans on them and they belong to my younger brothers who send/receive about 100-150 picture messages a month. I've never paid a $1.99 for a megabyte while they use picture messaging. Never.

MMS does not usage megabytes. Your family is accessing data some other way.

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Re: Data usage charges for receiving picture messages?
lonegreywolf20

 


nmchileman wrote:

I have two lines on a family share plan also with unlimited messaging. These two lines do not have data plans on them and they belong to my younger brothers who send/receive about 100-150 picture messages a month. I've never paid a $1.99 for a megabyte while they use picture messaging. Never.

MMS does not usage megabytes. Your family is accessing data some other way.


 

 

{keep it courteous} Just with my post alone shows that Verizon is putting that $1.99 charge on people's bills for no apparent reason. The lady I spoke to even told me that she could find nothing that was accessed in order for me to obtain those charges.

 

I have seen plenty of other posts on here as well that have similar stories to my own. We are most certaintly not accessing data in some other way, when everything has been blocked.

 

Rather than accusing people, maybe you can sit back and think about what we're all saying and realize that maybe we really are telling the truth and Verizon is somehow charging us for something we have never used.

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