I started this as a Facebook status but I realized it’s going to better fit as a blog post. Here I go.

Rs. 30,000 worth Mobilink bill, that too on a post-paid number that I don’t use much with a Rs.1500 credit limit???

Mobilink Post-paid users out there , if you were enjoying 3G Trial data on your phone, please be prepared, this could happen to you.

This morning, I received 2 different SMS on my secondary postpaid number saying:

SMS1: Your bill is 4500. Your number is now blocked.

After receiving first SMS I thought it’s fine and I paid it (though it wasn’t fine). I paid the bill and they did say that your number is restored but it got blocked again.

SMS2: Your bill is 26500. Your number is now blocked.

Later I realized total credit limit of this number was only Rs. 1500

*OMG*

Please note this is not my regular number and I use it as a backup (not even secondary ) number.

What to do

If this happens to you, do following:

1. Do not panic 🙂
2. Do not pay any of these bills
3. Make sure this huge bill is not cs of ur international roaming or something.
4. Call the helpline with the facts and figures
5. They will try to shun you off telling you have to pay the bill or ur number is not coming back. Politely make them realize that you have a point 🙂 — obviously a small credit limit number can’t go that high on usage.
6. Once you assert and make them realize, they will talk to somebody senior and will get ur case checked.
7. Usually on the same call they will promise that the bill will be reversed and the number will be restored.
8. If they don’t restore the number in next few minutes, call again and follow step 5 onwards again …. till your problem is solved.

Why it actually happened?

It’s definitely 3G data usage.

When I use my normal postpaid number, if my usage goes beyond 75% of my credit limit, they block my number, no calls, no SMS and on 90% even the data is gone.

On 3G, I think they have a different billing mechanism and that’s what caused the problem. Please note if you do not have a package offer activated on your number, they’ll charge you Rs. 18 or so per mb, that is whopping Rs. 18000 per GB.

On the other hand, their bundle offer starts from Rs. 200 per GB , you can see the difference?

Apparently they charged me some GBs worth of data before I signed up for the bundle package.

How to avoid it?

If you really want to use 3G data, go ahead and subscribe to their 3G packages. They are not very expensive.

Package 1 : Rs. 200 per GB, can be subscribed again during a month.

Package 2: Rs. 500 per month, you get 3GB of volume, can’t subscribe again within a month, once you get done with 3GB, Rs. 18/Mb is charged.

Package 3: Rs. 1000 per month, you get 8GB of data, can’t subscribe again in a month, and once over-limit, Rs. 18/Mb is charged.

Also, keep an eye on your bill and call immediately before they send you a huge bill.

Hope this helps.

p.s: Mobilink helpline was really helpful in this regard 🙂