Double-Charging a Phone

During, or just prior to this transfer I was alerted that I was eligible for a free hardware upgrade on my phone. I liked my current phone and hesitated to accept, but was explained that I would continue to be eligible in the future for this upgrade so there was no rush. I could keep my phone, and get a new one anytime I wanted free of charge ($0 phone obviously).

Three months after the transfer, my phone screen died (apparently the light inside the phone died), so I went to Rogers to finally get my free hardware upgrade. I chose a $50 phone because it was the closest to my model. So I understood that my free upgrade would actually cost me $50, the price of the phone.

I was then alerted that I had to pay an additional $75 on top of that because I was an existing customer, and only new members got the phone for $50. This is because of their “tier system”. I mentioned that I was offered a free upgrade three months prior and declined under the understanding that I would be able to get that free upgrade at any time. After talking to many representatives on the phone they told me “that was a one time offer and you declined, and that’s it.” After explaining to many different representatives what I was told, they decided to launch an investigation, which has been ongoing for three weeks now with no resolve. The issue is whenever a transfer of responsibility is completed; you lose all eligibility for free upgrades and offers.

But here’s the problem with that, the reason you get a phone for free is based on the length of your contract. In essence the contract pays for your phone. After a certain period of time your contract will have fully paid off the phone and you get the “free upgrade” to renew your contract which will then pay for that new phone. Now this actually can double charge you for your phone as in my case.

My old phone was being paid on for two full years in my contract, to the point where that phone was paid off and I was offered a free upgrade, this means that to Rogers that phone is now worth nothing to them. It’s been paid for completely. But when I transferred this phone to a new account their system automatically acts as if I have not paid anything on the phone! To them I had only been paying for the phone for three months.

So I am being charged an additional $75 for being an existing customer, because they feel they have not gotten enough money for my old phone, even though just before the transfer it was clear the phone was paid off in full.

Here’s an example to make this a little clearer. If my phone technically cost $300, but I get it for $0 because I’m in a contract with them, one year into the contract I technically have paid $200 of the phone off, if I want a new phone at that point in time I need to pay them an additional $100 dollars to get the new phone, and renew the contract so that the new contract pays off the new phone.

In my case, my phone was paid off in full and now I’m being double charged for the phone ($75) because their system magically resets everything when a transfer of responsibility is completed. All of this is never explained to you over the phone, and currently after numerous conversations with the representatives nothing is done. This is outrageous that you are forced into renewing contracts that are not clearly explained, or are explained incorrectly. You really have to have everything in writing and signed to actually get Rogers to fix an issue.

Summary: Their tier system allows for you to be double charged for items. Different representatives offer many things in order to get you trapped in a contract, and Rogers refuses to honor the agreements made. And in general, customer support is useless.