disapearing cell phone credit

[Pony_Boy]

Hi I rarely post but Jester's recent thread about cell phones reminded me that I wanted to post this.

Background : I got my first cell phone in 1999 and have been with the same carrier ever since. I always get a 3 year contract since during the time of the contract I automatically build up credit which i can then use towards the purchase of a new phone. I change phones every 2 years or so.

a few months ago I realized that I was nearing the 2 year mark in my contract and since my phone is getting pretty beat up, I figure its time to check to see how much credit I have accumulated and see which shiny new phone I can get.

So I call the customer service line, ask a few questions, and they tell me I have about $200 in usable credit.

Sweet!!

Since life was already pretty hectic ( I was moving to a new province and starting a new career at the time ) I decided to put off the new phone until the Fall

so a few weeks ago I walk in the one of my provider's retail stores ready to renew my contract and get a new toy

I ask the clerk to look up how much credit i have on my account This is what followed:

Clerk: Looks like you don't have any credit yet sir.

Me: What? I had about $200 last time I checked a few months ago

Clerk: Oh I see, since then (Company) changed the way credit is awarded. The way it works now is you have to wait until the last few months of your contract before you get any credit

Me: so when will that happen and how much?

Clerk: According to the system in July 2010 you'll have $100 or so

Me: so what happened to the $200 I already had ?

Clerk: its gone



So that's how it stands now I have to wait out my current contract which ends in October 2010 ( early cancellation fees are $20 a month for every month remaining I cant afford that) Odds are I'm switching providers this whole situation left a bad taste in my mouth

Sorry this got so long I just wanted to hear your thoughts on this

[Broomjockey]

that's how my cell provider does it. Actually, that's how the last one did it too. No credit until your contract's almost up, since the credit amount is tied to the length of the contract you sign, not how long you've been with them. Way to reward loyalty, guys. Really. "You're not worth what you've done for us, but only what you're going to do with us."

[Boozy]

The least they could have done is contacted their existing customers when they made the change to let them know. Bastards.