duffer

Hi,

My wife heard something about the €5 fee you must pay everytime you top up your mobile being abolished very shortly. This would be great news! It's such a rip-off.

Also, is anyone aware of any Italian consumer rights websites such as the BBC Watchdog site...

CarrieW

How long have you been living here Duffer?! And you still think that Italians will listen if you complain?!!! I would love to see an Italian version of Anne Robinson on Rai one night!

Good news if the fee thing becomes reality, although I just changed my phone over to '3' mobile, as they do not have the fee or an expiry on credits, unlike with my previous mobile 'pay as you go' with TIM (or so I was lead to believe!).

chris120

Actually there is a programme that champions peoples rights, its called mi manda RAI 3 and it has an e-mail address if you think that you have a gripe that might warrant airing = [email protected] I actually like the program which general deals with 3 or 4 issues per episode. As with a lot of Italian TV there is a lot of shouting and arguing and your Italian needs to be pretty good to follow it. In Italy you can never be sure whether something is a fix or not but they sometimes get the wrong doers on the set and occasionally they promise to fix or give money back. Unbelievable, I know, but I’ve heard it with my own ears.
Also there is striscia la notizia on Canale 5, which is a bit more light hearted but occasionally tackles social injustice, rip offs etc.

CarrieW

Just saw on another forum that Vodafone are getting rid of the top up charge from 4th March. Not sure about other networks but might be worth checking on the website for your own network to see if it is worth making your existing credit last a few more days

chris120

I'll believe it when i see it, i reckon that if they knock the EU5 off they will increase the call rates to make up.

mazi

What top up fee? I'm with Wind and to my knowledge I haven't been charged this. I do occasionally get a text tellingme they'll take a fee in exchange for several hundred texts or free calls to other wind users but...what fee?

chris120

if you have a rechargeable mobile you generally pay EU30 to get EU25 worth of credit. ie EU5 top up fee.

mazi

Oh I see - I always buy 50 euro so I don't pay that - it's not on the 50 euro cards

duffer

Unfortunately I'm with Tim. Had to get Tim because of the missus. I need to pay €5 everytime I top up my mobile regardless of the amount, i.e €5 credit + €5 fee or €45 + €5 fee. I've seen on the Wind website that for €50 you don't pay the fee but for lower amounts you are charged between 20 to 25% of the credit. This is completely out of order.

I'm not keeping my fingers crossed on Tim being very efficient with the removal of the fee and the sad thing is that I've just topped up on Saturday €50 after going almost 2 weeks on 10 cent worth of credit waiting for the removal!!!

Bugger.

I want to change network providers but still keep the same number. However can I do this on pay as you go? probably not.

duffer

Just confirming what Carrie mentioned earlier that Vodafone will be eliminating the €5 top up fee from 4th March. Bugger all from Tim though.

Anyone for tennis?

CarrieW

I changed my phone from TIM to 3 and got a new phone but kept my old number. Visit a 'Tre' shop if you are interested as the website is useless and after three attempts at trying to order the phone and port my number online I gave up - it kept cancelling my order without explanation.

'3' do not have an expiry on their credits, although they do automatically give you a set amount of the credit for downloads, which does expire. I think on a 10 euro credit 2 euros is for TV and music etc. As I do not use my phone much it made more sense to have non expiring credits. Probably all swings and roundabouts - what they give with one hand they take with the other

duffer

Thanks Carrie for the advice. In fact, I have seen in almost all centro commericali a '3' stand with special offers. I might actually stop by one next time.

Claremilano

Hi,
I am with Vodaphone in Italy (pay as you go) and they are definitely getting rid of the charge for topping up your phone, I got a text message from them yesterday confirming it - effective from the 4th March.

duffer

Italy is the only country in Europe that has allowed this charge to be applied by the networks apparently.

Now get this: On my Tim tariff I can call 3 'best friend' numbers at a discounted rate. I changed one of these 'best friend' numbers and was charged €5 for the pleasure. What a rip-off !!!

Is it worth calling a telecommunications company to complain ??? No! Because they tell you to write in with you complaint!