Charged for Toll Free #'s - Rogers

[haisam10]

Hey Guys,

I recently received my rogers cell phone bill and noticed that I had about $30 in LD charges. I have 100 minutes so I called Rogers to find out what was going on. I have a 416 number and go to Univ of Waterloo, so am in Kitchener/Waterloo 4-5 days out of the week.

I was told that since I called a TOLL FREE number outside my area, it counted as long distance. I dont get how this works. I want my money refunded. The lady said that Toll Free numbers were designed for land lines. how should I go about dealing with this situation?

[lemailme]

Hey Guys,

I recently received my rogers cell phone bill and noticed that I had about $30 in LD charges. I have 100 minutes so I called Rogers to find out what was going on. I have a 416 number and go to Univ of Waterloo, so am in Kitchener/Waterloo 4-5 days out of the week.

I was told that since I called a TOLL FREE number outside my area, it counted as long distance. I dont get how this works. I want my money refunded. The lady said that Toll Free numbers were designed for land lines. how should I go about dealing with this situation?

Were you roaming?

If youre roaming then calling a toll free number still costs airtime.

[y2jversion1]

She's BSing you - toll-frees are not exclusive to land lines - however you will rack up your own usage minutes for it as well as roaming if you're out of the area.

[psyko514]

Using your phone outside your local calling area is considered long distance unless you're calling within the calling area you're visiting. For example, if you travel to Montreal, using your phone to call outside Montreal (including toll free calls) will incur long distance. Calling local Montreal numbers will simply use your regular airtime. So in your case, using your 416 number in the 519 to call anything but 519 numbers incurs long distance charges.

On a cell phone, toll free numbers are only free if you're calling from your local calling area. So though her choice of wording may be a little off, toll free numbers are only truly always toll free from land lines.

And for the record, "roaming" is not the proper term here. Roaming implies using your phone on a network other than your carrier's network. You can travel to another calling area (ex. from Toronto to Ottawa) and not be roaming. Regardless, there are no roaming charges in Canada if you roam on another Canadian carrier, just applicable long distance fees.

Hope this makes sense!

[haisam10]

Were you roaming?

If youre roaming then calling a toll free number still costs airtime.

ya i was NOT in my local area (i.e. I have a 416 number and called from Kitchener). I called during my unlimited minutes time so air time didnt matter BUT they charged me for long distance (0.30 cents a minute). From what I understand, toll free means that the people you call pay for long distance, so i do not get what is going on here and why I am being charged...

[haisam10]

Using your phone outside your local calling area is considered long distance unless you're calling within the calling area you're visiting. For example, if you travel to Montreal, using your phone to call outside Montreal (including toll free calls) will incur long distance. Calling local Montreal numbers will simply use your regular airtime. So in your case, using your 416 number in the 519 to call anything but 519 numbers incurs long distance charges.

On a cell phone, toll free numbers are only free if you're calling from your local calling area. So though her choice of wording may be a little off, toll free numbers are only truly always toll free from land lines.

And for the record, "roaming" is not the proper term here. Roaming implies using your phone on a network other than your carrier's network. You can travel to another calling area (ex. from Toronto to Ottawa) and not be roaming. Regardless, there are no roaming charges in Canada if you roam on another Canadian carrier, just applicable long distance fees.

Hope this makes sense!

thanks psyk o. Gta say that this seem very unfair and does suck. I still dont think i should be paying the LD charges, but whats done is done. Going to try and avoid making call to toll free numbers outside my home area from now on.

[psyko514]

ya i was NOT in my local area (i.e. I have a 416 number and called from Kitchener). I called during my unlimited minutes time so air time didnt matter BUT they charged me for long distance (0.30 cents a minute). From what I understand, toll free means that the people you call pay for long distance, so i do not get what is going on here and why I am being charged...

Basically, there are two kinds of long distance on a cell phone. Calling from your LCA to a LD number, or calling from outside your LCA to a number outside your current calling area. Toll free only applies to the first kind.

There's a double ding, though. The company you called toll free also had to pay per minute for the call.

[z24driver1986]

I didn't get charged for making 1-800 call outside of my area code... only airtime taken off.

[Shiznacka]

From what I understand, toll free means that the people you call pay for long distance, so i do not get what is going on here and why I am being charged...

That's not toll-free that's calling "collect". Usually done from a payphone.

[Wasgo]

That's not toll-free that's calling "collect". Usually done from a payphone.

That is actually toll-free. Toll-free numbers aren't actually local, they just pay the phone company for any and all long distance charges.

[psyko514]

That's not toll-free that's calling "collect". Usually done from a payphone.

Owners of a toll-free number pay a flat rate per minute depending on where the call originates. They can restrict which regions and/or area codes are able to call them so as to minimize costs.

[-=Wraith=-]

I've always thought that cell phone users have had to pay to call toll-free numbers...

[Bookpreviews]

Using your phone outside your local calling area is considered long distance unless you're calling within the calling area you're visiting. For example, if you travel to Montreal, using your phone to call outside Montreal (including toll free calls) will incur long distance. Calling local Montreal numbers will simply use your regular airtime. So in your case, using your 416 number in the 519 to call anything but 519 numbers incurs long distance charges.

On a cell phone, toll free numbers are only free if you're calling from your local calling area. So though her choice of wording may be a little off, toll free numbers are only truly always toll free from land lines.

And for the record, "roaming" is not the proper term here. Roaming implies using your phone on a network other than your carrier's network. You can travel to another calling area (ex. from Toronto to Ottawa) and not be roaming. Regardless, there are no roaming charges in Canada if you roam on another Canadian carrier, just applicable long distance fees.

Hope this makes sense!

Aren't toll free phone # also free if you use a pay phone?
I know they used to be unless that had changed recently?

[psyko514]

Aren't toll free phone # also free if you use a pay phone?
I know they used to be unless that had changed recently?

Yes, they still are.

[CrazyJo82]

I dont remember being charged LD for toll-free call when I lived in Waterloo with a 416 #

[Tha_Doggg]

I dont remember being charged LD for toll-free call when I lived in Waterloo with a 416 #

Yeah same here. I haven't been charged for toll free calling when outside of my local calling area. Could it be carrier specific?

[MikeNet]

Must be carrier specific as I've also never paid for TF calls from cell outside my local area. TF calls are supposed to be free as the receiver is picking up the tab and is equivalent to a local call (so even outside your calling area should be considered a local call/airtime and the rest is picked up by the receiver). Looks like Robbers is making up all these new rules.

[windough]

Is this something new, as I have always been making 1-800, 1-866 calls while out of Local Calling area on Rogers. I have only been using up Airtime.

[905fcuk]

I didn't get charged for making 1-800 call outside of my area code... only airtime taken off.

Same here. Never in my life have I incurred LD charges for calling a toll free number in Canada, regardless of my location.

For instance, Ive got a Hamilton number, and I used 100+ minutes calling toll-free numbers in Ottawa. No charges there.

[JWL]

Here is Rogers' explanation of what happens when you aren't in the area of your area code:
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-plans/wp_long_dist_local_calling?content10=wp_long_dist_ local_calling_tab

For outgoing calls it is about where you are vs. where you care calling. Your home area code is irrelevant. So although Op has a 416 area code, if he is calling from Waterloo to Waterloo, there are NO LD charges.

Based on this Op should have no LD charges for 1-800 calls from Waterloo.

[psyko514]

Here is Rogers' explanation of what happens when you aren't in the area of your area code:
http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-plans/wp_long_dist_local_calling?content10=wp_long_dist_ local_calling_tab

For outgoing calls it is about where you are vs. where you care calling. Your home area code is irrelevant. So although Op has a 416 area code, if he is calling from Waterloo to Waterloo, there are NO LD charges.

Based on this Op should have no LD charges for 1-800 calls from Waterloo.

That's exactly what I said. Except OP isn't calling Waterloo to Waterloo in this scenario.

[death_hawk]

I just checked an old bill with Toll Free calling outside my LCA and it's actually toll free:




Location Type Length $/m Airtime Rate Charges
1-866 CALL ROM 01:10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

[Lulz]

Jesus Christ, so much incorrect information here from people who just guess.

Toll Free numbers never have LD.
You could have a Toronto number and make a call from Vancouver to any toll free number and you will be just charged daytime minutes (or if you make the call after your evenings/weekends then it's 100% Unlimited).
The agent didn't know and is BSing you. Post screenshot of the bill and it will be possible to see where $30 came from.
It's not from toll free.