T-Mobile Sends Google’s Bill To Regular Customer, $15,939.83
Monday’s can really stink. I knew Phandroid readers would get a laugh out of the following story so I saved it. See that? We’re always looking out for you – and so is Joe who sent the story in [Thanks dude!].
As you know, Google gave away Google Ion (HTC Sapphire) phones to all the participants of Google I/O 2009. I used that phone for the free 30 days that came with it, and right around that time, my other HTC phone’s touchscreen stopped working. So, being the android phan that I am, I decided to go ahead and get a new line of service with T-mobile and continue using my Ion. Just before this happened, I had logged in to the T-mobile website, and told them to send me a temporary password via SMS to my phone, so I could login. At that time, I saw that “my account” had “799” lines of service, and a balance of over $15,000. I wasn’t concerned, because I knew it was a Google account.
Well, today I open my mail to find a bill from T-mobile, addressed to “Google Promo Account”, but sent to MY address, and see:
> Total Balance Due: $15,939.83
I’m sure someone at Google is missing a $16k bill, and I’ll be happy to return it :) That is, of course, after I’ve had a chance to scan it and let everyone know that T-mobile can’t even manage to keep track of Google’s accounts … (It’s no wonder that, due to the above sequence of events, I’m still not the primary account holder of my own account with a whole “1” line of service).
Wow… that is pretty outrageous! But I questioned the story… afterall, what if this was a hoax from a rival wireless carrier hoping to spread negative and false press through blogosphere rumors? I asked Joe for pictorial proof and that is EXACTLY what he provided:
I’m not sure how the heck T-Mobile could make such a big blunder, but its nice to know that Google is indeed footing the bill for all these devs and not just getting a free pass. Kinda makes those Ion giveaways even more of a big deal, doesn’t it?
But the circus would continue.
And today I received a hefty package containing an 1850-page detailed bill ($17.15 in US Priority Mail postage). Obviously I won’t be uploading this one.
Oh, and the price has now gone to $24k. Now if only I could score the $9.22/mo pricetag they paid on each line of service, for my one line ;)
How do you get something like this resolved? Apparently T-Mobile’s own channels weren’t all that accomodating so why not talk to the head android himself?
I contacted Andy Rubin about this, and he’s working to get the mistake fixed. After trying to contact T-Mobile several times, and reaching nothing but brick walls, it’s nice to know that Google’s Director of
Mobile Platforms will respond to my emails in 8 minutes flat.
Mistakes happen, but its kind of fun to read about these types of blunders and its comforting to know that Google is standing behind their products with the data plans they paid for and with executives responding directly to consumer comments. Sure, the magnitude of the comment surely had something to do with it, but still.
Hopefully this fun story helped make your Monday a little less painful!
[Thanks again, Joe!]