I remember exactly where I was when the call came in. Driving to work, just a few blocks from my house, ringing filled my car's cabin via my phone's bluetooth. In the morning, fully of energy and happy to break up the monotony of the drive into work, I'll answer most any call - even ones where I don't recognize the number.
Picking up, an AT&T customer service agent informed me of some really gut wretching news. "Sir, I wanted to give you a heads up that you've accrued data charges from a Canadian network. Are you aware of this?" He clearly was trying to determin if fraud was in play here. I replied that, indeed, I was in Canada for work. "Well sir, I'm sorry to have to tell you this......"
Let me back up a few weeks first....
When I was in Montreal for a conference back in October, I used my phone quite a bit to browse the web and do other reference heavy work (and play). The broadband at the hotel was horrendous, made even worse by the large number of guest/attendees at the conference, hogging up the limited bandwidth.
When my October cycle bill came in (mid month to mid month), it included about $200 worth of voice and text message charges. I had expected something like this, roaming on the Rogers Cellular network in Canada. I itemized the international charges, and expensed the cost to my company. I thought I could put Montreal behind me.
"...but you've accrued over $3000 in data charge." For the rest of the conversation, looking back, I did not remember the act of driving at all.
"Well, fuck you! And fuck AT&T as well!"
Ok, I didn't say that or even think that, or even really want to say that. I was frozen in my tracks. Honestly, I was thinking how the hell was I going to lay this on my wife.
"Sir, we can offer you payment plan options."
Looking back, I think this guy was getting some fetish driven pleasure out of hearing me audibly squirm on the other end of the line. I'm thinking, payment options?? Are you fucking kidding? All for some basic web surfing, office document transfers and email exchanges?
"Sir, don't fret. You're not the first to be surprised by such high roaming data charges." Light. At the end of the tunnel. A glimmer of hope. "I can get these charges reduced substantially for you."
Quickly...what is the definition of substantial?
"When the charge posts on your bill, call us back and we can back date our 200mb international data plan in the form of an adjustment to your bill...."
Long. Pause.
"...which will reduce the $3000 charge to $199."
I'm saved. My wife won't kill me, I can spin this as a 'boy did that bullet miss me' with a 'how was I supposed to know the charges would be $3000' and close it with a 'I'll expense that charge as well' (the last part is probably not going to happen).
I profusely thank the agent for his assistance, and when he asks for me to take part in a short survey, I agree wholeheartedly. He thanks me for my loyal business, then asks me to stay on the line for the survey. Hold music comes on, the survey is seconds away at this point.
I hang up.
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