Rachel
10-23-2005, 09:18 PM
At customer service, a very very large percentage of calls are made regarding biling. These are the hardest and longest calls that we get is trying to explain biling to customers. And to be honest, most people dont understand their bill because they don't read it and/or because they do not want to listen and understand how it works. So I am putting up this faq to explain how sprint bills
The first thing you must remember is that all monthly recurring charges (you know the stuff you pay for each month like the price of your minutes that you have, and any add ons that you have such as 7pm night and weekends, vision etc.) are billed one month in adavance. Which means that at the very beginning of your billing cycle, the system generates the bill for that new month for those monthly charges. For example, my cycle starts on the 3rd of each month, so on November 3rd, I will be billed for my 10.00 employee plan for the month from November 3rd until December 2nd. When you see the invoice period on the top your bill, it is always for the NEXT month.
The second thing you must remember is that all non-recurring charges (stuff you dont pay for monthly but just pay as you use like overage, directory assistance, etc.) are billled one month behind. So for example when my cycle starts over on Nov 3rd if I make 5 directory assitance calls on November 5th, those wont show up until my bill that will print the next month on December 3rd So basically you pay in advance for your min and any add ons you have on your plan and then any extra usage is billed the next month. Make sense?
Now, here is where it gets hairy-- account spending limits. Some customers may have a an account spending limit of $125, $150,$200,$250 or $350 depending on the credit evaluation done when service is activated. Spending limits may also vary depending on the number of lines you have. If you are one of these customers, the thing you must remember is that your current usage charges ( like those directory assitance charges that I was talking about that are going to be billed next month) are added to your billed amount to get the total account balance against your spending limit. For example, lets pretend I quit Sprint this week and I change my plan to the the 500 min plan for 39.99 and lets pretend I have a spending limit of 125.00. When my bill cycle starts over on November 3rd, I my bill will print for my 39.99 plan. Now keeping in mind that my bill cycle will go from Nov 3rd until Dec 2nd, lets pretend that I use 600 min by Nov. 27 (have to call family around Thanksgivng you know LOL ) I will have my bill for 39.99 plus taxes for my billed amount and my current usage will be the 100 extra min which at .40 per min will be 40.00 so my total estimated balance will be around 79.99 plus tax. That will mean that I have around 45.00 more dollars to go until I get to my spending limit and get cut off. Now if I keep using my phone, I will keep getting charged .40 per min and if I use enough to take up that remaining 45.00 difference, I will be turned off and I will have to make a payment to get my phone turned back on. And as a side note.. if you are an account spending limit customer you can be turned off for 2 reasons-- going over you spending limit OR being past due. Which means even if you stay below your spending limit if you dont pay your bill you're still gonna get cut off.
Sprints billing really is not that hard.. just learn your plan well so you know what you have, remember to pay your bill and dont rack up a bunch of extra charges and you'be fine. :wavey: I hope this has helped
The first thing you must remember is that all monthly recurring charges (you know the stuff you pay for each month like the price of your minutes that you have, and any add ons that you have such as 7pm night and weekends, vision etc.) are billed one month in adavance. Which means that at the very beginning of your billing cycle, the system generates the bill for that new month for those monthly charges. For example, my cycle starts on the 3rd of each month, so on November 3rd, I will be billed for my 10.00 employee plan for the month from November 3rd until December 2nd. When you see the invoice period on the top your bill, it is always for the NEXT month.
The second thing you must remember is that all non-recurring charges (stuff you dont pay for monthly but just pay as you use like overage, directory assistance, etc.) are billled one month behind. So for example when my cycle starts over on Nov 3rd if I make 5 directory assitance calls on November 5th, those wont show up until my bill that will print the next month on December 3rd So basically you pay in advance for your min and any add ons you have on your plan and then any extra usage is billed the next month. Make sense?
Now, here is where it gets hairy-- account spending limits. Some customers may have a an account spending limit of $125, $150,$200,$250 or $350 depending on the credit evaluation done when service is activated. Spending limits may also vary depending on the number of lines you have. If you are one of these customers, the thing you must remember is that your current usage charges ( like those directory assitance charges that I was talking about that are going to be billed next month) are added to your billed amount to get the total account balance against your spending limit. For example, lets pretend I quit Sprint this week and I change my plan to the the 500 min plan for 39.99 and lets pretend I have a spending limit of 125.00. When my bill cycle starts over on November 3rd, I my bill will print for my 39.99 plan. Now keeping in mind that my bill cycle will go from Nov 3rd until Dec 2nd, lets pretend that I use 600 min by Nov. 27 (have to call family around Thanksgivng you know LOL ) I will have my bill for 39.99 plus taxes for my billed amount and my current usage will be the 100 extra min which at .40 per min will be 40.00 so my total estimated balance will be around 79.99 plus tax. That will mean that I have around 45.00 more dollars to go until I get to my spending limit and get cut off. Now if I keep using my phone, I will keep getting charged .40 per min and if I use enough to take up that remaining 45.00 difference, I will be turned off and I will have to make a payment to get my phone turned back on. And as a side note.. if you are an account spending limit customer you can be turned off for 2 reasons-- going over you spending limit OR being past due. Which means even if you stay below your spending limit if you dont pay your bill you're still gonna get cut off.
Sprints billing really is not that hard.. just learn your plan well so you know what you have, remember to pay your bill and dont rack up a bunch of extra charges and you'be fine. :wavey: I hope this has helped