Bell Canada → [Internet] Bell doesn't apply discounts to partial months

Just recently signed up for gigabit Bell FTTH. They were offering what I thought was a decent deal, being $70 off the regular monthly rate of $149.99 for the first year. Got my first bill today and for July the rate was as they promised with the discount applied. However because they installed it on a day other than the first of the month, there was a charge for a partial month, which of course is fair and reasonable.

However, what surprised me was what I thought (at least at first) was a math error. For me, the partial month was only a day, and they charged me $5. It was clearly calculated based on the usual rate before the discount ($149.99/30 days). Had they calculated based on the rate after the discount the difference would only amount to a little over $2. Not a big deal for me. But surely, I thought (rather naively), they would want to know that their system was calculating charges for partial months incorrectly, right?

So I dutifully call up Bell customer service and mention the above to them. Takes a while as the rep first walks me through why there was a charge for a partial month (which I wasn't objecting to and wasn't my question) but them ultimately he gets the point (after repeated "apologies" bordering on the obsequious). Lo and behold, he indicates that the calculation is actually correct, and that "the system" does indeed charge for partial months on the regular rate without factoring in the discount, and that there is nothing that can be done about that.

While I try to explain that surely that can't be right, he continues to repeat the same thing again, so after a couple of tries I thank him for his time and end the call.

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but this doesn't seem quite right to me. I didn't bother doing anything more about it because for me it turned out to be only a couple of bucks. I would have been a fair bit more irked had they installed it on, say, June 2 and charged me the full rate for almost a full month. It also doesn't seem to make much sense because, if people knew about this, then they would likely want the installation to take place on the first of the month to avoid being charged the undiscounted rate for a partial month. Seems to be a dumb way of doing things, but I suppose Bell imagines most folks (like me) would not have expected this. Which is of course the reason for this post, in case you are thinking of signing up with Bell. The more you know...

Normally, if it has been installed on, say, the 10th of the month, then the billing period should be from 10th to 9hth. Not sure why there is a partial month.

Neither am I, but that's what's on my bill.

I'd be calling back and getting them to fix it properly. They should be no partial month charge for a new customer. My bill date has been 20th of the month for years now.

Could always send an email to the complaints department too. Then good luck actually trying to get ahold of whoever calls you back since they don't actually pay attention to the times you input or leave on the message. Been trying to get Peter for 2 weeks now. 98 calls the first week. On holidays 2nd week. But still.

»support.bell.ca/Resolve- ··· -concern

Take it to the next step and complain to the regulator: that gets their attention and you will get a favourable resolution in 2 weeks or less. »www.ccts-cprst.ca/

Thanks for the suggestions folks but as I mentioned for $3 it's not really worth the trouble - at least not for me. Only took the time to post it here to warn others so that they be proactive and avoid the situation altogether, rather than having to deal with it after the fact.

Oh yes, my reply was for Artweb1986 who complained he didn't get anywhere with customer service

I was lucky when I got the gigabit for $79.99/year deal back in april, that my month somehow fell EXACTLY on the correct day, and my first (and subsequent bills) have been exactly as promised, with no prorating or partial months.

I was also thinking how Bell was gonna screw me on this, but I was surprised that they didn't. My install was on the 30th, and the billing started from 1st.

Maybe CCTS gets things done. Whenever I write a letter to the CRTC they tend to not answer me.

I did just took weeks and way too many phone calls lol

Because the CRTC doesn't deal with internet providers, it's outside their mandate. That's why the CCTS exists.