Expert: DebiN - 9/9/2009

Question
I have been charged overage charges from Alltel that I don't agree with.  I keep asking for my texting details, but they keep telling me to obtain a subpoena. I had unlimited texting to my circle and all alltel and Verizon customers, and 400 for all others.  They have charged me overage charges and I want proof that I owe them. I made sure I only text to people within my unlimited group. What can I do to get a record of the numbers I text and how many messages were in my unlimited group?

Answer
You can definitely get a record of the callers that you sent texts to without a subpoena if you are account holder, i.e., the account is in your name. It is likely that they think you are asking for the contents of the texts, not the billing records. They have the records of the numbers you sent and received texts from and can definitely give this to you without subpoena. If someone else in your family is the account holder, then they have to request this. Something to keep in mind, however, is that it is very unlikely that they are incorrect. They don't manually figure these things out, it's all in master databases. It's very likely that those you texted who have Verizon were not in the circle and that is because in areas where Verizon is not integrated with Alltel yet, those people would not be considered in the circle. If everyone you texted had Alltel, I don't think that there would be an issue, but if there are those with Verizon, that's where your problem is. Have them check a couple of numbers for you to people with Verizon that you contact and see if they show them as being in the circle - I'll bet that they are not. When you see the records, they will be coded as being in the network or not in the network adn it is very easy to distinguish. Just make sure you are asking for the right thing - billing records, not content of texts. I hope this helps. Thanks. debiN