Whirlpool

Hi, I have been with AAPT for over a year now, last week my phone was cut off, what I found out was that I was two months behind in paying, I thought my wife was paying, she thought I was paying, however, they cut the phone without us once receiving a notice, I then paid my account on Thursday, on Monday when my wife phoned to find out why we are not reconnected, she was told that the credit department has terminated our contract and we have to find another service provider. No phone, no broadband, went on the net at work, got a Gmail account, a Virgin phone and broadband plan, good riddance to AAPT.

Your and your Wife's fault 100%. Period.

Pretty sure AAPT still send out the letters concerning overdue fees. Comes in big RED writing also! or it's the phone call they give you.

Thabo writes...

on Monday when my wife phoned to find out why we are not reconnected, she was told that the credit department has terminated our contract and we have to find another service provider.

the credit department must of deemed that you cannot pass another credit check to use the AAPT services. This will affect getting credit approval for other services from now on. Bad luck dude.

Vijvis writes...

Your and your Wife's fault 100%. Period.

Agreed.

I don't believe AAPT went 2 months without contacting someone over an unpaid account.

Thabo writes...

I thought my wife was paying, she thought I was paying

Sounds like bad communication between you and your wife.....cant have that if you dont want it to happen again in the future.

Problem was all yours and no sympathy from anyone.

holden_vz101 writes...

Pretty sure AAPT still send out the letters concerning overdue fees. Comes in big RED writing also! or it's the phone call they give you.

More than likely both.

Mate, I am your everyday average middle aged aussie, I don't lie, this happened to me, tomorrow it's you. I am amazed at the amount of vitriol displayed here, am I missing something, is this a forum for AAPT employees?

Thabo writes...

Mate, I am your everyday average middle aged aussie, I don't lie, this happened to me, tomorrow it's you. I am amazed at the amount of vitriol displayed here, am I missing something, is this a forum for AAPT employees?

Cant believe you just said that when you stated that you thought your wife paid it, and she thought you did.

That is why you have been disconnected!

How can we have pity on someone who has had a part to play in causing it?

Thabo writes...

Mate, I am your everyday average middle aged aussie,

So am I but what does that have to do with not paying your bills?

tomorrow it's you.

I suppose it could be anyone who doesn't pay their way.

But I wouldn't come on a public forum telling everyone. ;)

Thabo writes...

Mate, I am your everyday average middle aged aussie, I don't lie, this happened to me, tomorrow it's you

Yeah and when I fall 2 months behind on paying my phone bill, I'm sure it will happen to me.

I suggest in the future when the error is all your fault, that you not complain on whirlpool about it. Better communication between you and the wife might be a good idea as well.

Also being two months behind would have meant that a bill for the following month would have been sent. This would have included the previous month's unpaid portion on it. More than likely, you would of received another month's bill after this and then owed for three month's worth.

If you couldn't notice by this time that the bill wasn't being paid then you do have more problems than just failing to pay a bill.

This is really very simple to me.......Pay your bills or don't have a phone service! Why should a company not be able to rid itself of a customer who has failed to pay them for services rendered for two consecutive months?

I know of a person that has AAPT. For reasons I'm not going to go into he missed a payment, but received absolutely no notice from AAPT at all. Sure ultimately its the OPs fault for not paying, but stop jumping on him like a tonne of bricks for a failure of AAPT's system in not getting a late notice to him.

My mother wasn't receiving notifications, so she called up and they noticed they hadn't updated her address after moving house. They fixed it, she paid the bill and also waived the reconnection fee as the rep should have offered to update her billing address.

In any other case though, I don't see an excuse to not pay a bill. AAPT want customers, but they also need to stay in business. If you weren't receiving invoices or reminders, its easy to give them a quick call seeing as there is rarely any queue for billing these days.

Despite all the complaining on here, I'm glad they have made several changes in order to remain competitive. My mum has had poor experiences with Optus and Telstra, AAPT has become her provider of choice. Whenever I've had to call on her behalf, the staff have been friendly and have personally followed up on several ongoing issues.

+1 for AAPT

i had problems with aapt not billing me i had DD setup and they were not sending me bills i went about 5 months without paying they are very bad at contacting people

mAd writes...

i had problems with aapt not billing me i had DD setup and they were not sending me bills i went about 5 months without paying they are very bad at contacting people

If you had DD set up I do not understand how the bills were not paid.
Also if you are on DD AAPT will not send you a bill in the mail. (it will be electronic)
If there was a problem with your DD I am sure that AAPT would have been in touch with you before 5 months had expired.
I would even go as far as to say you would have been disconnected.
You wouldn't be stretching the truth or telling little porky pies would you.

Cheers

Macca

۵۵Firefighter۵۵ writes...

I don't believe AAPT went 2 months without contacting someone over an unpaid account.

happened to me .... maybe three or four months of randomly logging in to aapt to see when my bill is ready.

and a couple of times, I left it go for quite some time(at least 2 months if not 3), without paying them.

telling them several times my email address, to send notifications to. (don't they also have my address?)

it took several months before I realized the problem:

emails from the AAPT network are treated as SPAM by a lot of other networks.
the mail won't even end up in your spam folder, it will just be rejected.

AAPT knows about this SPAM / BLACKLIST problem, ( /forum-replies.cfm?t=749553)
but they still let people register email addresses for billing notification that they know will never receive mail from a spam network.

and if you want to open your wallet to an AAPT without reading your bill first, good on you.

some of us like to see what we owe. and not keep too much in the account that these scammers have access too.

(you do know they often try to keep billing you for months after you leave)

SONNiC writes...

AAPT knows about this SPAM / BLACKLIST problem, ( /forum-replies.cfm?t=749553)

but they still let people register email addresses for billing notification that they know will never receive mail from a spam network.

So you expect AAPT to fix a problem with someone else's network? It's not AAPT's fault that some of their customers reply to an email asking for their usernames and passwords... This is how and why AAPT domains get blanket banned from spam filters...

some of us like to see what we owe. and not keep too much in the account that these scammers have access too.

Firstly, I assume by scammers you mean AAPT? I'm sorry, but I fail to see how they "scam" you... They provide a service, you pay for it... Secondly, the email are a notification that your bill is now ready to be viewed, if you're not receiving emails, it's your email provider's problem, not AAPT's... You can use another email address, or they can even send notifications via SMS, there are other options, had you bothered to speak to AAPT about it, you would know that... My mum gets an SMS as she rarely checks her email, and it comes at the same time and day every month...

Genthoon writes...

How can we have pity on someone who has had a part to play in causing it?

Pff Because AAPT should send them warning letters. If there was fault on the OP's part, then AAPT should do everything in their power to rectify it.

If AAPT doesn't, then the OP has a right to complain.

nope neither is true i owed 500 dollars on my account they just stuffed up the DD i was on a bussiness plan so im not sure if that makes any difference

but hey i have a letter in mail saying my plan has ended on the 3rd and will be cut off on the 3rd of this month and yet im still connected now so it doesnt surprise me at all.

I called aapt maybe 20 times to set up DD they could never do it ever month i had to call and pay myself when i would then try and set up DD they would say all done it will definatly work next month we are so sorry blah blah blah and then next month would roll around same shit i would have to call up again.

macca007 writes...

If you had DD set up I do not understand how the bills were not paid.

Its very simple, billing systems sometimes don't do what they are supposed to. When I was moved to the new system I started being charged for a paper invoice even though I didn't ask for paper invoices nor was I receiving them.

Also if you are on DD AAPT will not send you a bill in the mail.

Invoice delivery and payment method are two different things.

If there was a problem with your DD I am sure that AAPT would have been in touch with you before 5 months had expired.

Again, you are incorrectly assuming AAPTs billing system is perfect and always works as intended.

mAd writes...

but hey i have a letter in mail saying my plan has ended on the 3rd and will be cut off on the 3rd of this month and yet im still connected now so it doesnt surprise me at all.

Are you on the old "unlimited" business plan by any chance?

Yert writes...

Again, you are incorrectly assuming AAPTs billing system is perfect and always works as intended.

In my experience as an AAPT customer, the one thing that always works properly is their billin dept... At least when it's in their interest to contact you anyway...

i am on the old unlimited plan i have churned now tho but i could still login to aapt yesterday

mAd writes...

i am on the old unlimited plan

Well there you go... So your service was cut off because AAPT no longer offer that plan... So your experience is irrelevant in this case...

no this was about 8 months ago

so my experience is very relevant

Both from the business's and the customers' perspective, ensuring that the customer is notified in some way is highly beneficial.

mAd writes...

no this was about 8 months ago

so my experience is very relevant

How is it? You said that you received a letter stating that your plan would be disconnected because the plan is no longer offered by AAPT... So your having overdue bills had no bearing on why you were disconnected... Considering that this is why the OP made the thread, then how is your experience relevant.

5tumpy writes...

So your having overdue bills had no bearing on why you were disconnected... Considering that this is why the OP made the thread, then how is your experience relevant.

I agree with you 5tumpy, relevance is about not having paid the bill. Any company will stop the service if you don't pay for it!!

If you check their Standard Form of Agreement you'll find that a bill is sent & then they contact you with a phone call or reminder notice as a courtesy only – end of story.

As the OP's have stated, no problem if you pay your bill.

Cheers

Im just saying that about 8 months ago i found out that i hadnt paid my bill for the last 5 months. I was not disconnected due to not having paid my account infact i was not even notified about it.

Me being disconnected now has nothing to do with not paying bills its due to my contract being expired

I was trying to explain that AAPT are terible with contacting people with late bills infact they didnt even bother contacting me. I got a CC statement and realised they hadnt been billing me and i had to call them.

Vijvis writes...

Your and your Wife's fault 100%. Period.

Umm let me tell you a bit about customer service. If every company did this to bad debt we would be living in the stone age.

Have you ever worked for yourself? Started your own business? Obviously not. If you did and you had this attitude, you would go broke in the first 3 months

This is obviously the work of a very arrogant company.

Good to hear you got rid of AAPT.

AS a business owner i am disgusted that they had this attitude. I hope more follow in your footsteps as ive heard they have this attitude with everyone. Even with thier support service.

5tumpy writes...

So you expect AAPT to fix a problem with someone else's network?

It is 100% AAPT's problem. it is up to them to clean their own network up then say to other ISp's that they have minimal spam floating around.

It's not AAPT's fault that some of their customers reply to an email asking for their usernames and passwords... This is how and why AAPT domains get blanket banned from spam filters...

lol. ISP's get black listed because of the amount of spam coming from them. Legit emails are not spam.

Secondly, the email are a notification that your bill is now ready to be viewed, if you're not receiving emails, it's your email provider's problem, not AAPT's...

See above. 100% AAPT's problem.

here are other options, had you bothered to speak to AAPT about it, you would know that...

Like a paper billing system? But then you know about that too right?

My mum gets an SMS as she rarely checks her email, and it comes at the same time and day every month...

Well done your mum :-) Not everyone is your mum, are they?

Yes they missed two payments, but AAPT have a duty of care to provide adequate warning and account notifications to customers.

Headley writes...

It is 100% AAPT's problem. it is up to them to clean their own network up then say to other ISp's that they have minimal spam floating around.

Have you ever tried to deal with other ISP's and this sort of problem? It's a nightmare. Even with automated checks, they are far from perfect as control of the network is far from perfect. Thats even if you get onto a human. A dialogue with an automated service, which is broken, does not help.

"The unblocking service is unavailable or down due to maintainence. Please send your requests to: support@a.major.isp" – If email is being blocked.. how does one send email to it legitimately? Hilarity ensues.

lol. ISP's get black listed because of the amount of spam coming from them. Legit emails are not spam.

Yes. And a bill is legit email. Unfortunately its the thousands of common household PC's that are riddled with spyware and malware that send out the bulk of spam, which reflect on the network as a whole.

Maybe it's a good thing.

You can leave their service without paying the before end of contract fee.

golgy writes...

Have you ever tried to deal with other ISP's and this sort of problem?

I certainly have. It is a major issue that should not be taken lightly at all.

Unfortunately its the thousands of common household PC's that are riddled with spyware and malware that send out the bulk of spam, which reflect on the network as a whole.

The onus is on AAPT to put effective ISP level spam filters on, while also working proactively to get users to run checks on their pc's.

Headley writes...

The onus is on AAPT to put effective ISP level spam filters on, while also working proactively to get users to run checks on their pc's.

As a consumer, I disagree. Enterprise level filters are not free and I neither use my providers mail nor want the charge passed to me.

Even were it free, I'd prefer to make the call on whats junk or not, false positives suck.

Spam filters should either be opt in fee for service thing or not at all.

***
I suppose aapt should check your downloads for malware too?
Perhaps censor our phonecalls?

Headley writes...

The onus is on AAPT to put effective ISP level spam filters on, while also working proactively to get users to run checks on their pc's.

There's no onus for any sort of filtering. Guarantee of acceptance of mail is one thing, there can't ever be a guarantee for delivery of mail. Email is reliable – yes, but nobody will ever guarantee it due to the nature of networking. Just can't be done.

If anything, there's a good-faith effort to ensure that customers are limited to the exposure of spam – and this is generally true regardless of ISP, rate plan or access type. Everyone hates it, so measures are put in to make the problem not quite as bad for everyone involved.

In this case, AAPT has a vested interest in keeping customer's home PC's spyware/malware free – filtering aside, compromised machines impact the network due to the data that flows through, and the email that has knock on effects, such as other ISP's filtering received email aggressively.

In the end an ISP is there to provide service – not police every single customer.

Headley writes...

It is 100% AAPT's problem. it is up to them to clean their own network up then say to other ISp's that they have minimal spam floating around.

How do you propose they do that?

lol. ISP's get black listed because of the amount of spam coming from them. Legit emails are not spam.

Yeah, did you even read what I said? A customer gets an email asking them to confirm their username and password, or their email account will be deleted... Customers who are not as tech savvy as some, or just plain gullible, reply, and bang, a spammer has an email account they can exploit... This is how ISP's get blacklisted... And there is very little an ISP can do about it...

See above. 100% AAPT's problem.

No it isn't...

Like a paper billing system? But then you know about that too right?

Mate, do you even have the slightest clue what you are talking about? The bills do not get emailed to customers, the emails are a notification that the bill is ready to be viewed from the website... As I stated before, the option for that notification is email OR sms... If emails aren't getting through, sign up for an sms...

Well done your mum :-) Not everyone is your mum, are they?

Thanks for that really imformative post... But if I wanted to have a converssation with that level of intelligence, I'll go play with my dog!

Yes they missed two payments, but AAPT have a duty of care to provide adequate warning and account notifications to customers.

No they don't... They simply have to let the customer know the amount due, and when it is due... This is done by the bills... You would think that when they got the 2nd bill saying they hadn't paid the first the OP and his wife would have said "Didn't you pay the phone bill?" to each other and figured out what's happening... But for whatever reason they left until the 3rd bill to do this, and got the boot from AAPT... There's obviously more to this story, no doubt they've had this happen before or those 2 bills were very large bills, these are both cases where a telco's credit department will disconnect a customer...

5tumpy writes...

No they don't... They simply have to let the customer know the amount due, and when it is due... This is done by the bills..

And aapt know the notification of a bill are not coming through.

they get notified when this email or that is rejected as spam.

and i don't know .... have they got your phone number?
maybe they could ring you or something, and inform you that you need to have your email notifications sent to a different address.
preferably within the spam network itself, or in a .cn or .ru address.

5tumpy writes...

bang, a spammer has an email account they can exploit... This is how ISP's get blacklisted... And there is very little an ISP can do about it...

wow, how do isp's survive these days ?
if they want to market their product towards :
(according to 5tumpy ) Customers who are not as tech savvy as some, or just plain gullible,
maybe they need to prepare for the huge amount of spam, tapeworms and viruses that these people emit ...

SONNiC writes...

And aapt know the notification of a bill are not coming through.

Yes, because everyone reads every single damned bounce message, and remembers each to/from pairing.

they get notified when this email or that is rejected as spam.

Yeah – along with how many million others? Not to mention, backscatter is one of the methods of spam and address harvesting.

maybe they need to prepare for the huge amount of spam, tapeworms and viruses that these people emit ...

Making guidelines for best practice for customer responsibility and balancing that with liability of ones own network is a tricky balancing act. Besides, how would you like it if an ISP suddenly decided to stipulate that you MUST use Windows Vista, AVG antivirus, and only use Internet Explorer.

The exact requests are moot; the point is you wouldn't like being told how to access something that you're paying money for unless there's a dire need or technical reason for doing so.

golgy writes...

Yes, because everyone reads every single damned bounce message, and remembers each to/from pairing.

um, I thought computers could be automated to do stuff....
I must be wrong though.

stipulate that you MUST use Windows Vista, AVG antivirus, and only use Internet Explorer.

now they want you to install viruses ?
we are all doomed

Yeah – along with how many million others?

many million aapt spams ... every day.

What exactly are you getting at ?

look, if aapt really want you to get these 'notifications' of a pending bill. they would do something like confirm your email address with a code sent.

have you ever had to confirm an email address before ? to join something ?

SONNiC writes...

I must be wrong though.

You are. The resources to process every single bounced email or error message would be phenomenal. Not to mention, I could spend 30 seconds crafting a perfectly understandable, and able to be parsed bounce message and most spam solutions would be none the wiser to whether or not it was human or MTA generated.

SONNiC writes...

now they want you to install viruses ?
we are all doomed

You fail at analogies.

many million aapt spams ... every day.
What exactly are you getting at ?

Right, clearly you're arguing for arguments sake.

have you ever had to confirm an email address before ? to join something ?

Have you ever had an email asking to confirm your subscription to a fake web site? Or asked your "account details for verification"?

C'mon, a little common sense here.

I can understand what the OP is feeling. My mum completely forgot a payment for 1 month. Until we got a msg on the answering machine telling us. When we called them up they said they sent multiple warning letters/calls but none ever came.

The parentals get a phone call every time the bill is not paid.

surely they got one of these calls...

Rah Xephon ! writes...

they said they sent multiple warning letters/calls but none ever came.

What do you think was on the answering machine if it wasn't a call?

۵۵Firefighter۵۵ writes...

What do you think was on the answering machine if it wasn't a call?

You misunderstood me. The message on the answering machine was about a last message to disconnect us. So there where did all the supposedly 5 other phone calls and numerous letters that never arrived at my home which they said they delivered go?

SONNiC writes...

um, no?

Well, you're one of few who hasn't.

so all is well ?

Given the amount of phishing scams, no.

yes, thats part of running a spam network. its not easy or cheap you know

No. It's not. You're talking about the unreasonable processing of every single possible bouncing. You don't understand the problems, thus your ideas for solutions are inherently flawed.

I suggest you go and look up what backscatter spam is, and then come back with a little more idea and perhaps a few less stupid suggestions.

golgy writes...

bouncing. You don't understand the problems, thus your ideas for solutions are inherently flawed.

?
they need to start filtering the spam on its way out then.

or market their internet plans towards people who don't send so much spam

/forum-replies.cfm?t=749553
Michael (Support) writes...
Unfortunately some customers are sending out a lot of spam from the AAPT mail servers (of course they may be doing this unknowingly).

what is this backscatter spam you are talking about?

we all know where the problem really is.

SONNiC writes...

they need to start filtering the spam on its way out then.

Well, this is a point where specifics would need to be known to make a judgement call. Either way, in – out – both, its all a matter of resources and not able to be second guessed by either of us.

or market their internet plans towards people who don't send so much spam

Or – here's an idea. Lets force car manufacturers to stop selling cars to unsafe drivers. Sorry mate – what you're suggesting is way beyond the powers of ANY company, and downright stupid if they tried. That kind of judgement call is even bordering on risky when enacted by a Government, let alone industry. If they didn't put themselves out of business, they'd face a huge backlash.

what is this backscatter spam you are talking about?

This is why you don't understand the complexities of the problem. Try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backscatter_(e-mail)

we all know where the problem really is.

Sorry, but you don't. Directing whatever online anger you have at what you perceive to be the problem is not informed.

golgy writes...

stop selling cars to unsafe drivers...
downright stupid....
That kind of judgement call is even bordering on risky when enacted by a Government

I don't understand, do you have some kind of problem with a spam filter ?
(I think we know where all those spam are coming from now, the aapt spam botnet is not so large after all)

golgy writes...

in – out – both, its all a matter of resources and not able to be second guessed by either of us.

the point is , if they filter it on its way out or detect the customers who are uploading the most spam, for example:

if golgy is uploading 1000 emails a minute they can very easily detect and limit your use of that port / services, until you get your virus and tapeworm problem sorted.

how do you think "they" shape you every month?
or limit your p2p during certain hours.

SONNiC writes...

I think we know where all those spam are coming from now

Most likely uninformed customers such as yourself. :)

or limit your p2p during certain hours.

Who does?

SONNiC writes...

more details here

I don't want details of any provider that does that. ;)

I know my phone bill has to be paid on the 20th of each month -thats not really rocket science, is it ?

AAPT use an automated service to call people to remind them if their bill is overdue, they also call using real people

While I dont have a lot of time for AAPT, they are fair in their disconnection policy, and the only people they disconnect are people who cant get their act together to contact them when they should know their bill is due

^^gg^^ writes...

only people they disconnect are people who cant get their act together to contact them when they should know their bill is due

people should contact their billers in order to know when their bill is due ?

AAPT use an automated service to call people to remind them if their bill is overdue, they also call using real people

do you have proof of this ?
I have not had real or fake people ring me to inform me that my bill is due. or overdue for that matter.

in fact, the only automated part of aapt that works, is the part that shapes your speed.

SONNiC writes...

do you have proof of this ?

It has happened to me!!! Put me down as a witness to this...

Dj

SONNiC writes...

do you have proof of this ?

I have not had real or fake people ring me to inform me that my bill is due. or overdue for that matter.

My credit card expired which caused the direct debt to fail for my mobile. I received a call from a real person to tell me I had an overdue bill.

Thank goodness that some ISPs actually send an invoice a week before the next payment is due letting you know the cost and when iy is due. Also advice in advance when your credit card is about to expire.

djride writes...

Put me down as a witness to this...

Me as well and at least a dozen other people I know.

SONNiC writes...

people should contact their billers in order to know when their bill is due ?

If they don't receive an invoice, then definitely! Also, if you are an existing customer, then you know when you pay your bills!

do you have proof of this ?

I have not had real or fake people ring me to inform me that my bill is due. or overdue for that matter.

Yep, when I was an AAPT customer, whenever I was late, I got the recorded message, was never late enough to warrant a real person though!

in fact, the only automated part of aapt that works, is the part that shapes your speed.

And the unthrottle part, and the invoice part, and the part that resets your usage... Mate get your head out of it!

5tumpy writes...

If they don't receive an invoice, then definitely

A company is out to make money.

Why should the onus be on the customer to ask when they should empty their pocket?

Any business that relies on that rather backwards business model, as well as allowing reminders to be knowingly blocked, deserves to go out of business.

Headley writes...

Why should the onus be on the customer to ask when they should empty their pocket?

Well really it's not. But if they don't pay for the service, they shouldn't expect to receive it. So, they don't HAVE to check when the bill is due, but a company doesn't HAVE to provide a service to a customer that isn't paying for their bills. The bottom line is that you're right the customer shouldn't have to do this, but they do... They need to keep an eye on their bills and when they are due... If they don't, they are the ones without the phone/internet, not the Telco..

Headley writes...

A company is out to make money.

Thats exactly why the original post is even more unbelievable, Unless of course they're a repeat offender and have forgotten to pay their bills more than they are letting on. :)

۵۵Firefighter۵۵ writes...

Thats exactly why the original post is even more unbelievable, Unless of course they're a repeat offender and have forgotten to pay their bills more than they are letting on. :)

I dunno... have heard of alot of horror stories about things like this... people getting double billed, some people not paying for months and the service continues... getting it cut off after two months of non payment is not bad i spose.. just annoying.

lol ive been following this thread, im just a noob and not down with the technical tangent this thread has taken, but i beleive its the ops fault, simple pay your bill. Everyday you hear stories about people who never take responsability for their actions. Him and his wife should have realised that they have an overdue bill and pay it, its simple really.
I dont want my monthly price to keep going up because people cant pay their bills, and aapt will eventually recoup that money somehow + the expense of chasing unpaid accounts.

Simple people take some responsibilty in life, if you dont get a bill one way or another, find out why, cause it aint free...

motiv8dan writes...

but i beleive its the ops fault, simple pay your bill.

He thought he was.

Him and his wife should have realised that they have an overdue bill and pay it, its simple really.

So tell me, how can you possibly tell if a bill is overdue if you believe your partner is paying it, and there is no bill reminder?

I dont want my monthly price to keep going up because people cant pay their bills, and aapt will eventually recoup that money somehow + the expense of chasing unpaid accounts.

They did 'chase' up the unpaid money, but their emails were blocked because AAPT is blacklisted as a spamming domain. Not a great thing for a company lol

Simple people take some responsibilty in life, if you dont get a bill one way or another, find out why, cause it aint free...

I think you would find the OP would have been more than willing to pay for a service, and would have paid IF the reminders had gotten through. As has been said before, it's not up to the customer to ask the company when they should empty their pockets for them, it's up to the company to remind subscribers that fees are due for continuing service, as any ISP or subscription business operates.

Headley writes...

I dunno...

That's correct.

Headley writes...

So tell me, how can you possibly tell if a bill is overdue if you believe your partner is paying it, and there is no bill reminder?

umm its called talking, ask your wife if she has paid the bill, no she hasnt, well i havnt either, better ring up and find out whats going on.

Headley writes...

They did 'chase' up the unpaid money, but their emails were blocked because AAPT is blacklisted as a spamming domain.

Again, you're assuming that... In fact AFAIK AAPT do not send overdue bill reminders via email for this very reason... In the past, when I was overdue, I'd get a letter in the mail or a recorded message on the phone.

I think you would find the OP would have been more than willing to pay for a service, and would have paid IF the reminders had gotten through.

Perhaps they did contact them, but because of the incredibly poor communication between him and his wife, the message didn't get passed on, and they continued assuming that the bill had been paid by the other person?

I wonder if they would be complaining if they both paid the bill, and AAPT didn't notify them that they'd double paid it... They'd probably expect AAPT to automatically refund the overpayment too!