Unhappy with fees to block data

[Merlotbay]

I've already officially complained about the decision to charge me to place data blocks on my kids phones but was encouraged by your online support to direct my disatisfaction here. Your customer representative I spoke to on the phone yesterday deserves a raise for keeping me loyal for the time being. But I sincerely hope you reverse this decision. It seems scammy to charge for NOT using data. We have four devices on our acct and have been with Telus for a long time. What is customer loyalty worth to you?

Yes you can block data in the phone setting but in can be overridden easily.

Not feeling very appreciated...

[NFtoBC]

The charge is not applied for 'not using data' as you can do that from the phone, for free, as you stated. The charge is for providing the service of preventing those on your account who might be irresponsible, and bypass both the setting on the phone, and your express direction to not do so.
Seems to me like a smaller price to pay for this peace of mind than setting each up with their own prepaid account with fixed cash limits.

[BC-Zach]

@Merlotbay: depending on the phone you are currently using, there are ways around this as well. You can change the APN settings in the phone and this should disconnect the data from the phone. This function is available on all android phones by going to Settings > Cellular Network > APN (or Access Point Names). From here you can delete the TELUS APN "Telus SP" or/and "Telus ISP". From Apple phones follow this link for a detailed way of doing that same feature, and clear out all fields to blank. https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201699

I know this feature can be a bit difficult to swallow as paying a service fee for blocking a feature you don't wish to use, this is the work around I use with my family and friends.

[WestCoasterBC]

If your kids are smart, a quick Google search will point them to the APN settings. If I was a kid I would be googling all the reasons it may not work and how to fix it A data block is a small price to pay as @NFtoBC explained.

[TelusUser01]

Honestly the better solution is for your kids to listen to you.  Quite easy to disable data on the phone, and equally easy to know how much each device is using.

But I agree, it is incredibly simple for Telus to block usage as well, and really makes no sense why doing so would be an extra charge.

[NFtoBC]

Many things which are 'simple' have a fee attached if you want someone else to do it:

• installing a hot water tank or toilet
• painting your living room 
• removing snow from your walk
• completing your taxes
• watching your children

Is this really so different? The tools are available for a customer to avoid the use of data through their device, at no cost to the consumer. 

[TelusUser01]

Well ya it is so different. None of those things can be done with a click of a mouse, remotely, in 10 seconds, with labour involved close to zero, and nobody required to come to your house.

[Mobility_Princess]

The new $2 data block is now chargeable so that customers can block their data without having to worry about incurring usage AND can still picture message. Customers were expressing a lot of dissatisfaction that after blocking their data they could no longer picture message. Picture messaging requires data. This way customers can still picture message. As well, the data can be disabled in the phone. If you are only adding it mid cycle, as in to turn off the kids data for the rest of the cycle, you are billed partially. So not the full $2.