Don’t wait for a call or text from your plan provider to find out that you have reached your cap: that call or text might never arrive.

Most telecommunications companies will tell you that it is your responsibility as the account holder to monitor your usage either via an SMS service or checking your account usage online. Some service providers allow you to set up a usage alert whenever you get close to reaching your cap, but you still need to be aware of the fine print that implies that these services are a ‘guide only’.

So how do I know how much I’ve spent?

Don’t despair. All major plan providers allow you to check your usage online, or via an automated voice or text service. The number to call will be provided either in your contract or on your plan provider’s website.

You can log into your mobile account online, and check your usage details. This will include calls, text, data and premium services. Be aware that when you check your usage, there may be a 24-48 hour delay (and global roaming activity may take longer to reach the account). Checking your usage online is the preferred option as you will be able to get a rough idea of how up to date the usage details are. Look at the last activity shown, whether it be voice, text or data: have you used your phone since this time? How long ago was it? If it was only a few hours ago, and you’ve haven’t made any calls since, you can be sure it’s fairly up to date.

Will someone send me a text message if I have reached my cap?

Unfortunately most plan providers do not yet offer this service. Optus do, and word on the telecommunications street is that Telstra are looking to implement this service as well. If you are receiving text alerts from Optus (you can opt in by logging in to your Optus account online), be aware that while the alert texts are usually fairly reliable, if you think you will be reaching your cap for the month, monitor and verify your usage details as well. If an SMS alert doesn’t reach you, unfortunately the onus is still on you. Note that this service is not available for iPhone customers; however, there is a free Optus application you can download from iTunes which will provide the same alert function.

The most important thing to remember is that telecommunications companies will not cut off your post-paid cap if you reach your included monthly cap value – that’s prepaid! However, they may send you a text or bar outgoing calls if you have reached your ‘credit limit.’ For example, for Virgin caps that have an included monthly value of $150 or less, there is a credit limit of $400. If you reach 75% of your credit limit, they will send you a warning text. If you reach the full amount, outgoing calls are barred, and you will need to contact Virgin to resolve the issue. While it can be frustrating that your phone is barred, it is the plan provider’s way of ensuring that you are aware of the high activity on your account, and to make sure that things do not get out of hand.

What does GST have to do with it?

Another minor detail that you should be aware of is how much is really included in your cap, for things may not always be what they seem. Take for instance the Vodafone $79 iPhone cap; the website may specify that the plan includes $550 of credit, but you’ll need to knock off that extra $50 if you only want to be paying $79 for the month. That’s all thanks to GST. And why $50? Just take 10% off your specified included monthly credit.

I’ve already exceeded my cap! What do I do?

We cannot guarantee that you’ll be able to knock off those nasty extra figures on your bill if you’ve already exceeded your cap allowance. But it’s always worth a try. Give customer service or the ‘bill enquiry’ department a call. While there can be a delay of 24-48 hours on usage monitoring services, this may not be grounds to credit your account. But some customer service representatives are reasonable. If the reason for the pricey bill is due to a high call spend, and if it isn’t thanks to a once-off rampage of calls and text, this may be a sign that you need to raise your cap. Plan providers will let you raise your cap at no charge, and if you agree to do this, they may be able to reduce your bill. Remember, we said ‘maybe’, and it never hurts to be polite and ask the rep how their day was.