Validas Analyzes Your Cellphone Bill For Potential Savings
Validas is a new service that aims to help consumers save on their cellphone bills by analyzing their cellphone bills and providing suggestions about how they could adjust their plans and save money. To use it, you create an account, validate your email address, download your cellphone bill from your cell provider's website, upload it to Validas for processing, then wait a few seconds for your report.
We gave it a whirl and it seemed decent, though since we already do what Validas, except WITH OUR BRAIN, it didn't offer much in the way of improvement opportunities, though it did note we should get rid of VCAST and offered a few free phone number lookup services to use instead of 411.
The malformatting of some website elements left us under-enthused, and we wonder if they can really guarantee the security their privacy policy promises. After all, they expect you to upload your cellphone bill, complete with juicy personal information bits and account information.
The first Validas analysis is free, $5 for each additional, and $20 for 15 uploads. Be sure to save a copy of your report because you only get one upload and you don't get to see it again if you navigate away.
If your head spins trying to figure out your cellphone bill and all the plans your provider offers, Validas could help you figure out a better pricing option. Cellphone company profits depend on customers not understanding their bills, services like Validas can add much-needed transparency and rationality to the market. Maybe someone can come out with a better-looking one that makes us feel more comfortable about using it.
MyValidas [Official Site]
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Comments:
From their forum:
"We currently support Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T.
We support pdf formats only.
We only support wireless bills.
We do not support bills with wireless and landline combined."
Don't bother if you aren't on one of those 3.
(IRT the picture) Who the heck is spending THAT much money on their cellphone bill?!
I uploaded my bill (Cingular/AT&T) as a PDF, and apparently Ben's experience was better than mine. I didn't get any advice or tips, and the "My Savings" tab showed $0. It also failed to track anything on the "Unused services" or "Billing Indicators" meters (despite the pdf showing the correct number of unused/rollover minutes, download details, and txt message details).
All it was really "helpful" for" were things I can determine myself by looking at the bill (Who I called the most, number of calls per day, number of calls by hour peak/offpeak). I'll think I'll stick with my own eyes for phone bill analysis.
Forgot to mention, it looks to be a one shot deal (and they even remind you before you log out) so you'll need to print or download your report or it's gone forever.
@n1ckel5:
That's weird that their forum says that. I used the service during their beta test and was able to upload my T-Mobile bill.
The service was okay, but not pay money for the service okay.
No T-Mobile support :(
I used their service during the beta trial also..my bills range from $350 to $1900 a month due to travel. I got some unnecessary overages removed..savings of $248 bucks!
I used their service during the beta as well. My bills range from $350 bucks to $1900 due to travel. I got some unnecessary overages removed. Savings of $248 bucks!
@Ben: "The first Validas analysis is free"
The free trial seems to be gone. I signed up and was offered these options:
One Bill Upload: List Price: $5
5 Bill Uploads: List Price: $25 Sale Price: $10
15 Bill Uploads: List Price: $75 Sale Price: $20
Also, the email validation didn't work but without a free trial it doesn't really matter.
hmmmmm. i suspect Validas could also harvest cell numbers from your bill as it provides its marginally useful service.
no thanks.