The SMS mentioned that I could download tones, games, videos and graphics in the first week and $6 will be charged until I quit. Subsequently, I received similar SMSes which mentioned that my membership will be and had been renewed.

No telephone number was provided in all the SMSes sent to me. Hence, I had no idea what all these messages were about and I could not enquire about them. So I did not respond, neither did I make any downloads.

To my horror, I was charged $12 by Pitch Services (Splash) in my M1 bill dated Feb 1.

I called up M1 and was advised to contact Pitch Services (Splash) using the latter's enquiry number listed on my phone bill. The Pitch Services (Splash) officer mentioned that I had signed up to be a member on their webpage and had downloaded a ringtone. Therefore, I had incurred costs - $12 for my current phone bill and another $6 in my next phone bill.

I told them that I did not sign up to be a member and that, perhaps, my phone number could have been used by someone else who wished to download stuff on their webpage. I requested the supporting document which would state that I had signed up to be a member.

In all, I had to make three calls to Pitch Services (Splash) and on Feb 26, I finally received a transaction record and a document stating the terms and conditions via e-mail.

The transaction record showed the SMSes that Pitch Services (Splash) sent to me and a ringtone which I had supposedly downloaded free of charge. The supporting document to show that I had, of my own accord, signed up to be a member was not to be found.

The unpleasant encounter with Pitch Services (Splash) left many lingering questions.

Why should I SMS (which I would then be charged for outgoing SMS) to opt out for a service which I did not request, and be charged $6 per week by Splash if I did not respond?

What would happen if I had been out of town and had left my phone behind when these SMSes started flooding in and I did not respond?

The Pitch Services (Splash) officer mentioned that I had agreed to the terms and conditions for which I had no knowledge of until it was e-mailed to me later on.

How could I become a member of Splash when I was not even aware of the existence of the company - Pitch Service (Splash) or, for that matter, their terms and conditions?

Could the SMSes which were peppered with short-form words suffice as terms and conditions since that was the only information I had at that point of time?

The service I received from M1, on the other hand, was prompt and superb.

The M1 officer was apologetic and, out of goodwill, offered to waive a total of $18 (charged to me by Pitch Services) by offsetting the amount in my next phone bill.

Beth Chew Ai Mei (Mdm)