Beware mobile internet browsing

alchrise

Apologies if a thread already exists but I wanted to warn everyone about the problem with mobile internet browsing.I stupidly allowed my son to use my mobile because I had a 'no more than £10 above inclusive minutes on my contract with Carphone Warehouse.He used it over a couple of days and managed to run up a bill of almost £2,000.

I have been with Carphone Warehouse for years but they were totally unsympathetic and quite nasty, saying it takes a few days for them to get information from 02 so can only 'manage account limits' very broadly and 'I should have known this'.They then referred the account to a very aggressive and threatening debt collector (bailiffs at the door etc). In the end I was so worried that I managed to borrow money and paid. Will never use Carphone Warehouse again though.

Perhaps I am the only person that does not know about the horrendous cost of mobile internet browsing or how account limits are managed but just in case I can save anyone else from the stress and worry....

Be interested in any other experiences

hieveryone

Not sure if this is any help now since you've paid it, but if this is the first time it has happened I would give o2 a call and explain that you weren't fully aware of the costs etc. o2 usually give back the 'first offence' as goodwill - I work for them part time and seen a £35,000 bill being written off.

redux

It's an absurd difference that if you'd bought an add-on option in advance this would have cost £7.50 or so, which means they ought to be able to work out a way to be lenient

superjaggybunnet

How can you run up a bill of that much over a couple of days?

Can you explain as I don't understand how this works?

Jon_01

superjaggybunnet wrote: »

How can you run up a bill of that much over a couple of days?

Can you explain as I don't understand how this works?

Link the phone to the pc or laptop and then use that to surf the web. Uses data at a hack of a rate. . .

superjaggybunnet

The OP mentioned mobile internet browsing in the original post which I took to mean just surfing the net on the mobile.

Is it possible to rack up this much of a bill just surfing the net on your phone? Surely not!

Cerenia

Did he download content like games, songs and themes, or was it just browsing? £2000 does sound like a huge amount for a couple of days o.o T-mobile for example is £1 a day max browsing the internet on your phone, excluding anything downloaded etc.

SweetPea23

Cerenia wrote: »

Did he download content like games, songs and themes, or was it just browsing? £2000 does sound like a huge amount for a couple of days o.o T-mobile for example is £1 a day max browsing the internet on your phone, excluding anything downloaded etc.

I'm pretty certain O2's is £1 a day too! The OP's son has either downloaded a massive amount of games, music etc or has used the phone as a modem connected to a PC or laptop.

hieveryone

Depends what tariff it was on, o2's old mobile internet browsing is £3 per mb

chuckley

what was he downloadin?!

u should pay it and then get him to pay u back, teachin him a lesson. thats well out of order!

alchrise

Yes he is indeed rather annoying to say the least (my son) however he was downloading songs and ringtones to the mobile (quite why I will never know). The issue I face is the fact that I was under the impression (as was he) that he would not be allowed to go over the limit set on the account.
That is the primary issue we have with the whole system. The fact that it takes Carphone Warehouse 3 days to recieve information from o2 is laughable as my other son supports o2 and their call registers etc and he knows that o2 update their call information ever 15 minutes!
I have requested a full breakdown of the browsing charges as the bill just stated it as a solid lump of whopping great cost. Thanks for the tip on contacting o2, I will try that in the morning. The only problem I can foresee with that would be that we are not 'officially' with o2 but subcontracted via Carphone Warehouse.
Will post an update when I know more.

Thanks