Warning: IPhone Roaming Charges

JenBall

markymoo : my point is that I didn't expect to use anything like 53MB. Granted, I should have kept an eye on the 'data used' figure but I'd only just got the phone and wasn't aware that the Iphone kept a record of usage.

I've used my Windows Mobile many times abroad - similar sort of usage - and only used a few MB... cost me next to nothing. I just assumed the Iphone would use a similar amount of data.

So I'll be sticking to my WM in future for roaming data usage. Much cheaper than a £50 data bundle!

chorlton

How much do you use in a normal month at home? I only use 50/60mb in a whole month most months and use my phone a fair bit when I'm out and about - so to get through that in a few days seems very high!

If the useage in Lisbon is way over your normal amount then maybe worth trying to find out what exactly used so much, if only so others can avoid the same cost!

payless

Took my iphone to florida - most hotels & coffee shops have free wifi ( great for emails, browing and cheap voip) , even cache the maps for when out ! data used 0mb.

Wanderer77

The WiFi capability of the iPhone offers a good alternative to Data Roaming.
You will be surprised how many nice small independent Cafes and Restaurants offer free WiFi access.

The iPhone / iPod Touch application Free WiFi Cafe Spots helps you find them.
It lists more than 14,000 Cafes and Restaurants with free WiFi in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.

The app Free WiFi Cafe Spots has stored the locations of these Cafes and Restaurants on your iPhone or iPod Touch, so that you can find them even without an internet connection. (There exist some other WiFi Finder apps, which are not so usefull since they require internet access to retrieve the address of the WiFi hotspots from an internet server).

JenBall

chorlton wrote: »

How much do you use in a normal month at home? I only use 50/60mb in a whole month most months and use my phone a fair bit when I'm out and about - so to get through that in a few days seems very high!

If the useage in Lisbon is way over your normal amount then maybe worth trying to find out what exactly used so much, if only so others can avoid the same cost!

I've no idea how I managed to use 53mb. Seems very excessive for the bit of surfing I did. Double checked my bill and that's what it says I've used. No way of proving it either way I guess :-( I just keep data roaming switched off at all times now and rely on wi-fi or my other phone. Damn annoying.

johnmce

I got stung with a £200+ bill coming back from Ireland for data usage- not bad for 2 days worth of emails:mad:

But...

I managed to get these charges refunded. If you get charged try phoning O2 customer support (202 from your mobile). Go through to speak to an adviser, be prepared to wait on hold for a bit. When you get to speak to someone just ask about the charges and basically kick up a fuss, say you're not paying, whatever you need to do. If your payment history is ok they should refund you the charges once. The woman I spoke to was pretty helpful actually.

If you think about it, if you didn't know about the charges you weren't told about them (else you wouldn't have used your phone right!) which means you were mis-sold the data. Hence they should refund you.

The refund will be credited back on your future bills or once the refund has cleared (14 days) you can get them to credit the charges back into your bank account.

hope this helps someone

redux

johnmce wrote: »

If you think about it, if you didn't know about the charges you weren't told about them (else you wouldn't have used your phone right!) which means you were mis-sold the data. Hence they should refund you.

That involves a certain amount of untruth

The charges are clearly shown on the website, and can be asked about by calling customer services in advance.

Every time an O2 phone enters a new country, it receives a text message about call charges, and another about data charges, both of which are unambiguous and accurate.

O2 had already done this voluntarily, but due to new rules pushed through by the EU regulators from 1st July it is compulsory that such text messages are sent to users.

So, sorry, but it is rather poor advice to suggest with a nod and a wink knowingly spending £3 per megabyte and then kick up a fuss pretending not to know.

johnmce

redux wrote: »

That involves a certain amount of untruth

The charges are clearly shown on the website, and can be asked about by calling customer services in advance.

Every time an O2 phone enters a new country, it receives a text message about call charges, and another about data charges, both of which are unambiguous and accurate.

O2 had already done this voluntarily, but due to new rules pushed through by the EU regulators from 1st July it is compulsory that such text messages are sent to users.

So, sorry, but it is rather poor advice to suggest with a nod and a wink knowingly spending £3 per megabyte and then kick up a fuss pretending not to know.

Pretty sure I didn't receive any text messages. If I was aware keeping my email on was going to cost me £200 I wouldn't of done it. Still I was grateful for the refund.

deano27_2

I used mine in Greece and was streaming video footage of my house from a Web Cam for security etc and just to see if it works...very cool. Anyhow even with this and some news surfing mine came to £90 and £2.50 per MB.

Interestingly I have since had a text from O2 saying sorry for a fault on the Iphone meaning I was overcharged for my data roaming and I will be credited next month....lets see what that amounts too??