Excessive data charges whilst abroad

Jon_01

I think it more that the US networks have realised that they can charge more. They can change the tariff's about once a year I believe, I just hope the UK network are upping the costs to US roamers over here.

DarkConvict

Using 1 byte would be impossible, but it was to prove a point :P A Byte so 8 bits, (0111 1001). This can mean 79 in hex, and 79 in hex can be encoded to the letter 'O' in ASCII.

Considering the fact to use the internet you need an IP address to talk to, 123.123.123.123 this would be 4 bytes alone, add in all the networking protocols to package up even a single empty request... you get the idea. Ill get my coat.

Data usages will get rounded up when abroad.
its funny in the UK on orange, it told me my remaining allowance (Dial 150) was 499.342395MB. 499MB would have been sufficient

bubblesmoney

what happens if the networks abroad are simply fraudulently billing roaming customers excessive data bills because they are not in the country to dispute payment.

how will uk networks check that the data was indeed used by the phone owners and not fraudulent bill by foreign network even if that data was not used at all. we have seen enough posts on here about data bills while abroad and people disputing it. is it impossible for unscrupulous networks to bill roaming charges far in excess of actual used data just to increase their revenues.

how easy is it to get a prepaid local sim card in many foreign countries? does MSE have any articles on how to get prepaid simcards (with data allowance) in foreign countries. this would an useful article.

Jon_01

bubblesmoney wrote: »

what happens if the networks abroad are simply fraudulently billing roaming customers excessive data bills because they are not in the country to dispute payment.

how will uk networks check that the data was indeed used by the phone owners and not fraudulent bill by foreign network even if that data was not used at all. we have seen enough posts on here about data bills while abroad and people disputing it. is it impossible for unscrupulous networks to bill roaming charges far in excess of actual used data just to increase their revenues.

how easy is it to get a prepaid local sim card in many foreign countries? does MSE have any articles on how to get prepaid simcards (with data allowance) in foreign countries. this would an useful article.

The roaming network has to supply billing info in the form of a TAP file, this details all the info on the device using their network. IMSI number (bit like an IMEI), mobile number, time of usage, duration, routing info if a voice call or text and data volume.
Most of this is auto generated by the network servers.
While its not impossible to generate fake files a patten would soon show up.
For example, if a network changes it's charging tariff and someone miskeys a digit into the system it's clear after a few days there's a problem as all the other networks with roamers on that network start flagging it.
Also, all networks have to supply all other networks with their tariffs, so it's a simple matter to do a bill recalc based on what the charge should be.

Any info on payg in other area's would be out dated after a few months, think how often the networks in the UK change their payg plans ?

jhe

well in my case i recieved a bill for over £600 data usage. 02 supplied me with the times of data use and my phone was not used at these times, it was in a locked safe with money and other valuables, so nobody had cracked the safe.02 then stated the times i was supplied with may not be accurate!but that is the data use times they were supplied with by the foreign network

Jon_01

Some network use very odd ways of reporting usage. It can take a while to work out what their files mean.

I'd suggest you ask them to review the TAP file sent from the roaming network. All the info is there, but the obvious reading may not be the correct reading. You have allow time differences, time zones and where they get their date stamp info from.
I used to be my job to go through them, it was no fun. . .

Also, if you've been charged £600 in a short time (2 or 3 days) they may also have been sent an HUR (high usage report) ask them to check that as well.

jhe

thanks jon01, it was egypt [data usage was over 6 days]were the supposed data usage occured,so only a couple of hours difference, they had the phone down as using hundreds of pounds on one day alone, that day the phone wasnt being used, trying to question 02 was near impossible, they kept quoting data protection with everything i asked them! this happened in march 2009 so will it be too late to ask for further info now?

Jon_01

I can't remember what a TAP from Egypt looked like.

They should have the files, their supposed to keep everything, but it may be archived by now but that shouldn't stop them getting at them.

What possible reason could they bring up the DPA ? That's for stopping other people getting your info (the phone was in your name ?). I can see how they wouldn't supply you with the TAP files for business reasons, but I can see no way the DPA comes into play for accessing data on your acc for you ?

jhe

thanks jon01, might just give them a ring, i told 02 exactly what you have just said regarding the data protection act, all they gave me was a letter showing times and dates of usage,they said that was all the info they had to prove the usage, they said they couldnt in anyway find out what we had supposed to have accessed on the internet.their atitude was the phone contract was in my name and i was responsible for all usage, which i agree with, but i dont agree with paying for something i havnt used