Monumental mobile internet charges when abroad

Gordon_Hose

Gobble Gobble

Preying_Mantis

It has been very interseting reading all the posts and I am pleased to see so many differing opinions.

I think my point is that despite understanding "internet" and switching the data roaming off (Orange very kindly text me to remind me) after sending a couple of texts and making one call that cut off in the middle as the phone went into coma mode, increased in heat and was locked in the safe for most of the holiday, I tried to revive it several times and subsequestly managed to make one call, access the internet once and send a couple of texts but after 10 mins of being switched on it went red and started getting hot again. The bottom line is I was unable to switch it off as it was unresponsive and not being an iphone technitian did not know what else to do with it. I would have removed the battery if I was able, but apart from that was completly at a loss. I realise now that I should have removed the sim when it went into coma as it started to data roam but until receiving the £1,800 bill though with roaming switched off then all would be OK.

Yes I did read the manual (my dad would not let me drive without proving I could change a tyre or have a copy of the Haynes handy) yes I am a bit of a dinosaur and confess to not understanding all of the iphone manual but having worked overseas for over 8 years and flogged phone cards to holiday makers to allow them cheaper calls than the mobile I do realise using a phone overseas costs. I am encouraged that Orange now see fit to text people and to warn them ( I have received one last moth advising me to contact them for a bundle if going overseas) and hope that this will lead on to greater information being provided for less tech savvy people.

Unfortunately in my instance it is the small claims court as I really could not be responsible for a faulty phone and until now Orange have not informed me whose responsibility it is, according to them and CISAS, the arbitration system only covers the sim and as that was not faulty then they have nothing further to say on the matter. It is a real shame that we could not agree but for all of you others that have been hit by a bill contact customer services and then the executive office (recorded delivery letter) and they are usually great and should be able to sort something out for you.

Keep em peeled!

stilltheone

If O2 can do it:

Guys_Dad

Good information.

As for others, well they should do it but may not choose to or have the software in place.

And I still don't know how O2 can detect when you hit the limits if there is any time lag between the overseas network informing them of your use. But it seems to be there in black and white - at least for O2.

madalice

Guys_Dad wrote: »

No. It's lazy can't-be-bothered-to-read-about-anything asses that shouldn't be allowed to use them, or, if they do, they should be banned from wingeing about large roaming bills.

You don't need to be a smart !!! to be aware of smartphones using data and roaming data costing money.

I only popped in here recently to see if I could find any info about the Samsung Galaxy SII but I happened across several of these threads. The fact that there are a number of threads such as these suggests to me one thing, that despite your derision of these dumbasses, there is a problem that needs addressing here.

Answer me this, if you would be so kind. Do you really think people whose average monthly mobile bill is between £15.00 and £30.00 are going to go abroad and knowingly rack up a bill into the hundreds and thousands? Really? No, I don't think so.

When I first joined these boards, I noticed there was a debt free wannabe forum but I've never been in there as I've never been in debt. I imagine if I went in there though and poured scorn on them for buying goods on credit, taking loans for holidays, maxing their credit cards etc, telling them how foolish they had been and how I knew better than to get myself into such a situation it wouldn't go down too well.

In future would it not be better to link to previous threads for advice, or make a 'sticky' thread? It doesn't help anyone to ridicule these people. And hey, if you feel they're trying it on, ignore the thread...... just a thought.

Guys_Dad

madalice wrote: »

........................ The fact that there are a number of threads such as these suggests to me one thing, that despite your derision of these dumbasses, there is a problem that needs addressing here.

Answer me this, if you would be so kind. Do you really think people whose average monthly mobile bill is between £15.00 and £30.00 are going to go abroad and knowingly rack up a bill into the hundreds and thousands? Really? No, I don't think so.

When I first joined these boards, I noticed there was a debt free wannabe forum but I've never been in there as I've never been in debt. I imagine if I went in there though and poured scorn on them for buying goods on credit, taking loans for holidays, maxing their credit cards etc, telling them how foolish they had been and how I knew better than to get myself into such a situation it wouldn't go down too well.

In future would it not be better to link to previous threads for advice, or make a 'sticky' thread? It doesn't help anyone to ridicule these people. And hey, if you feel they're trying it on, ignore the thread...... just a thought.

You actually quoted me slightly out of context. I was replying in kind to your previous post and it is obvious that is the case when you read them together.

Quote:
Originally Posted by madalice
Seems like only sm @rt asses should be allowed to use smartphones judging by some of the replies in this thread.

And I can't wait until the day comes that the likes of Orange make you take your test on a mobile before they let you give them your money. Shame it's never going to happen though.

Quote Guy's Dad
No. It's lazy can't-be-bothered-to-read-about-anything asses that shouldn't be allowed to use them, or, if they do, they should be banned from wingeing about large roaming bills.

You don't need to be a smart !!! to be aware of smartphones using data and roaming data costing money.

In fact, my position on people who have found themselves in the position of having a large bill is better put in post#11 of this thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3398972

I quote

"Now, when someone starts a post saying they know they have f****d up but what advice can MSE members give, then that's fair enough. We should give advice on how to mitigate the costs, double check the billing etc and doesn't warrant them being castigated any further.

It's the ones who come on to winge about the unfairness of it all and plead "I didn't know" and it's the nasty network's fault etc that deserve a touch of reality being brought to their attention."

So I am not sure that we are far apart in our views after all.

oodles441

As the person who posted originally, I just want to say thanks to all those who've offered HELPFUL advice; to those who've used it as a place to achieve some weird sense of superiority, get a life! You might be interested to know that MPs are being inundated with complaints about these charges (yes, yes, I know - incurred by morons, blah blah) and one MP is trying to get some legislation on the books to offer greater protection to the consumer.

adouglasmhor

oodles441 wrote: »

As the person who posted originally, I just want to say thanks to all those who've offered HELPFUL advice; to those who've used it as a place to achieve some weird sense of superiority, get a life! You might be interested to know that MPs are being inundated with complaints about these charges (yes, yes, I know - incurred by morons, blah blah) and one MP is trying to get some legislation on the books to offer greater protection to the consumer.

So all of us who use our brains are going to end up subsidizing wasters who just bash on regardless. SNAFU.

spiro

oodles441 wrote: »

one MP is trying to get some legislation on the books to offer greater protection to the consumer.

Just how is that going to work when the UK operator is reliant on overseas network providors providing billing information (calls, texts, data)? Even now overseas phone calls made in one billing period can appear on the next months bill due to delays in the data arriving.

adouglasmhor

spiro wrote: »

Just how is that going to work when the UK operator is reliant on overseas network providors providing billing information (calls, texts, data)? Even now overseas phone calls made in one billing period can appear on the next months bill due to delays in the data arriving.

Like I said - put up all our rates to cover the selfish and hard of thinking.