cap on phone usage

jomoh

Hi,
I just got a massive phone bill (£250) from 3 for my daughter's iphone . Because we had some fairly big bills before ,we got 3 to put a cap on her contract and were told that she won't be able to make any calls whatsoever that would exceed her monthly allowance. This has worked fine and when on a recent visits to Germany and Ireland, my daughter was unable to make any calls or send texts. In August we spent a week in France ,still under the impression that my daughter was unable to run up a big phone bill...only to receive above mentioned phone bill. When speaking to a 3 advisor I was told that the restriction may or may not work when abroad. This is the first time this was ever mentioned to me -i am certain of that. On googling the issue I now know that in their t+c they do mention that restrictions won't apply when abroad. I haven't seen these before as the arrangment was made over the phone. I am so annoyed that I'm thinking of cxancelling all contracts we have with 3 (three altogether) even though I will incure a fine - Any advice greatly appreciated

OneADay

Delayed billing - Three won't have any idea of usage abroad till the network used abroad sends them the details.
Can't blame them - next time don't take contract phone with you and get a local sim to use abroad.

chanz4

or get an international bar placed, three wont care if you leave trust me I withdrew several in may after 7 years.

Guys_Dad

jomoh wrote: »

I am so annoyed that I'm thinking of cxancelling all contracts we have with 3 (three altogether) even though I will incure a fine - Any advice greatly appreciated

Before you do, just check and see which networks do allow you to placea cap. Orange don't. Vodafone don't I don't thing O2 do either. And although T-Mobile used to have a tariff that did, someone told me it has gone.

Your daughter would be best served with a giff gaff PAYG with a goodybag paid for by you.

grumbler

jomoh wrote: »

...I just got a massive phone bill (£250) from 3 for my daughter's iphone ....In August we spent a week in France .. Any advice greatly appreciated

Unless you sign-up to some roaming data bundle there is €50 monthly cup on data roaming charges in EU. '3' cannot charge you more than €50.

Rockaway_BabyDoll

As your daughter has an iPhone (a pretty expensive handset) that you pay the monthly bill for (so she can't get credit), I would guess she's a teenager, around 16 years old? If she's old enough to have an iPhone, isn't she old enough to be responsible for how much she uses it? So learns to track her usage and cut down when need be? What's her allowance each month?

jomoh

Thanks all - Grumbler that sounds sensible , can you tell me more ? The charge for calls when abroad was £184, all incured within a one week holiday

grumbler

Mobile roaming charges capped for holidaymakers by new EU bill ...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Commission_roaming_regulations

jomoh

Rockaway_BabyDoll wrote: »

As your daughter has an iPhone (a pretty expensive handset) that you pay the monthly bill for (so she can't get credit), I would guess she's a teenager, around 16 years old? If she's old enough to have an iPhone, isn't she old enough to be responsible for how much she uses it? So learns to track her usage and cut down when need be? What's her allowance each month?

My daughter actually wasn't to blame in this instance -she ,like us was under the impression that she could not go above her allowance. The calls we were charged for were made to a uk 3 number and she presumed this was only possible because 3 to 3 calls are free. Also on two previous trips abroad the cap was effective i.e. she could not make calls that are excluded from her allowance.
She has internet texter 500

zagfles

grumbler wrote: »

Unless you sign-up to some roaming data bundle there is €50 monthly cup on data roaming charges in EU. '3' cannot charge you more than €50.

I seem to remember that if you get to the EUR50 limit they send you a text warning you and asking if you want to exceed the limit, if you reply yes then you can run up higher bills.

Getting contract phones for kids is such a bad idea... there's a reason credit isn't available to under 18's

zagfles

OneADay wrote: »

Delayed billing - Three won't have any idea of usage abroad till the network used abroad sends them the details.
Can't blame them - next time don't take contract phone with you and get a local sim to use abroad.

Strange how they manage with PAYG then. I've never had a problem obtaining my balance when abroad.