Data and roaming chages, should the UK netowks do more to prevent bill shock?

gjchester

markdoc wrote: »

MoneySaving traitor GaboEvs should be renamed a MoneySpending Expert, she's consitently defending these companies poor practices

Not really.

Theres an argument that people expect similar prices to home, I can see the logic in that, but everytime I turn my phone on in another country I get a text with charges in it. Sometimes these may not turn up but with al the publicity there has been about bill shock most people know it's expensive to use a mobile outside the UK.

People need to take responsibility for their actions. The mobile companies make it very easy to find out the costs it's just people often don't think before they use the phone.

wantmemoney

Richard_T_ wrote:

When the credit expired that was it, no more data or calls, until I topped up ( £2 per day for 25mb of EU/EEA data was plenty)

which begs the question... most people usualy spend a simalar amount each month on their phone account, an excuse often repeated on here is that the mobile companuys dont keep track of costs in real time, if they can stop PAYG calls/data, then why cant they do the same for contract customers no matter where they are in the world? and if someone usualy spends £30 per month surey their systems should realise that somethings gone wrong when that person racks up a bill of hundreds?

this was almost written in direct response to the OP question.

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/mobile-working/2011/03/29/how-orange-defends-data-roaming-charges-40092259/
How Orange defends data-roaming charges
29 March, 2011

Q&A
Orange, part of France Telecom, is one of the largest mobile operators in the world. ZDNet UK recently caught up with the company's head of roaming, Yves Martin, the man in charge of its data-roaming pricing.

What do you mean by opening routes?
You interconnect, say, Orange UK with an operator in India. You need to allocate time to physically connect the two networks and also test the networks and ensure the billing and everything is going well. Also, there is investment in real-time billing. It is not that obvious that someone using data in India, for example, can be billed immediately, especially in pre-pay. We also need to make sure we have a proper anti-fraud mechanism in place, and for bill-shock prevention as well.

Economically, that is not the reason why it is so expensive, but the reason why it started at a more expensive price, and then the price need to lower.

the answer to the OP is yes they could do it but don't because it would hit their profits.

in future the 'experts' that still peddle the nonsense about 'real time billing' should read up on the subject

NFH

markdoc wrote: »

Some charge around £10 a MB which is £10,240 per GB

That really puts it into perspective, but which network charges data roaming at £10/MB? The highest I know is Orange at £8/MB, hence my 800 figure above.

It's absurd that that when data is typically charged at a reasonable £10/GB in the UK, it is charged at £8000/GB outside the UK. A mobile device's data consumption is not location-dependent, so it is unreasonable for the price to vary so significantly by location.

By the way, I'm not sure whether the networks use 1GB = 1000MB or 1024MB.

thegoodman

I have never seen £8000 per mb.
However that's why it's important to select the network based on your requirement.
The O2 offer 50mb for £40.

redux

There are already caps on monthly data charges on contracts for roaming data in Europe.

Notmyrealname

wantmemoney wrote: »

unhelpful claptrap and 'buz' words and phrases from the industry brainwashed

Taking personal responsibility for yourself is industry brainwashing?

wantmemoney

what 'personal responsibility' I decide to take or not take when I use a public communications network has got f'k all to do with you.

go hijack

B]EDIT[/Bthe industry forum 'experts' will be telling us all next that we should not wear seat belts because it is our responsibility for ensuring we don't crash.

thegoodman

wantmemoney wrote: »

what 'personal responsibility' I decide to take or not take when I use a public communications network has got f'k all to do with you.

go hijack

B]EDIT[/Bthe industry 'experts' will be telling us all next that we should not wear seat belts because it is our responsibility for ensuring we don't crash.

No, you take out insurance in case of if you crash. Same as you check mobile prices before you travel.

It seem you perfer to have total control over you, the state should tell you what to do and what not to do, otherwiese bit of common sense, price check and how to switch off data, thats all is needed.

Some people never like to take the responsibility and always blame others such as company, people etc.

wantmemoney

thegoodman wrote:

wantmemoney wrote:

the industry forum 'experts' will be telling us all next that we should not wear seat belts because it is our responsibility for ensuring we don't crash.

No, you take out insurance in case of if you crash. Same as you check mobile prices before you travel.

It seem you perfer to have total control over you, the state should tell you what to do and what not to do, otherwiese bit of common sense, price check and how to switch off data, thats all is needed.

Some people never like to take the responsibility and always blame others such as company, people etc.

no ya but 'you take out insurance in case of if you crash' isn't going to stop you breaking your f'n neck is it?

good grief I get the impression this forum is populated with scammers who make a living from peoples mistakes and ambulance chasers flogging insurance.

thegoodman

wantmemoney wrote: »

no ya but 'you take out insurance in case of if you crash' isn't going to stop you breaking your f'n neck is it?

good grief I get the impression this forum is populated with scammers who make a living from peoples mistakes and ambulance chasers flogging insurance.

Am I right in saying you prefer to have the state control over what you can and can't do in life?
This way in case if you make a mistake you can blame someone else for your mistake.

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."