Advice needed re: extortionate bill

mehstg

I currently work in Spain and have a mobile contract with Orange (Spain) and have a complaint regarding a large mobile bill for roaming charges.
I don't speak much spanish so need some help in english which I cannot get from Orange in Spain.
I recently travelled on the Bilbao to Portsmouth ferry and just had a shock after receiving an extortionate mobile bill for 215 EUR, 195 EUR of which is down as roaming charges whilst aboard ship. I made a 3 minute call to family and checked voicemail for several minutes whilst the ferry was leaving the port of Bilbao and the signal was still reading Orange then switched the handset off straight after and thought nothing else of it...until now. :mad:
I do not even have international roaming activated on the phone line in question and yet on the bill next to these charges it says ISL-CRUCERO which I've since discovered is an international satellite roaming signal available on ferries. As mentioned I still had the Orange network signal showing on the handset plus the ferry was still not out on the open sea and have the call times itemised on the bill to prove this so what I want to know is why and how this signal was picked up and more significantly why don't Orange warn you of this and the consequences as surely they have an obligation to look after customers as these charges are completely outrageous and have put me off staying with Orange.
I wish to pursue a claim for these charges but not sure where to start or who to approach Orange (Spain), Brittany Ferries or the Satellite Signal provider whoever they are so can someone please advise?

spiro

If you try searching this forum for something like hull ferries you will find something similar for people travelling between Hull and Holland (I think) as the ferry as an international cell onboard which routes call through the USA. Dont know the outcome of that one.

grumbler

mehstg wrote: »

...
I do not even have international roaming activated on the phone line in question...

If it really is the case (I don't think so) then you really have a case for complaining and demanding the money back from Orange.
AFAIK for many handsets the roaming has to be activated for using T-mobile signal in UK. Have your checked your online account?

mehstg

Thanks for the replies. If you have the link to the other thread that would be great as I couldn't find anything using the search facility? I've also checked my online account and it does say roaming activated but I have never done this myself and it does not give details when or who activated it so yet another obstacle!! :mad:

grumbler

Massive bill from t-mobile

The problem is that the EU roaming spending caps don't apply to ferries.