Iphone holiday charges

jazzrtc

Hi

I'm guessing this is a regular occurring topic but have just returned home from my honeymoon in the US to find a bill from Orange charging me £1000 for internet usage.

I called them up to inquire what was going on as i had bought a bundle from them which i only used for the first 2 days and then switched to wifi only. The acknowledged this but said that i had background apps refreshing which used my bundle allowance up and ran up the high bill over the 2 day period. (I've checked what i did exactly over those 2 days and it seems that i 'personally didn't do much, not even an FB update.

Has anyone else experienced this background app update? I've asked a few friends today and they seem to say i can switch it off in settings but as i'm not running I0S7 i can't seem to find this.

I've also looked into it and Offcom seem to offer saying that 'There is a safety net – all mobile operators have to apply a cut-off limit once you have used €50 (excluding VAT) – around £40 – of data per month, wherever you travel in the world, unless you choose to opt out.'

I heard nothing from Orange about opting out at all and the first i heard i had used a lot of data was on the 19th May. Speaking to Orange today, they say that the high amount of data was used on the 10th and 11th May and then the rest of the time i used wifi.

I am obviously fighting this with my all but any advice would be gratefully accepted (and yes, i know that Data Roaming should have been turned off but as i had purchased a bundle i thought i was safe with the sparseness that i was actually using the phone.

d123

Part of buying a bundle is opting out of the capped scheme, and once you have bought a bundle you are considered to have opted out permanently (or until you personally advise the network you wish to opt back in).

jazzrtc

really? wow! and damn!

NFH

jazzrtc wrote: »

The acknowledged this but said that i had background apps refreshing which used my bundle allowance up and ran up the high bill over the 2 day period. (I've checked what i did exactly over those 2 days and it seems that i 'personally didn't do much, not even an FB update.

It's not what you do, but what your iPhone does. All iPhones consume data even when the user isn't looking at it. Just go into Settings, Mobile, System Services to get a flavour of this. Lots of other processes use data, for example polling your e-mail server(s), otherwise how would the iPhone know that you have any e-mails? In future, get a local SIM card.

visidigi

d123 wrote: »

Part of buying a bundle is opting out of the capped scheme, and once you have bought a bundle you are considered to have opted out permanently (or until you personally advise the network you wish to opt back in).

Orange would have had to make this clear at the point of purchasing the bundle, they cannot assume the consumer will 'know' buy buying a bundle.

boatman

When you phoned them for the bundle did they inform you that you had 'opted out'? Did they advise you what the charges would be if your bundle ran out?

http://explore.ee.co.uk/roaming/orange/usa
When you take a bundle it says:
'When you take this bundle, we will remove the data roaming limit of £42.'
'If you exceed the reoccurring bundle limit you’ll be charged £8/MB'

On the watchdog page
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg74/features/roaming-charges
EE response to customers large data roaming charge:
When buying a bundle, the customer will of course be aware of the data allowance they are purchasing. When overseas, they will receive regular text message alerts informing them of how much data they are using. There is also an app that makes it easy to track how much data you have used and purchase more bundles if needed.

Did you receive regular text message alerts? If not why not if they say they do?
Perhaps the warning text are only a requirement if you have not opted out, if you have opted out they don't bother to text you and warn you, the mobile companies are at it again, by getting people to opt out and try and plan their trip abroad the customers are falling into the companies trap of not being warned of data usage, I wouldn't expect any less from the mobile companies, shameless!!
To quote ofcom:
'The provider must send you an alert when you reach 80% and then 100% of the agreed data roaming limit. Operators must stop charging for data at the 100% point, unless you agree to continue to use data.'

d123

visidigi wrote: »

Orange would have had to make this clear at the point of purchasing the bundle, they cannot assume the consumer will 'know' buy buying a bundle.

As boatman has posted, it's in the T&Cs of the bundle, if buying by phone they should be reading the T&Cs out (and proving they didn't is next to impossible if it ever needed proving in the future, unless you had the foresight to record the call yourself).

This is the current T&Cs under the bundle on the EE website.

This bundle reoccurs up to 10 times until midnight of that same day (local time), each time the bundle reoccurs you will be charged an additional bundle fee and receive additional bundle allowance

If you exceed the reoccurring bundle limit you’ll be charged £8/MB.

When you take this bundle, we will remove the data roaming limit of £42.

gjchester

jazzrtc wrote: »

I've also looked into it and Offcom seem to offer saying that 'There is a safety net – all mobile operators have to apply a cut-off limit once you have used €50 (excluding VAT) – around £40 – of data per month, wherever you travel in the world, unless you choose to opt out.'

I could be wrong but I though the cap on roaming prices was EU only, not worldwide. The OP went to the US so would not be covered.

grumbler

gjchester wrote: »

I could be wrong but I though the cap on roaming prices was EU only, not worldwide. The OP went to the US so would not be covered.

Yes, but for some reason Ofcom have a different opinion on this - and have been having it for a long time.

d123

gjchester wrote: »

I could be wrong but I though the cap on roaming prices was EU only, not worldwide. The OP went to the US so would not be covered.

The OP quoted the OFCOM statement.

There is a safety net – all mobile operators have to apply a cut-off limit once you have used €50 (excluding VAT) – around £40 – of data per month, wherever you travel in the world, unless you choose another limit.
The provider must send you an alert when you reach 80% and then 100% of the agreed data roaming limit. Operators must stop charging for data at the 100% point, unless you agree to continue to use data.

It's taken from this page:
http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2013/07/using-your-smartphone-or-tablet-abroad/?lang=cy

Also available as a PDF guide from this link:
http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/files/2013/07/files/2013/07/Smartphoneroaming.pdf

boatman

I guess because OFCOM have control of UK providers, they have applied it to the providers regardless of where you travel and use your contract.