V-Flyer

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My son took his new iphone to Australia for 2 weeks. He had an Australian pay as you go phone so didn't make any phonecalls but he did use the phone to check emails. He has just received a bill of 1200! Apparently the iphone is constantly on the web unlike my old fashined mobile and left on will check emails every 2 minutes and whilst this is free in UK the small print does advise it is chargeable abroad. TheO2 fee is 7.05 per Mb in Europe alone which is almost twice the European average.

I appreciate he should have read the contract more thoroughly but its one hell of a lesson to learn.

Bloody hell!!

Bloody hell!!

By default, data roaming on the iPhone is turned off for this very reason. When you enable it, it does warn you that it can be very expensive to use data outside of your own country.

By default, data roaming on the iPhone is turned off for this very reason. When you enable it, it does warn you that it can be very expensive to use data outside of your own country.

I always turn data roaming off when out of the UK,there were a couple of u tube vids showing enormous bills (600 pages long) for roaming charges when iphone was launched in the states.

I always turn data roaming off when out of the UK,there were a couple of u tube vids showing enormous bills (600 pages long) for roaming charges when iphone was launched in the states.

Thanks Pete, so can you manually turn it on each time you want to check emails?

Thanks Pete, so can you manually turn it on each time you want to check emails?

Originally posted by Jacki
Thanks Pete, so can you manually turn it on each time you want to check emails?

Yup, there's an option under settings

Originally posted by Jacki
Thanks Pete, so can you manually turn it on each time you want to check emails?

Yup, there's an option under settings

Brilliant news as the alternative was to leave it at home. I do feel that they should have a system in place to email the user if unusually high charges are identified?

O2 have implied if he complains they will consider a 50% discount which is a step in the right direction. As I said, bit of a steep learning curve.

Brilliant news as the alternative was to leave it at home. I do feel that they should have a system in place to email the user if unusually high charges are identified?

O2 have implied if he complains they will consider a 50% discount which is a step in the right direction. As I said, bit of a steep learning curve.

Similar complaint about data usage bills have been reported in the media recently. While the iPhone isn't the only pnone mentioned, they all have lack of understanding (or dare I say ignorance) on the users part.

In the most extreme cases the service provider has offered to reduce the bill to what it would be on their best data tariff. Although this was more to do with the publicity than anything.

Similar complaint about data usage bills have been reported in the media recently. While the iPhone isn't the only pnone mentioned, they all have lack of understanding (or dare I say ignorance) on the users part.

In the most extreme cases the service provider has offered to reduce the bill to what it would be on their best data tariff. Although this was more to do with the publicity than anything.

Any suggestions on how best to structure the complaint after all he did sign the contract?

I've asked around the hospital and no-one understood that you could be charged a continual roaming fee all the time the phone is switched on abroad. They are all running home to check their contracts and find out how to turn it off before they go away. Incidentally they all say that they thought by turning the roaming facility on it was the same as when they had to do it with their old mobiles and charges would only be made if they sent emails etc.

Any suggestions on how best to structure the complaint after all he did sign the contract?

I've asked around the hospital and no-one understood that you could be charged a continual roaming fee all the time the phone is switched on abroad. They are all running home to check their contracts and find out how to turn it off before they go away. Incidentally they all say that they thought by turning the roaming facility on it was the same as when they had to do it with their old mobiles and charges would only be made if they sent emails etc.

I wonder if a phonecall to see if they can cut a 'deal' would be better than a complaint in the first instance?

Perhaps then, only if that yields nothing, a formal letter would be an idea later down the road... [:?]

I wonder if a phonecall to see if they can cut a 'deal' would be better than a complaint in the first instance?

Perhaps then, only if that yields nothing, a formal letter would be an idea later down the road... [:?]

To be honest Jacki, complaint is perhaps the wrong road to go down as it could get the opposite reaction. I'd try the sympathetic approach.

You don't tend to get charged just for roaming while the phone is switched on. What happens is the phone will (in this case) attempt to 'attach' to the chosen network and when it passes data (emails etc.) chages are incurred. The more data, bigger the charges. As the auto function was enabled, it did all this without any input.

Voice calls are different. Under the GSM rules, the international leg of the incoming call is payed for by the roamer. Outgoing are charged at the published roaming rates.

To be honest Jacki, complaint is perhaps the wrong road to go down as it could get the opposite reaction. I'd try the sympathetic approach.

You don't tend to get charged just for roaming while the phone is switched on. What happens is the phone will (in this case) attempt to 'attach' to the chosen network and when it passes data (emails etc.) chages are incurred. The more data, bigger the charges. As the auto function was enabled, it did all this without any input.

Voice calls are different. Under the GSM rules, the international leg of the incoming call is payed for by the roamer. Outgoing are charged at the published roaming rates.

One thing to bear in mind is that any official O2 handset would have had the roaming data turned off by default, so your son would have had to turn it on, and under the 'switch' for there's a warning about roaming charges. The network, therefore, may not be completely sympathetic to a complaint as this was a deliberate choice on your son's part. As Darren suggests, I think you need to go down the 'fair cop, guv, but it was a misunderstanding' route.

One thing to bear in mind is that any official O2 handset would have had the roaming data turned off by default, so your son would have had to turn it on, and under the 'switch' for there's a warning about roaming charges. The network, therefore, may not be completely sympathetic to a complaint as this was a deliberate choice on your son's part. As Darren suggests, I think you need to go down the 'fair cop, guv, but it was a misunderstanding' route.

Thank you so much for helping me out, all very good advice and once he has calmed down a bit I will suggest he gives O2 a ring to try and negotiate a discount.

With all the dreadful things that life can throw at you, this is small fry, but hopefully lessons will be learnt.

Thank you so much for helping me out, all very good advice and once he has calmed down a bit I will suggest he gives O2 a ring to try and negotiate a discount.

With all the dreadful things that life can throw at you, this is small fry, but hopefully lessons will be learnt.