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Mobile phone bill shock (BBC news) |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Essex
Posts: 16,218
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Mobile phone bill shock (BBC news)
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,091
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I got my final Orange bill the other day. I'm sure it's wrong but I can't be bothered to dispute it. It supposedly covers the period 16 - 21 Nov, but my phone was cut off on 13 Nov at the end of my contract
Anyway, the plan had 500MB of data. Because they've billed for a part month they say I used 80MB of inclusive data and 3MB out of plan. And for those 3MB they charged £10. An absurd amount. I can see how people rack up these huge bills. |
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#3 |
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Guest
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,070
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Read article and have little sympathy here, he was let off paying once and advised how data charges get so high, now he has done it again and hoping they'd let him off again.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 695
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Not that I would wish him and his business anything bad, but like legends wear 7 I don't have sympathy for the guy.
Technically they could have made him pay the first bill in full, it is your own responsibility to check your usage. I don't agree with the charge per mb, but in the end that's what it did cost. |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: The United Kingdom
Posts: 15,551
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Quote:
Not that I would wish him and his business anything bad, but like legends wear 7 I don't have sympathy for the guy.
Technically they could have made him pay the first bill in full, it is your own responsibility to check your usage. I don't agree with the charge per mb, but in the end that's what it did cost. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,649
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Quote:
£700 per gig is rediculous. I think phone companies should "punish" people for going over their allowance but I would suggest that thay should only be able to charge lets say 10x the amount you would pay if pre authorised. So for the bloke in question he would be paying about £300. Thats still a tidy profit for the phone company.
T-Mobile do this, even though their data plans tend not to have overages (once you hit the limit they just start traffic shaping a bit harder and stop you from using YouTube, basically). With phone calls or text messages you have to make a positive action to be charged - i.e. make a phone call or send a message, but with data you can rack up a significant charge just by having your phone switched on (if you don't turn off data) |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Nailsworth, Gloucestershire
Posts: 10,404
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Quote:
With any overcharging they should redirect you to a webpage explaining that you have hit the limit and that if you press "agree" or something then you can keep browsing.
T-Mobile do this, even though their data plans tend not to have overages (once you hit the limit they just start traffic shaping a bit harder and stop you from using YouTube, basically). With phone calls or text messages you have to make a positive action to be charged - i.e. make a phone call or send a message, but with data you can rack up a significant charge just by having your phone switched on (if you don't turn off data) |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 16,705
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I have no sympathy for him either. Guy was stupid enough to do it again after being warned and let off once.
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 695
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Quote:
£700 per gig is rediculous. I think phone companies should "punish" people for going over their allowance but I would suggest that thay should only be able to charge lets say 10x the amount you would pay if pre authorised. So for the bloke in question he would be paying about £300. Thats still a tidy profit for the phone company.
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,140
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what a dick
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: The United Kingdom
Posts: 15,551
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Quote:
Like I said I don't agree on how much they charge for going over your allowance. But the guy didn't just go over by having sync switched on in the background. He was happily watching TV and downloading films and is a repeat offender.
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#12 |
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 695
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Oh, I absolutely agree. You should get warned, just like you do when you go abroad. I was at the receiving end myself by no fault of my own. When 3G started, Vodafone offered some kind of music streaming service for a monthly charge. But they charged me per mb as I was apparently using dial up! I got the money back though. So I know the companies aren't blameless. But again in his case, you don't start several films and TV programs at home and think you are still on wifi when you're on the go, get one slap on the wrist and months later do the same thing again.
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: the wild world web
Posts: 28,132
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People are opted in by default.
If they knew that anyone in their family could so easily and ignorantly watch a movie that costs up to £1000+ they would not sign on the deal. I said it before and I'll say it again, it is a booby trapped scam with unlucky people subsidising those who are savvy enough to so far to avoid it. Sky high interests from pay day loan companies and mobile charges have strong similarities. They both prey on people. |
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 7,918
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I dont have sympathy for this guy. Its the second time hes been caught out. Hes obviously too stupid to own a smartphone. He should pay the bill. Orange have let him off £2500, he should pay the rest.
A smart phone will download data, its one of its main uses. You can force the apps to use wifi only to download the data, if the app allows it. You can install apps, that will count data useage and then turn of mobile data access when you hit your limit, or at the very least warn you that you are near your limit. If you are not aware of these features, then they really shouldnt buy a smartphone. Its not the networks fault that you go way over their limit. Having said that, all operators, should allow an opt in scheme where once the user hits the limit they cut of mobile data usage until the start of the next months billing period. That way you never incur data charges. Not quite the same, but I know vodafone send out a text to say you are near your limit. |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 7,918
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Quote:
However, lets say he started a download on wifi. He then left the house and it continued to download over 3G. Thats an understandable mistake to make. Now it might not have happened like that in this case but phone companies shouldn't allow people to rack up stupid bill like this. No one would ever be stupid enough to chose to spend £7000 on internet charges a month.
As I said earlier, I do think the network providers should do more to stop people running up huge bills. I can see why they wont. Its a nice little earner for them. Until they do, its the responsibility of the smartphone owner to ensure he understands the risks involved, and how to avoid charges. Its not difficult. |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,214
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Not in my book it isnt. To me its obvious once I leave the wif range, the download will revert to 3G. If you dont understand that concept, then you really shouldnt buy a smartphone.
IMO it is most definitely the responsibility of networks to monitor overruns and inform or stop the user. Twice this year I have been abroad and made use of the daily plan that you can enable with Orange (£3 for 30MB) and each time I received no warning of having exceeded my quota despite the fact that I explicitly asked them over the phone before I left to confirm that I would receive text messages approaching the quota. The first time they refunded me in full. The second time they kicked up a fuss and refunded me part of the overrun (obviously an Orange theme here). I have been told that on my 4G EE plan I will get a text warning of approaching my 3GB quota. I have been monitoring my usage and intend to intentionally go slightly over this month, just to see what happens. I will not be surprised if I don't get any warning. |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Essex
Posts: 16,218
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I disagree. I am a techie and understand all the fine nuances of mobile communication. However, my wife is not stupid but she just happens to have zero interest in technology. It doesn't matter how many times I explain what combination of using landlines and mobile phones results in different call charges it's in one ear and out the other.
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,214
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Quote:
My mrs is the same, she does not care how it works as long as it works. There is virtually zero information from the phone companies warning of the problems aside from small disclaimers on their web site. I've visited several stores and nobody takes about limits, how you could exceed them and cost per MB of overrunning.
The difference with phone calls is it's not as easy to run up ridiculously high bills (thousands of pounds). |
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Essex
Posts: 16,218
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Quote:
IMO it's just as much a problem with phone calls. Very few ordinary people (i.e. non-techie) understand fully what is and what isn't included in the call plan e.g. what 0870, 0871, 0800 numbers cost on a mobile compared with a landline. There should be a message before any call placed that is not included in the plan what it is going to cost per minute. This is obviously technically possible as Skype effectively do it (by counting down your remaining balance as you're talking).
The difference with phone calls is it's not as easy to run up ridiculously high bills (thousands of pounds). |
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