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Original poster

Help! DSS mobile phone bill £4500!

172 replies

mumtomoley · 22/08/2012 23:36

Just got DSS's phone bill and it's just over £4500 Shock

He's been to Turkey for 2 weeks with his mum and left data roaming on/been on the internet as it's all data charges. We really do not have the means to pay this at all. I've spoken to his mobile phone company, Orange, and they are going to call me back tomorrow. They have said that they may be able to put a credit on the account but 'to manage my expectations it won't be a significant amount'.

Any advice gratefully received?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 23/08/2012 13:38

It does soon promising. They haven't dismissed it out of hand or demanded you pay up the full amount.

ilovemydogandMrObama · 23/08/2012 14:08

failing all the other helpful suggestions, could always say you thought Turkey was included in Europe as it's in Eurovision Grin

Original poster
mumtomoley · 23/08/2012 14:18

Grin ilovemydog

Flawless argument I think!

OP posts:
Sarahplane · 23/08/2012 14:23

Sorry I've just seen you asking for the email address. Not got it anymore but im glad someone else found it for you. Sounds like you're hopefully getting somewhere. Keep us updated.

Sarahplane · 23/08/2012 14:25

If all else fails threaten a mumsnet wide boycott of orange Grin

BellaVita · 23/08/2012 14:33

We are with O2.

At the moment we are in Mexico, the minute we landed we received txts from them to say how much data would cost and how much txts would be. Our Roaming is always turned off. DH used it on last years holiday, but he was able to see how much it was costing. He turned it on and off as and when, but he was aware of the charges.

God OP, I bet you feel sick Sad

Original poster
mumtomoley · 23/08/2012 14:47

Next question... as I can't do anything about Orange till tomorrow, I am thinking about what needs to be done/said with regards to DSS.

Is anyone with Orange, who has been outside of the EU recently who could advise what they got from them with regards to texts etc? I definitely think that there would have been 1 text as a minimum as you say above BellaVita. Also, is there any way I can find out whether it was stuff in the background or DSS actively using the internet - obviously without asking Orange as I don't want to draw this to their attention.

I would really like to get my facts straight before we speak to him so I know if he is trying to BS his way out of it.

OP posts:
armedtotheteeth · 23/08/2012 15:38

For future reference, Tesco Mobile (and possibly others) give the option of capping your contract so that you can't go over the number of inclusive minutes / texts / data. If you need to go over for some reason (eg. To use it while abroad, then you top up same as pay as you go). I've got that as I was worried about exceeding my data allowance with too much time on mn somehow Grin

armedtotheteeth · 23/08/2012 15:43

Could you ask dss to come clean now and tell you exactly what he used it for? Tell him you'll be asking Orange for a fully itemised bill so he may as well be honest now. (not sure if Orange can actually provide that but might encourage full disclosure from dss!)

Lexilicious · 23/08/2012 15:53

I'm with Orange and recently got texts (while in the UK) suggesting I download (for free) an app called Travel Angel. I did, and the moment I switched it on when I landed in Switzerland last week it opened itself up "hello, it looks like you're in a foreign country!" and showed me the bundles I could buy for data, data/calls/texts, calls/texts only. (e.g. 30MB per day for £3, or up to 500MB over five days for £15) It also very clearly stated the prices per MB if I exceeded the bundle.

It kept popping up to remind me which was quite annoying, probably would only have stopped if I bought a bundle! But as someone else said, in fact I didn't need to use data roaming as I was on hotel/bar wifi most of the time.

Sorry no advice how to handle it with DSS as I only have a toddler. I would be tempted to show him the £6k bill though, get him to explain himself, let him stew on the £6k for a while and perhaps get him to suggest his own formula and timescale for payback, and even see if he is creative/mature enough to figure out about negotiating with companies as you have done. In the end, and depending on whether you uncover if he actually knew before you got the bill, I think he should 'contribute' back more than the £175 bundle - a bit like a fine plus an administration fee!

Original poster
mumtomoley · 23/08/2012 16:10

Thanks for your replies. I phoned Orange (incognito) and asked about various plans and packages and travelling abroad etc and basically they would have sent a text on arrival giving details of charges. DSS would have no clue how much a MB actually is so he obviously had no idea the extent of the bill but they don't do further updates unless you download Travel Angel.

Thanks lexilicious I completely agree with presenting him with the £6k bill regardless of what we manage to agree with Orange and seeing what he says. I don't think it would do him any harm to get a bit of a shock.

I think it's only fair to try and work out to what extent it is his 'fault' and what extent it's the fault of the adults around him before deciding what to do about it. Ultimately it's down to DP anyway.

OP posts:
Original poster
mumtomoley · 23/08/2012 16:13

armedtotheteeth DSS is unlikely to come clean voluntarily. His response to getting into trouble is to deny deny deny, act defensive, and then go on the attack about how unfair everything is :( hence why I want to try and get the facts straight before we speak to him.

OP posts:
BellaVita · 23/08/2012 19:42

This is what my text says...

"Using the web outside Europe costs £6/MB. We'll tell you when you've spent £20 and again at £40. We won't charge you more than £40 on your current bill and you can use up to 50MB"

I would fight it all the way.

Hopefullyrecovering · 23/08/2012 19:48

We fell foul of this on holiday in France last year. Not switching off data roaming on a smartphone cost around £300 on DD's phone, so the problem won't just be data roaming. The problem will be that he used the internet. DH did this and the bill was a whopping £2.5k. Double whammy for us.

The good news is that after much talking to O2, about the lack of warnings, and also who the hell knows what 1KB of data is anyway, they reduced DH's bill to £250. It was still a shock but the reduction was substantial.

Keep talking to them, keep promising them that you'll stay with them until the end of time, don't whatever you do start shouting at them, and you should get a substantial reduction.

Original poster
mumtomoley · 23/08/2012 21:14

Thanks BellaVita O2 are so lovely and reasonable!

I phoned Orange earlier and they said they don't do caps on charges because their customer base 'isn't the sort of customer base to need them, they are generally more responsible' [hmmm] wtf?!

Thanks hopefully I am feeling cautiously optimistic. Will keep in mind what you said!

OP posts:
TalkinPeace2 · 23/08/2012 22:45

Go to the press
Guardian
Daily Mail
Daily telegraph
BBC

you were silly to not block the contract down
BUT
they were thieving bastards to not lock it down as soon as daily usage went above the normal monthly amount
and THAT is what the basis of your offer to pay should be

I'm on PAYG - the max I can be charged is £4 per day before my phone is blocked : therefore in a week, £28 is deemed reasonable for a non contract and therefore for a contract

GIVE THEM HELL
for not sending DAILY warnings of the data usage - both to the phone and to its contract email address

mignonette · 23/08/2012 22:46

Email Guardian Money. They have had some success in tackling this problem and the failure of mobile phone companies to educate young customers about how roaming works.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 24/08/2012 10:17

bless you have just read thread, i hope when they call you back it is good news!

HalleLouja · 24/08/2012 10:23

I have not read all the thread but which network is he on? Different networks have different policies. I have heard of someone on orange who had a massive bill and contested and got most of their money back. With T mobile you have to buy the credit. Though Turkey is non EU so might be different.

My DH works for a major network - so if you pm I might be able to get some advice from him. He works in customer services management.

HalleLouja · 24/08/2012 10:24

I have just seen it is Orange. PM and I will get some advice from DH.

HalleLouja · 24/08/2012 10:28

DH says phone customer services and complain if that doesn't work then go to ofcom.

Tmobile who are part of the same company make you buy it in advance so no mad bills.

trixymalixy · 24/08/2012 10:29

Christ!!

O2 cap data usage abroad at £40. Another reason not to use Orange.

AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 24/08/2012 11:25

to be fair to Orange, I've always found them excellent for customer service, really reasonable and human. i'm sure they'll do the data package thing. (esp if you mention whacking great thread on MN where all your imaginary friends are telling you how decent O2 are about this type of thing).

HalleLouja · 24/08/2012 11:59

I think they will do it in the future Aitch - just not yet. Also whilst they are cashing in on it they won't be in a rush.

AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 24/08/2012 14:18

why should they, though? with the greatest respect and kindness to the OP, the adults in this situation haven't been at all bright in giving the boy an unlimited mobile phone. orange are a company, there to make money, and most people won't run up bills this high so won't face penury as a result. of course i think the phone should have been cut off or checked when it went so high, but that's the only error on Orange's part imo. whoever it was said that you're better to owe £100,000 than £100 is right in that respect.

also tbh i do think they will have sent texts... for example i just got one yesterday saying 'are you going on holiday abroad this year? download 'travel angel' before you go and stay in complete control of your costs'. so that's going to every single customer...