€451.46 O2 Bill- I'm fit to vomit

Dravokivich

ixoy wrote: »

Since you've an Android phone, you should install 3G Watchdog. You can monitor the data usage (including a daily breakdown) and even set it to cut off the 3G connection if it exceeds a cap. It won't pin point what caused the excessive usage but it'll let you know it's happening.

it was google navigation/maps for him.

n900guy

What is unusual is that all EU mobile operators are meant to block any charges over the €50/month max. It has to be specifically opted in by the customer to go over this.

I think the €50 is ex VAT. AFAIK, basically, your data is blocked when it hits whatever is €50 + VAT until the next billing period. NO way should you ahve been able to run up a bill like that; the law has been in effect since JUly last year (2010).

charlemont

Throw the bill in the bin.

Big Lar

n900guy wrote: »

What is unusual is that all EU mobile operators are meant to block any charges over the €50/month max. It has to be specifically opted in by the customer to go over this.

I think the €50 is ex VAT. AFAIK, basically, your data is blocked when it hits whatever is €50 + VAT until the next billing period. NO way should you ahve been able to run up a bill like that; the law has been in effect since JUly last year (2010).

Thanks, but i was on a 500MB roaming package and I dunno if that will effect the rule ?

ebixa82

Yahew wrote: »

You are not being helpful. The costs are outrageous. I know it, but I dont expect other people to. It is easy to have data roaming on and to connect to the internet.

In any case the costs are not acceptable.

If you are mature enough to have a bill contract you should also be mature enough to understand the rates that go with it (irrespective of how ludicrous they are) and also be mature enough to deal with the consequences of your actions.

And how exactly do you want me to be helpful? What help can be given to the OP.

If he wants advice I've given it...pay up and learn from the error of his ways!

saa

Seanbeag1 wrote: »

Funny that. Somehow all my monthly 1 GB was used up in the first few days of my billing period this month. Wonder if it's related to your problem.

That sounds pretty normal, I was using meteors 7.5 GB never lasts me more than two weeks

Sykk

You should turned off data roaming. It charges an absolute fortune in foreign countries (Around €8 per page load) .. Looks like you're stuck with the bill

Yahew

ebixa82 wrote: »

If you are mature enough to have a bill contract you should also be mature enough to understand the rates that go with it (irrespective of how ludicrous they are) and also be mature enough to deal with the consequences of your actions.

And how exactly do you want me to be helpful? What help can be given to the OP.

If he wants advice I've given it...pay up and learn from the error of his ways!

No. thats not useful.

Useful would be to point out that it should be illegal to charge more than 50 euro, to give some examples of software on Android which would alert him in future, to give some examples of people who have won a case against O2 before, or to supply other data plans from other carriers. There has been a lot of useful comment in this thread. Yours wasn't.

Dun

Is that the full bill? Excel is saying it totals €184.13..

OldmanMondeo

vomit in a bag and send that as payment, if they refuse, tell them you want it all back before you send a cheque in.

krudler

Saila wrote: »

say it was stolen, problem solved

Nope, you're liable for any charges on a phone even if its stolen unless you have insurance,tis is those t&cs that nobody reads.

OP, ring O2, they'll most likely meet you halfway if not more on the charges if it was the first time you've gone over , 50% is standard but depending on the overage you can ask if they'll go higher, worst thing they can say is no but its a general rule that 50% is taken off for a first time going over the data allowance as a goodwill gesture.

Did you get a text telling you you'd gone over the 50mb cap? if not make sure the EU data cap is on your account, it should be as standard but ask anyway, and in future turn off the data roaming, and the 3G connection altogether when you're away and use wifi only, easiest way to make sure the phone isnt doing anything like auto updating an app or some background data so theres no data connection at all.

Gummy Panda

Yahew wrote: »

No. thats not useful.

Useful would be to point out that it should be illegal to charge more than 50 euro, to give some examples of software on Android which would alert him in future, to give some examples of people who have won a case against O2 before, or to supply other data plans from other carriers. There has been a lot of useful comment in this thread. Yours wasn't.

You opt out of the roaming CAP when taking data roaming bundles on most networks.

ebixa82

Yahew wrote: »

No. thats not useful.

Useful would be to point out that it should be illegal to charge more than 50 euro, to give some examples of software on Android which would alert him in future, to give some examples of people who have won a case against O2 before, or to supply other data plans from other carriers. There has been a lot of useful comment in this thread. Yours wasn't.

I gave him advice. Read the T&C's and learn from his mistakes.

ringadingding

Cant you just copy into excel, edit the info and send it back to them revised, maybe they wont notice ???

krudler

ringadingding wrote: »

Cant you just copy into excel, edit the info and send it back to them revised, maybe they wont notice ???

thats genuinely the most retarded solution to a bill I've EVER heard, seriously? do you think the network only has one copy of the bill and its sent to the customer? they obviously have the bill on their systems as well, if that was the case nobody would pay bills we'd just change the charges and get away with it.

I need to ****ing like down after reading that.

Cill Dara Abu

I cant understand why people use bill phones, with Meteor €20 a month will get you free texts or free calls.

RoyalMarine

im on vodafone 70 a month pack.
went to spain last year,

used the phone quite a lot, text's, calls, internet etc.

didnt cost me anything over what i usually pay.

Mike 1972

When are the networks going to realise that they're pricing themselves out of a potentially huge market with these ludicrous charges ?

The internet can be a very handy thing on holiday for checking flights. Navigation around strange cities and changing/cancelling/confirming hotel bookings and itineries. While it is still possible to get ones handset unlocked and buy a foreign SIM why put people through such unnecessary faffing about ?

How do the networks justify these charges anyway I mean surely theyre not routing broadband data back through a customers home network ?

Capt'n Midnight

slavetothegrind wrote: »

shower of thieving oppertunist conspiring price fixing bstards, always turn off data roaming abroad, use wifi when you can.

If abroad plan on getting a local pre-pay sim for internet access.

Get an app on your phone that measuresh how much data you have downloaded and watch it like a hawk

nitromaster

Sykk wrote: »

You should turned off data roaming. It charges an absolute fortune in foreign countries (Around €8 per page load) .. Looks like you're stuck with the bill

Really?
and here i was happy enough with vodafone....they charge the same if you're using your phone on a sister vodafone network in europe...(and possibly elsewhere)

n900guy

krudler wrote: »

Did you get a text telling you you'd gone over the 50mb cap? if not make sure the EU data cap is on your account,

It's a price value cap of €50, not data. He can easily have a 500MB package - should all be as the operator agreed. Then, if over it, it should not charge more than €50+VAT in a single billing period (month). The data connection should have been terminated and he should not have been able to continue roaming - it should have simply allowed usual GSM phone connection but not data.

krudler

n900guy wrote: »

It's a price value cap of €50, not data. He can easily have a 500MB package - should all be as the operator agreed. Then, if over it, it should not charge more than €50+VAT in a single billing period (month). The data connection should have been terminated and he should not have been able to continue roaming - it should have simply allowed usual GSM phone connection but not data.

taking a data roaming bundle negates the cap though, from the o2 t&cs on the site: http://help.o2online.ie/kb/ps?type=search&search=1&searchtype=2&c=12&cid=21&cpc=&searchstring=10640

The cap is not available if you have a data roaming bundle applied to your account.

so by sticking the 500mb addon for roaming on the account you're removed the data cap yourself otherwise the 500mb addon wouldnt work.

ringadingding

krudler wrote: »

thats genuinely the most retarded solution to a bill I've EVER heard, seriously? do you think the network only has one copy of the bill and its sent to the customer? they obviously have the bill on their systems as well, if that was the case nobody would pay bills we'd just change the charges and get away with it.

I need to ****ing like down after reading that.

Must.use.smilies.
;-)

In fairness, my witty response seemed funnier in my own head last night after a few scoops !

Creamy Goodness

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

I cant understand why people use bill phones, with Meteor €20 a month will get you free texts or free calls.

i can... data, also when people grow up.

Cyrus

Sykk wrote: »

You should turned off data roaming. It charges an absolute fortune in foreign countries (Around €8 per page load) .. Looks like you're stuck with the bill

Not with vodafone ( on the iPhone plan at any rate )

Free data abroad onve you stay within your allowance

jesus_thats_gre

It's only 450 euro. Not exactly worth the panic. Just call them and they will sort it.

Big Lar

I found the culprit of the heavy internet usage while abroad, it was the kids using the website www.moshimonsters.com , I was taking it easy with the usage myself but the kids were on that website this morning for about an hour or so and used up 45MB.

Curse that Samsung Galaxy with its Mobile AP feature, A pox on them...

So I am gonna call O2 tomorrow and give em the ol "I'll have to sell my baby to pay the bill routine" and see how that works for me.

The Left Hand Of God

Big Lar wrote: »

I found the culprit of the heavy internet usage while abroad, it was the kids using the website www.moshimonsters.com , I was taking it easy with the usage myself but the kids were on that website this morning for about an hour or so and used up 45MB.

Curse that Samsung Galaxy with its Mobile AP feature, A pox on them...

So I am gonna call O2 tomorrow and give em the ol "I'll have to sell my baby to pay the bill routine" and see how that works for me.

This dude = Legend.

krudler

Big Lar wrote: »

I found the culprit of the heavy internet usage while abroad, it was the kids using the website www.moshimonsters.com , I was taking it easy with the usage myself but the kids were on that website this morning for about an hour or so and used up 45MB.

Curse that Samsung Galaxy with its Mobile AP feature, A pox on them...

So I am gonna call O2 tomorrow and give em the ol "I'll have to sell my baby to pay the bill routine" and see how that works for me.

just explain it (calmly!) and you'd be surprised how willing they'll be to meet you on half or more of it, also dont give a bill phone to kids, #1 lesson in life :pac:

Damie

I think there is a cap of €50 for data charge per month so just refuse to pay the big bill and pay the 50 quid then turn off your Data connection.

Gummy Panda

Damie wrote: »

I think there is a cap of €50 for data charge per month so just refuse to pay the big bill and pay the 50 quid then turn off your Data connection.

Or you could've read what's already been said in the thread. He opted out of the cap by taking the bundle.

Big Lar

krudler wrote: »

just explain it (calmly!) and you'd be surprised how willing they'll be to meet you on half or more of it, also dont give a bill phone to kids, #1 lesson in life :pac:

Ill let ye know how it goes.

FlutterinBantam

mike65 wrote: »

When on holiday leave phone at home (they have them in France in case of emergencies)

They have these things called 'public phones' too.

Can be useful in emergencies and only cost a few centimes.;)

Degag

Big Lar wrote: »

I found the culprit of the heavy internet usage while abroad, it was the kids using the website www.moshimonsters.com , I was taking it easy with the usage myself but the kids were on that website this morning for about an hour or so and used up 45MB.

Curse that Samsung Galaxy with its Mobile AP feature, A pox on them...

So I am gonna call O2 tomorrow and give em the ol "I'll have to sell my baby to pay the bill routine" and see how that works for me.

Seriously? I mean if i had kids and i gave them the phone while abroad, it wouldn't take me two days to figure out that they're the culprits.

JustAddWater

Dravokivich wrote: »

im doing fine in the pub right now, but i'll be sure to make my way back there once i find a suitable female to club over the back of the head.

Ya won't find one, while sitting in the corner posting on boards

Guy:Incognito

slavetothegrind wrote: »

shower of thieving oppertunist conspiring price fixing bstards, .

I know, what utter ***** they are setting out the prices well in advance and publishing them on their website so you can read them before you run off using the internet all over the word.

Big Lar

Degag wrote: »

Seriously? I mean if i had kids and i gave them the phone while abroad, it wouldn't take me two days to figure out that they're the culprits.

Well, when you have kids then come back to me. Because then you might understand just how hard it is to keep them occupied.

Guy:Incognito

Yahew wrote: »

It should be capped at 52 euro - as said. Anything else is illegal.

Stupidity should be illegal, and the EU protecting the stupid should be twice as illegal.

Guy:Incognito

Big Lar wrote: »

Well, when you have kids then come back to me. Because then you might understand just how hard it is to keep them occupied.

You should have given them €451.62 and they would have amused themselves for ages.

Degag

Big Lar wrote: »

Well, when you have kids then come back to me. Because then you might understand just how hard it is to keep them occupied.

I didn't say it wasn't hard to keep them under control, but giving them a device that could potentially cost you so much money was pure stupidity on your part.

krudler

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

You should have given them €451.62 and they would have amused themselves for ages.

zing! :pac:

Big Lar

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

You should have given them €451.62 and they would have amused themselves for ages.

If only I had known

Jev/N

I never understand why people can't just monitor their usage when away, either via the phone itself or on the provider's website via the phone or another computer. No shocks when you get your bill

alex73

Jev/N wrote: »

I never understand why people can't just monitor their usage when away, either via the phone itself or on the provider's website via the phone or another computer. No shocks when you get your bill

Exactly data roaming is a crime. I usually connect to wifi in a mcdonalds or somewhere else and phone home via Skype. There are also many cheaper wifi options in hotels. The guys crazy to use data roaming.

Three network has free broadband roaming on their network. Really great for uk

OkayWhatever

I've had a bill phone on o2 for over a year now, I've been overcharged for every month, barr one i think, even if I didnt go over my minutes or whatever. Once i get off this contract i'm straight back to meteor. . .

Degringola

Now I know I'm setting myself to be called reallly stupid here,but here goes:

Was in California visiting my daughter for 10 days.
Came back and my bill with Vodaphone was 450 pounds.
Did not make any telephone calls.
The odd text to/from my husband.
Used only IM to keep contact with my daughter. Because I was barely using the phone I never thought of turning Data Roaming off.

Never went on the net. Did not update my emails or send any. Had my PC with me and free Wifi in hotel. Disputed it with Vodaphone and they are not backing down. And they haven't explained what went on.

The only thing I can think of is that I have a load of free apps that I hardly ever use - and certainly didn't in US - and maybe they were secretly downloading stuff.

B**tards.

Cyrus

Degringola wrote: »

Now I know I'm setting myself to be called reallly stupid here,but here goes:

Was in California visiting my daughter for 10 days.
Came back and my bill with Vodaphone was 450 pounds.
Did not make any telephone calls.
The odd text to/from my husband.
Used only IM to keep contact with my daughter. Because I was barely using the phone I never thought of turning Data Roaming off.

Never went on the net. Did not update my emails or send any. Had my PC with me and free Wifi in hotel. Disputed it with Vodaphone and they are not backing down. And they haven't explained what went on.

The only thing I can think of is that I have a load of free apps that I hardly ever use - and certainly didn't in US - and maybe they were secretly downloading stuff.

B**tards.

Well im will use data albeit a small amount

Mike 1972

Jev/N wrote: »

I never understand why people can't just monitor their usage when away, either via the phone itself or on the provider's website via the phone or another computer. No shocks when you get your bill

How much do they charge for accessing that from abroad

Giving a flash phone to your children while abroad.. What were you thinking.

gosuckonalemon

Big Lar wrote: »

Well, when you have kids then come back to me. Because then you might understand just how hard it is to keep them occupied.

Well if the only way you know to keep your kids occupied is by letting them use your smartphone then serious questions need to be asked about your parenting.

Do you really think it's O2's fault that you let your kids access the internet to play games?

I don't. Buy them a game boy or PS3 or something, they can use them anywhere in the world at no extra cost. Or even madder still, what about playing and interacting with them yourself??