@vodafoneuk £7800 for 2GB of roaming data - 11477428

[Wireman82]

11477428

 

I have just been landed with £7800 of unbilled usage for 2GB of data that was used whilst in Montenegro.

The boat that I'm on moved from Croatia to Montenegro and I received no notification of the charges for phone/data use whilst in Montenegro so I (wrongly) assumed that I would be using my uk allowance.

I've been with Vodafone quite a while and use my phone all the time while working in Europe with no problems exceeding my 20GB uk allowance. Average monthly bills of around £150-200.

The phone reps said I should cancel my DD and wait till the end of the month to see when the bill is generated before they can do anything.

What are the chances of this extortionate charge being removed from my account?

[obiter dictum]

I thought mobiles had a cap on data roamng charges??

[Wireman82]

I thought mobiles had a cap on data roamng charges??

 

I thought so as well, if I'd been informed of the charges when I arrived in Montenegro I'd have turned my roaming off. Quite a shock when that came through.

[unclebulgaria67]

I am sure the Daily Mail would like another story. They have cases like this every week and the last one i read Vodafone reduced it significantly, but did not do a total write off.

 

You should register a complaint with Vodafone straightaway and ask them to look into it properly. It cannot cost that much for data in any part of the world. Ask for proof that Vodafone incurred these charges from other networks.

[Wireman82]

I am sure the Daily Mail would like another story. They have cases like this every week and the last one i read Vodafone reduced it significantly, but did not do a total write off.

 

You should register a complaint with Vodafone straightaway and ask them to look into it properly. It cannot cost that much for data in any part of the world. Ask for proof that Vodafone incurred these charges from other networks.

 

I've spoken to the support people at Vodafone and they have just advised to wait until the bill is generated at the end of the month and then they'll look into it further.

As you say, in this day in age of unlimited downloads and super fast internet, a paltry 2GB of data shouldn't cost that amount. Even satellite internet connections don't even come close to that level of extortion.

[Old Cogger]

get hold of Lea on here he representative for Vodaphone

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Wireman82,

 

I've got your email and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Social Media Comms

 

Vodafone UK

[Wireman82]

Thanks Lee!

[Wireman82]

Hi Wireman82,

 

I've got your email and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Social Media Comms

 

Vodafone UK

 

Hi Lee,

I'm still waiting for them to reconnect my phone as well. I'll be leaving Montenegro soon and going to Italy where I'd like to use my eurotraveller again as I still have 12GB left of my UK allowance.

[obiter dictum]

The problem you have is that Montengro is not part of the EU so member state price controls do not apply as to charges for roaming

[tobyjugg2]

£3 per MB outside the EU for Voda isn't it? Although Montenegro is considered part of Europe if not the EU.

 

http://www.vodafone.al/vodafone/Montenegro_3415_2.php

Which seems to show Voda charging considerably less than a pound a MB in Montenegro.

[unclebulgaria67]

I know this is a contract issue and phone operators will say that data rates for different countries is given, but if you are travellng with these modern phones it is too easy to generate bankrupt making bills. The phone operators should be made to install software that shows like a taxi meter. If people could see what bills they were generating instantly, then this might prevent this situation.

 

There is no technical reason phone operators cannot install taxi meter type billing software, as they will know which local phone network is being connected to, what country it is in, what the data rate is and then show the bill increasing.

 

I suspect that Vodafone have not been charged much by the Montenegrin phone network that was linked up to and they could not evidence the bill amount. If they cannot evidence the amount of bill, then i believe there are laws that protect consumers in this situation. Not sure the contract overides such rights.

 

Must make sense never to take a UK contract phone abroad. Get an unlocked phone and take several sim cards for companies that offer better rates for international travellers.

[Wireman82]

I know this is a contract issue and phone operators will say that data rates for different countries is given, but if you are travellng with these modern phones it is too easy to generate bankrupt making bills. The phone operators should be made to install software that shows like a taxi meter. If people could see what bills they were generating instantly, then this might prevent this situation.

 

There is no technical reason phone operators cannot install taxi meter type billing software, as they will know which local phone network is being connected to, what country it is in, what the data rate is and then show the bill increasing.

 

I suspect that Vodafone have not been charged much by the Montenegrin phone network that was linked up to and they could not evidence the bill amount. If they cannot evidence the amount of bill, then i believe there are laws that protect consumers in this situation. Not sure the contract overides such rights.

 

Must make sense never to take a UK contract phone abroad. Get an unlocked phone and take several sim cards for companies that offer better rates for international travellers.

 

I travel around Europe a lot with work and have been using eurotraveller and my 20GB limit quite comfortably for the last few years, average bill is about £200 so not worth swapping SIM cards with the change in phone numbers and topping up.

 

I've to wait another 27 days apparently before I'll get any kind of answer from Vodafone when the bill is generated.

[tobyjugg2]

I know this is a contract issue and phone operators will say that data rates for different countries is given, but if you are travellng with these modern phones it is too easy to generate bankrupt making bills. The phone operators should be made to install software that shows like a taxi meter. If people could see what bills they were generating instantly, then this might prevent this situation.

 

Android phones have data usage limiting and reporting as standard as have many Nokia phones since symbian OS days.

My phones are all set up to limit data usage using built in sw and I use the control bars on the android phones to switch on/off data/gps/wifi etc at the touch of an icon on the home screen as needed - also standard android features.

None of which would address THIS issue.

 

Also most network operators have a feature to call a number or to txt for current bill/usage

- only problem is that it sometimes takes days to update with usage.

 

.. To be fair VF seems to be less expensive than o2 and/or 3 - not that that justifies anything.

 

But all that aside there does seem to be unfair charging by voda here. £3 per MB rather than about 75p which they can be seen to be charging in Montenegro.

Edited September 25, 2015 by tobyjugg2
re-orderd

[Wireman82]

Android phones have data usage limiting and reporting as standard as have many Nokia phones since symbian OS days.

My phones are all set up to limit data usage using built in sw and I use the control bars on the android phones to switch on/off data/gps/wifi etc at the touch of an icon on the home screen as needed - also standard android features.

 

But all that aside there does seem to be unfair charging by voda here. £3 rather than about 75p which they can be seen to be charging in Montenegro.

.. To be fair VF seems to be better than o2 and/or 3 - not that that justifies anything..

 

 

Also most network operators have a feature to call a number or to txt for current bill/usage - only problem is that it sometimes takes days to update with usage.

 

I use the Vodafone app to monitor my current usage for both my UK allowance and also any out of bundle costs.

Unfortunately the data was used in the morning and it took 24hours to show up on their app.

[Old Cogger]

Vodaphone are always in the news regarding complaints - roaming charges of such amounts ? disgraceful , wonder if they went to court they would pay dearly for attempted deception? bet they operate in these places anyway!

[Wireman82]

Ok so now Vodafone has lifted the restriction on my account so at least I can use my phone again in eurotraveller zones without remortgaging my house.

As soon as the phone detected a Montenegrian network THEN I was sent the costs......I'd like to say "better late than never" but somehow I just don't feel that way.....

 

This came in at 0906 today

"Welcome to MONTENEGRO. As you're in our Rest of World Zone it costs £1.65/min to make a call and £1.30/min to receive one. Texts cost 35p + your home rate and picture messages are 45p. Mobile data is £3/MB up to 5MB then £15 for each additional 5MB. For terms and info see: [vodafone link (can't post die to forum restrictions)] or call +441635691700. For emergency services call 112. Enjoy your trip."

[tobyjugg2]

Ok so now Vodafone has lifted the restriction on my account so at least I can use my phone again in eurotraveller zones without remortgaging my house.

As soon as the phone detected a Montenegrian network THEN I was sent the costs......I'd like to say "better late than never" but somehow I just don't feel that way.....

 

This came in at 0906 today

"Welcome to MONTENEGRO. As you're in our Rest of World Zone it costs £1.65/min to make a call and £1.30/min to receive one. Texts cost 35p + your home rate and picture messages are 45p. Mobile data is £3/MB up to 5MB then £15 for each additional 5MB. For terms and info see: [vodafone link (can't post die to forum restrictions)] or call +441635691700. For emergency services call 112. Enjoy your trip."

 

Seems to me if that is the first notification of that you have had, after they have charged you thousands of pounds for being in Montenegro, thats a major issue - and their issue at that.

[citizenB]

Do try and get this resolved before your next bill. Vodafone, sadly are very quick to trash someone's credit files and sell a debt on.

[Old Cogger]

Lee not been back yet?

[Wireman82]

Lee has been in touch and said that he has escalated the data charge for further review.

[Lee Vodafone Company Rep]

Hi Wireman82,

 

As promised, I'll come back to you as soon as I have an update.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Social Media Comms

 

Vodafone UK

[Wireman82]

Hi Wireman82,

 

As promised, I'll come back to you as soon as I have an update.

 

Kind regards,

 

Lee

 

Social Media Comms

 

Vodafone UK

 

Thanks Lee

[Wireman82]

Hi All,

 

Just a small update.

 

So far the case is still being reviewed however Lee is keeping me updated regularly.

 

At present the contested data charge is being held off the final bill and I'm paying the rest of the bill as expected.

 

Will keep you posted if anything else happens.

 

Wireman82

[citizenB]

thanks for the update, Wireman.