Exorbitant International Roaming costs - Advice Pls.

[wellzy]

OK- Before i get a backlash of "youre a Noob" comments, yes i very stupidly used my international roaming whilst away on holiday, and now im in a spot of bother (hindsight is a beeyatch). I wanted to know if anyone could assist or give me any advice please?

This is how it all went down:

I went to Thailand, and whilst there, i recieved an sms from Cell C, welcoming me on my holiday. I then discovered that i could receive emails on my iphone and realised then that i was obviously on International roaming, so i thought i'd use it sparingly for "convenience" Mistake? Yes...

I sent a few Holiday MMS's to family, received cpl mails, internet banking, quick facebook etc, nothing crazy...

Exactly a week after i had arrived i received 3 quick consecutive sms's, basically saying "you have 6k left, you have 4k left, and the last one said, "you have reached your monthly limit, service discontinued"....

Obviously, now im sh*tting myself, so i basically turn my phone off for the remainder of my trip.

Once i got back, sent cellC a mail via their website, no reply, 2 facebook messages, no reply, then eventually HelloPeter.

I got a call from CellC this morning (a week after first trying to contact them) informing me that my Bill was just over
R22 000.0!!!!!

After researching, i see that many people have fallen into this trap, and that i was basically paying just under R200 p/mb

My question is what kind of legal leg do i have to stand on? I dont ever recall agreeing to have my international roaming activated (is it set to activated as default until otherwise specified?)

Also, with regards to monthly limits, i never recall setting any kind of exuberant limit? Would i have to request the recorded call when i agreed to the contract telephonically?

Do i have any chance with the CPA / Icasa with regards to them cutting / discounting the rate? I just feel that if CellC can use their technology to "Welcome me" to Thailand, surely they can warn you about the billing sh*tstorm you're to face when you get back? It seems reckless on their part.

As i said, at the end of the day, i used the data, but 22k to read the news, and send some Photos to the family? Does that seem fair??

 

[wellzy]

One more thing - Just to put things in perspective, 10 days in Thailand (flights and accomodation + Brekkie) cost me just over R15 000, data bill = R22 000 ;(

 

[Ancalagon]

Are the costs exuberant and outgoing? So not introverted at all?

Lol I think you mean exhorbitant!

Sadly I dont think there will be much you can do. Whether or not they activated international roaming, you decided to use it. You could have switched your phone off as soon as you arrived.

 

[Haldex]

Yip, it's been all over the forum in the past few months.
You probably used about 220MB which is indicative of your usage, Facebook, email and news.
220MB x est R100 per MB is around R22 000.

 

[wellzy]

Are the costs exuberant and outgoing? So not introverted at all?

Lol I think you mean exhorbitant!

haha, my bad. thanks for the response, i thought as much. Im just hoping someones been in a similar position, and has some advice

 

[froot]

As to the default setting for roaming, it's off for Vodacom but not sure as to how CellC works.
As to the bill... you're completely liable for that. Although I must say, you should have checked that out before going overseas.

 

[wellzy]

Yip, it's been all over the forum in the past few months.
You probably used about 220MB which is indicative of your usage, Facebook, email and news.
220MB x est R100 per MB is around R22 000.

Ja, judging by the cell C website, its almost R200 p/mb, so i most likely used around 100mb ;(

 

[whatwhat]

Should have bought a DTAC Happy Tourist Sim at BKK when you landed. Unlimited 3G/wifi data for 7 days for around 299 baht (R96)

As for CellC, you're probably going to have to pay it

 

[RedhotNeo]

Are people so stupid not to do their homework and find out rates for international roaming??? We see this all the time. They dont find out first and then complain later after their blunder.

 

[F1 Fan]

Are people so stupid not to do their homework and find out rates for international roaming??? We see this all the time. They dont find out first and then complain later after their blunder.

Relax due, not all people are tech savvy and do not know they will rack up such a huge bill. It happens..

 

[The_Unbeliever]

I logged on to the Mytools portal, and was horrified to find that my contract account can go up to R15k over.

I contacted the CellC rep, and changed it to R250.

So if the worst come to the worst, I'll only be liable for R250, and not R15k.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Relax due, not all people are tech savvy and do not know they will rack up such a huge bill. It happens..

Yep.

 

[RedhotNeo]

Relax due, not all people are tech savvy and do not know they will rack up such a huge bill. It happens..

what im saying is that people visit the mybroadband site and forums. They will surely notice people complaining about international roaming costs. You should not think that it wont happen to you.

But i think he's now learn't a valuable lesson and hope he doesnt make that mistake again.

 

[wellzy]

Are people so stupid not to do their homework and find out rates for international roaming??? We see this all the time. They dont find out first and then complain later after their blunder.

"OK- Before i get a backlash of "youre a Noob" comments, yes i very stupidly used my international roaming whilst away on holiday, and now im in a spot of bother (hindsight is a beeyatch)"

 

[Haldex]

You might have some recourse if it was activated without your knowledge, if you requested it, then you might have to pay it.

 

[wellzy]

You might have some recourse if it was activated without your knowledge, if you requested it, then you might have to pay it.

Thanks Haldex, I dont ever recall activating it, Im assuming that with CellC its probably defaulted to be active unless otherwise specified. In a last ditch attempt, i've asked a lawyer friend to have a look. CellC are investigating the usage at the moment, however, im not disputing the usage, i just think the the way they acted is unethical. Especially when i received an SMS from them welcoming me to Thailand, and not using that opportunity to inform me that i'll probably be living in a box when i get back from holiday

 

[Haldex]

Thanks Haldex, I dont ever recall activating it, Im assuming that with CellC its probably defaulted to be active unless otherwise specified. In a last ditch attempt, i've asked a lawyer friend to have a look. CellC are investigating the usage at the moment, however, im not disputing the usage, i just think the the way they acted is unethical. Especially when i received an SMS from them welcoming me to Thailand, and not using that opportunity to inform me that i'll probably be living in a box when i get back from holiday

If Cell C have international roaming as a default activation on the lines I would be very worried to be a Cell C subscriber.
International Roaming sims in the wrong hands is dangerous.
They should have also sent a disclaimer regarding roaming fees, I believe some networks even charge upto R5000 as a deposit prior to activating roaming.

 

[P924]

I logged on to the Mytools portal, and was horrified to find that my contract account can go up to R15k over.

I contacted the CellC rep, and changed it to R250.

So if the worst come to the worst, I'll only be liable for R250, and not R15k.

Yeah, your limit will not help you when roaming, as networks just ignore it in that case... I know a couple of people that thought the limit they set up before going overseas will control the damage, they were very wrong...

 

[whatwhat]

Cell C roaming is off by default. You have to request to enable it, well that was my experience on my one Cell C contract earlier this year.

 

[wellzy]

If Cell C have international roaming as a default activation on the lines I would be very worried to be a Cell C subscriber.
International Roaming sims in the wrong hands is dangerous.
They should have also sent a disclaimer regarding roaming fees, I believe some networks even charge upto R5000 as a deposit prior to activating roaming.

CellC have sent me the terms and conditions for Int Roaming, where the first line is "you have chosen to activate international roaming on your account"...

I dont ever recall activating it (unless it was when i signed my contract 10 years ago). I have requested the document or recorded conversation where i confirmed that.

Thanks for the response