One Florida resident had the shock of his life when he came home to a six-figure phone bill. But what happened?
Euro Trip Ends Badly
US globetrotters may need to think carefully next time they use their mobile phones while traveling after a Florida man and his wife recently returned home from a European trip to find a staggering bill in their mailbox.
Six-Figure Bill
After traveling through Switzerland together in September last year, Rene Remund and his wife came home from their vacation to find a $143,000 phone bill from his mobile provider T-Mobile.
9.5 Gigabytes
As it turned out, the globetrotter had been charged for using approximately 9.5 gigabytes of data that had not been approved for international roaming.
$6,000 Bill Per Day
During the couple’s three-week trip, Remund had sent texts, photos, and videos to friends and loved ones in the US via cellular data. Based on T-Mobile’s international fee plan he had spent an average of $6,000 worth of data a day.
Less Than the Average Domestic User
For comparison, the average US mobile user uses approximately 11.1 gigabytes a month, according to mobile communications company Ericsson.
A Horrible Shock
The bill was an enormous shock for the couple, and Remund quickly reached out to his provider to resolve the problem. In his mind, the bill amount was clearly a mistake.
“Are You Crazy?”
“I’m looking at it and I say, ‘Excuse me, $143,000, are you guys crazy?” Remund told Scripps News Tampa.
Customer Rep Confirms It
But when he called T-Mobile customer service he was given some surprising news. “She [the customer service representative] gets back. ‘No, this is a good bill,” Remund recalled.
“This is What You Owe”
When he asked for clarification, she told him “Well, this is what you owe.” It was another shock for Remund, who had been a T-Mobile customer for three decades and even visited his local store to go over his travel plan. He was told by a service representative that his trip was “covered.”
T-Mobile Insist
He then left with the assumption that his phone activity would be covered by international rates, but it was not. Despite his protests, his provider refused to budge. So Remund took action.
Legal Action and Media Coverage
He sought out a lawyer, who argued that his fees should be cleared since his travel coverage was previously assured by the company. Together they went to the media to share the news of the shocking bill amount.
T-Mobile Give In
Once the story gained media attention, T-Mobile promptly waved the bill, credited his account to fully clear it, and contacted Remund to apologize.
A Horror Story
It’s a real horror story for travelers who don’t even consider their mobile usage when they are overseas. And it likely wasn’t the first time someone was charged an exorbitant phone bill to due misunderstandings and miscommunication.
Not the First Time
Just last year an Australian activist was charged a $720 fee after using her phone just two minutes after arriving in London, UK.
How to Avoid It
If you’re heading on a trip outside of the United States, there are a couple of options you can choose to avoid an international phone bill blunder.
Contact Your Provider
First, if you are planning to use your US SIM card overseas, make sure to contact your mobile provider and set up a travel plan that has international roaming data activated.
Confirm the Plan
You can ask customer service representatives to send an email confirming the plan, providing evidence in case you also return home to a disproportionate bill.
Statement From T-Mobile
A T-Mobile spokesperson reiterated this point in a statement to ABC regarding Remund’s bill. “We recommend our customers check the travel features of their plan, such as international data roaming, before departing,” the statement read.
For Older Plans
“If a customer is on an older plan that doesn’t include international roaming for data and calling, they’ll need to make sure they’re using airplane mode and wifi when using data,” it continued. “To be certain the device doesn’t connect to an international network.”
Local SIM Cards
You can also consider purchasing a local SIM card in the country you’re traveling in, as using local networks is almost always cheaper than international roaming.
The post – T-Mobile Hits US Traveler with $143,000 Bill After Euro Trip – How to Make Sure This Doesn’t Happen to You – first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Geber86.
The content of this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or replace professional financial advice.
