# 02



## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

what is it with mobile phone companies???? i was in spain last month for a week and ive just received my bill from 02.

while i was there i was hardly going to use my mobile but then i received a text message from 02 telling me that i have a bolt on for unlimited web use so dont forget to use it ITS FREE!!!

i then think great, at least i can pop onto the forum now and again to check my emails etc.

now, i have never had a tect message from 02 to REMIND me that i have free internet usage so surely this was sent to try and catch me out? am i being over suspicious about the whole thing?

im in two minds to call them and complain or not! i did not recieve any texts to remind me about charges abroad etc.

any help would be great.

thanks.


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

ps... the amount i used was 30.000kb,they have charged me just under £80 for the internet browsing just incase that helps.


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

i had the same problem in Dublin in november, changed my service so i could roam networks as it was my birthday and knew i would get calls and texts... a month later i get a bill for nearly 200quid!! i was not amused.

I was told that calls would be as normal etc but they didnt tell e that the calls would not come from my monthly allowance  nor would the texts so i got busted big time... no come back as it was all over the phone  :evil:


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## Hallyfella (Mar 5, 2007)

Kammy if you got the text saying you had free web browsing then its their fault. I would contact customer services and explain the situation claiming that a bolt on should work in any country and surely a company as large as O2 would know if you were in the Uk or not! .
If you have deleted the message you can get a copy of it from the Bluebook on the O2 web site , just for proof.
Good luck.


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

cheers, i will call them now and complain, im sure i will get fobbed off with some shite :evil:


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

we im just off the phone from 02 and low and behold i was told what i was expecting.

....oh sorry sir, that teext was just sent out automatically and we wouldnt have kown that you were abroad.

mother fuckers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil:


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

thats balls Kammy of course they will know... if you used your mobile aboard then its logged as a international call... thats how they would know. Perhaps you should follow up your call with another one requesting the written complaint procedure and say if you dont receive statisfaction then you will go to ofcom and take it further. i wouldnt let it rest. this is what im doing just now with orange just to make a point!


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

You won't be able to get them on whether or not they knew you were abroad. That's beside the point legally. What it will come down to is the terms and conditions. When you signed up to your account, you will (by signing the contract) agreed to the Ts&Cs that go along with it. These, I'm sure, will state that roaming charges are not covered by your normal agreement and that you are responsible for finding out how much these will be.

So, if the 'free internet' is part of your original agreement you will get nothing out of O2. They will say (correctly, I'm afraid) that you have signed a contract agreeing that you are liable for any roaming charges incurred and that the web bolt on was part of that agreement. If the free internet was a separate offer, then they need to clearly show the Ts&Cs or direct you to them... If they didn't do that, then you can probably get out of the charges.


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

its the text message that they sent me that really annoys me! thats what im getting pissed of about as i wouldnt have used it otherwise


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

KammyTT said:


> ps... the amount i used was 30.000kb,they have charged me just under £80 for the internet browsing just incase that helps.


£2.60 per MB is actually pretty low - if you'd been outside Europe it'd have been more like a £200 bill... (£7 a Mb or so). Roaming is a complete rip-off!

As regards them "not knowing you were there", that's bollocks. The moment you switch your phone on abroad - even if you don't make a call - your phone registers with the local network, which in turn has to check with your home network who you are, what you're allowed to use and so on. It also tells your home network where you are, so you can receive incoming calls (or texts - ask them how they managed to route it to you in the first place if they didn't know where you were!).

Have you still got the text? Roaming usage is always separate from monthly minute and data plans (apart from a few specific products like Vodafone passport?), so I'm not surprised you were charged, but if you can show it arrived on a date when you were away and could be reasonably read as saying data abroad was free - you did, so presumably it could - then I'd explain all this in writing; "misleading marketing" and so on. They might at least write-off some of it. They'll have an official complaints channel; and if that doesn't work, ultimately you can go to Ofcom.


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

this is the text, it says terms apply so i dont think i have a leg to stand on  (even though i would need the internet to see them :? )

02: there`s alo tof internet out there. and your bolt on lets you explore it on your mobile to your hearts content. why wait?terms apply.

i still hav e the text.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

I have no affiliation to O2 whatsoever. In fact my iPhone is on T-Mobile...

But you have to consider that O2's marketing department (who are the likely senders of said text) don't really care where you happen to be, and nor really should they. Yes, technically, the Network knows where you are, but it is a little bit naiive to expect the sales and marketing departments of any company to take into account that you are abroad at the time.

Most people ( :roll: ) know that it costs money to access the internet, make calls AND send texts whilst abroad, and unless you have made special arrangements or have a suitable plan, these things are always billed directly and do not use any allowances.

I don't really know why you assumed that a random marketing text applied to you, even though you were abroad, and weren't just the slightest bit concerned. Not even a little bit. Not even enough to check before you began to run up a bill.

If you complain loudly enough, they may pay you off simply to make the matter go away, but it won't change the fact that they sent a random marketing text, which you didn't even consider for a moment to be valid only in the UK, where I imagine you spent 99% of your time, and then ran up an £80 bill without giving it any further thought.

A fool and his money etc etc.


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

i was on holiday and didnt have internet access, nor did i have the 02 customer services number to call.

i certainly wasnt going to hunt down an internet cafe just to find out


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## cuTTsy (Jan 31, 2003)

jampott said:


> But you have to consider that O2's marketing department (who are the likely senders of said text) don't really care where you happen to be, and nor really should they.


I understand that they don't care, but I think they should.

I travel a lot and get text messages saying stay on this network for voicemail etc etc... However regardless of T&C's sending a text message to someone abroad reminding them of free internet usage is misleading and I am sure they could block it if the mobile is abroad, they manage to send them reminding you to stay on certain networks as soon as you turn your phone on when you get off the plane
.
I agree that you need to check and I am always suspicious so I don't use these facilities when traveling, but all consumers are not the same.

It's called customer care.


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

Unfortunately, the text message is just a piece of advertising and you happened to get it while you weren't in a position to make use of the thing they were advertising. It wouldn't be practical for O2 to put a whole system in place to determine where you were before sending marketing texts to you (sure, technically that information is available within some of their systems, but is it really worth doing checks before sending out an automated message? What if the persons phone is off while they're flying? Do you check again and again before even sending a message?)

Basically, you were very unlucky but legally you're not in a great position.


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

Any update on this Stewart?


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

yup, 02 shite


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

:evil:


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

so whats your uncles username then? patchbench doesnt come up.


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

you got mail


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

aye well i just found him under patchbench looking at members lol...


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## Anneymouse (Dec 29, 2008)

So where are the terms and conditions for the free web access? Surely they should be clearly stated on the advert (the text?) Citizen's Advice with that one!


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

Anneymouse said:


> So where are the terms and conditions for the free web access? Surely they should be clearly stated on the advert (the text?) Citizen's Advice with that one!


true, or go to the o2 website as all t&c's should be available to view on the web if not i would ask more questions... till you cant ask anymore! route cause analysis kammy you know how it works


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Anneymouse said:


> So where are the terms and conditions for the free web access? Surely they should be clearly stated on the advert (the text?) Citizen's Advice with that one!


From what I could make out, the text was simply a reminder of an existing service, which the OP should already understand the T&C for. They weren't advertising anything 'new'.


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

Jampott's right. Legally you're stuck on this one... The only thing you can try for is some sort of goodwill gesture, although seeing as the costs incurred aren't even going to O2 (the roaming charges are made by the foreign carrier), they would have to pay towards them themselves, rather than waive them. I wouldn't be too optimistic... It sounds like you've probably already done everything you can.


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## Private Prozac (Jul 7, 2003)

The O2 website states:

Data and Wi-Fi
Data usage whilst roaming not included.

So basically ...tough shit muppet!


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

arsehole face! yeh i called you an arsehole face :lol:


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## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

I had the iphone the other day and was sorting out the new contract with o2 and the guy said to me when you go abroad turn Roaming off its horrendously expensive


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## KammyTT (Jun 28, 2006)

no shit :lol:


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## Private Prozac (Jul 7, 2003)

Yeah. Apparently some Scottish twat had been on to them who had run up a huge bill, whilst he was on holiday, cos he thought it was free. What a div eh? Not that you'd get caught out like that eh Kammy? :lol: :wink:


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

your so sad prozac...


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## Hallyfella (Mar 5, 2007)

abz001 said:


> your so sad prozac...


Made me laugh tho, and its not easy in this lid. :wink:


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## abz001 (Jun 15, 2008)

Im glad "we" made ya laugh  its good for you to laugh


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

Does England count as roaming ?


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Mobile phone operators using and element of confusion in their comms in order to make more money from hapless customer? They'll be coming out with overly complex tariff structures next.. :wink:

Personaly, I'd have thought it a holiday to be away from the bloody things.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

garyc said:


> Personaly, I'd have thought it a holiday to be away from the bloody things.


True, but sometimes it's handy to look stuff up.

Recent trip to the states had my missus checking opening times, phone numbers and the like from her phone as she had free internet access for a year. She didn't know and wasn't told that it didn't apply abroad (of course it's in the T's and C's but who reads those). But you're right, we always managed in the past without internet access.

Unfortunately, you can't switch to another provider as they're all as bad as each other. Grin and bear it and don't do it again.


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