The £27,000 ‘unlimited’ mobile phone bill
Did you catch this story recently? This poor chap in Darlington, North of England, got himself a Vodafone Anytime 800 contract and also purchased the 7.50 ‘unlimited internet’ option. All was good until he received a bill for £27,000 from Vodafone.
Why? He failed to read the small print. He thought, like any normal person, that ‘unlimited internet’ meant unlimited data. It doesn’t. It means unlimited web browsing from the handset, not plugging in your mobile to your laptop and downloading TV shows from it. Oh no. Deary me.
Link: The Opinionated Normob: Worker runs up £27k mobile bill
It’s good to talk… unless you fail to read the smallprint on your new mobile phone contract and end up with a bill for £27,322.Ian Simpson, 29, was sent the bill for four weeks’ service after wiring his mobile up to a laptop to download TV shows - and only then found out his £41.50-a-month deal didn’t include unlimited web use.
Last night the factory worker, from Darlington, Yorks, said he feared he could be made bankrupt.
He said: “I just laughed out loud. How on earth could I afford to pay that?”
Ian signed up for a Vodafone Anytime 800 contract and added a £7.50 inclusive internet deal to let him use his phone for surfing the net.
Don’t worry Ian. I’m pretty confident Vodafone will come to an arrangement with you. Too may of these sorts of headlines in the mainstream media will seriously damage the UK’s adoption of data plans.
hi this is ian simpson thanks for that im now with 3 network and paying 15 pound a month doing same thing
Posted by ian simpson on December 27th, 2007 at 11:08 am.ROFL
Better late than never, I guess, Ian!
Now I wonder if Three’s excellent marketing team would like to use your account?
Posted by HeavyLight on December 27th, 2007 at 6:33 pm.lol ian what a silly man MUST READ SMALLPRINT!!!! i dont think vodafone will drop case as it is not their fault that customers now a days are failing to read small print and also understand what fair usage policy actualy means. come on son open your eyes
Posted by simon on December 31st, 2007 at 5:30 pm.What a load of bollocks. Where anywhere does it say the £7.50 data pack is unlimited?
I like this bit:
“”I probably downloaded 20 or 30 TV shows and four albums. I assumed it’d be OK…….”
Wait till the RIAA catches up with him.
Posted by John on January 1st, 2008 at 6:15 pm.what ian fails to say is that vodafone quashed the bill and he didnt have to pay a penny
Posted by lisa on March 12th, 2008 at 10:10 am.Good news, Lisa!
Posted by Ewan on March 12th, 2008 at 12:20 pm.