In October I took a trip to the US Midwest for Internet Research 10. I had heard horror stories from friends and the internets about surprise $3000+ roaming bills. So, of course, checked to make sure my data roaming on my iPhone was set to off (you know, that setting where it clearly says “turn this off to avoid substantial roaming fees”) as I got on the plane and stashed my phone, not even wanting to use it to make calls that would cost me almost $2 a minute. But you know how this story ends.
Even though I had data roaming set to off and even though I didn’t check my email or use Google maps or do anything else that would’ve been super helpful on my trip in an unfamiliar city, I got charged over $300 for data roaming by Fido on behalf of AT&T. I explained that, as he could see from my call record, I didn’t use my phone at all during the trip (not even for calls) and half the time the battery was dead. Some of the data charges were even at 1am (while I was sleeping!) The customer service guy said that turning data roaming off wasn’t enough and I had to turn 3G off as well and “that this was a well known fact.” (In reality, it’s total BS). I asked that they do an investigation and find out exactly what I was supposedly downloading, but he told me that this was not possible. So, I was basically being charged $300 for a service without my consent or knowledge, without any ability to see how this actually happened. The kicker is that in total, the $300 charge was for only about 50 megs of data use. Think about how ridiculous that is.
Anyway, after about 45 minutes of arguing and going back and forth with the customer service guy’s supervisor (who also agreed it was my fault for not turning of 3G), I was offered a 50% refund. I said I was not going to pay any amount for a service I didn’t use and asked to speak to the supervisor. I was put on hold for another 10 minutes, and was then informed I would be called back later.
Twitter-enabled public shaming
12 hours later, and I still haven’t heard back from anyone at Fido, so I decide to do some research (with the help of the awesome folks on the HacklabTO mailing list, my local hacker collective) and start posting on Twitter. After my first post, to my surprise, a Fido rep starts messaging me from a group Fido account (@fidomobile) on and then individually (@rogersmary) follows my account. By this point, a few people are retweeting my post and I decide to tell CBC radio’s Spark (@sparkcbc). I also write a message to @rogersmary about a story in the LA Times about the same situation happening to a bunch of other people. About an hour later, I get a call from Asja Asanovic at the “Office of the President” at Fido. She is very apologetic and nice and helpful and reverses all the charges, and says she will “start an investigation with Apple.” But, as far as preventing this from happening again, she has no suggestions. I can either turn off the internet entirely (which defeats the purpose of having an iPhone) turn off voice AND data roaming entirely (making my phone useless outside of Toronto) or just leave my phone in Canada when I travel. Three completely ridiculous “solutions” for an iPhone user.
I’m happy it’s resolved, but I am very unhappy at how much time/stress Fido/Apple’s mistake cost me. I’m also very disappointed that I didn’t have my issue fixed right away when I first called Fido. Instead, Fido only treated me reasonably after I publicly shamed them on Twitter. It is wrong that I get better service from an unadvertised customer service rep on Twitter, rather than 1800 number provided on their site, and only because I made a big stink. How many other people have been screwed by this? Apparently a bunch.
So, what is the main takeaway from my lil adventure?
1.) Data roaming charges completely unfair and do not reflect their actual cost (how can the CRTC allow telecoms to charge us up to $30, 000.00 per Gb?)
2.) There is something very fucky about the iPhone data roaming on/off switch (See the Apple forums and LA Times). Be careful when traveling internationally.
3.) Sadly, the strategic use of social media (and your local hacker collective) is the only real way of getting proper, reasonable service from Canada’s ridiculous wireless oligopoly.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank goodness the newer blackberries with wifi don’t seem to have this problem. A dedicated “data off while roaming” option, along with a general “data off” option on the phones work wonders to avoid roaming charges, and avoid communications in general beyond use as a phone.
Was in the US. Turned off roaming data, but had the Wifi going. Free wifi spots = win.
Some apps (including google’s!) insisted on using a 3G connection instead of Wifi (fail), so that was a shame, but the rest of the phone worked quite nicely.
FIDO HAS SCREWD ME WITH a 1600$$$ BILL for DATA roaming ON DEC 13th 2010 !!!!!!!!!!!! I DO NOT HAVE A DATA plan on my phone!!!! was assuming I was using FREE WIFI with my 2 overlays in Seattle and Amsterdam!!!
So far been on the [phone with them for 3 days!!!!!! everyone is telling me different things and ONE GUY, TY has clearly LIED!!!!!!! NO WAY TO GET HOLD OF A MANAGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOOO PISSED!!!!
Please contact me if this has happen to you and lets DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!
Similar storie here , My sister just received a call from FIDO , informing her of a 1000$ bill.
She was in the US in December for a week and used the WIFI in the hotel only.
She doesn’t even have a 3G plan.
I m not sure what to do , If anyone has any idea or advice please share.
Thanks For your help.
I am in the same s**t problem. I want a full refund too!! They always point the blame to us consumers and force it onto us to pay for something we never used. When we ask them to investigate, they just simply say that the charges are from our sim card, so like it or not, we have to pay on DUE DATE. I did not realize that there are so many of this same problem out there. I thought I was the only one. The biggest problem is FIDO is not even trying to resolve our problems appropriately…. and they say that they care!!
i m alo in the same situation with fido i ve charged like 900 $ FIDO doesent wann do anything!!!!!!!
I have the same problem with FIDO. I do not have a data plan and my data roaming OFF during trip to German and Italy and I received bill $500. They charge 0.03 per Kb. Its’ unbelievable. What I have to do in this situation any advice. Thank you
I spent a week in Miami and used only wifi and got charged for 100mb, Fido bill came in with $650.00 on it.
I am in the same situation and I am going to get charged $350 in the next bill for 15.9MB use…I called them today and notified them that i will be charged in the next bill and they said they wrote it down and will do something about it once it shows up in the bill. Hope they help me out. Regardless, I am up for some sort of a twitter or youtube movement against fido anyday
$30,000 per GB ($0.03 per kB) is a joke.
SCAM!
Fido was extremely rude and willing to lose customers for this. I got charged 200$ for data which I didn’t use when I went to Florida for 3 days!!!! She said that I could cancel but would come out to the same things cause I still had to pay it!!!
I have the same situation at last month bill. I am sure I turn off all my data roaming setting and related connected and switch to airplane mode too. But I got the charge for 65M with CAD 380 dollars for US data roaming. Then I called to Fido customer service the said I have to know the possibility and do something like to purchase their special traveling Add-on.
I think I will call them again and try to ask them to waive the bill. Does anyone have any suggestion?
AVOID FIDO! I HAVE NEVER HAD DATA SERVICES WITH FIDO, I only ever and always use WiFi, and my recent bill shows approx. $1,400 worth of US data roaming charges between June and July 2011 my solution is to just leave Fido altogether. I’ve also been a Fido customer since 2004 and since Rogers took over it’s been worse and worse. So get this – I don’t have a data plan with Fido! I’ve never paid to connect to data or never asked them to provide me with data. I use WiFi only. So apparently (and maybe something changed with the system) but for a few days in June and then for 1 transaction in July when I was in transit in the US when I thought I was connected to my hotel or apartment WiFi apparently AT&T roaming 3G kicked in again. REMEMBER – I have never had a data plan with Fido, nor have I even paid for one of the day or week passes in Canada. One transaction alone (on June 30/July 1) for 32 megs was billed at over $900! One transaction at a time when I was in bed in a hotel connected I thought to WiFi. REMEMBER – I HAVE NEVER HAD A DATA PLAN WITH FIDO EVER! I HAVE NEVER PAID FOR DATA SERVICES. I HAVE NEVER ASKED FOR DATA SERVICES. I was traveling on another continent for the month of July and didn’t see the charges on my bill until August. I called in specifically about the single $900 charge because it is what stood out as OUTRAGEOUS on the bill. They told me it was my fault and the charges were legitimate because I had used the services. Lots and lot of really annoying boiler plate customer “non-service” until after one hour on the phone I got a sympathetic ear. After one hour on the phone they finally gave me the privilege of paying $62 for a data pack and they gave me a “credit” of $833 back on the account (after the sticker shock of fighting against a $900 charge that you never ever requested you are relieved to have any concession). BUT THERE IS MORE, and this is important. In there own language and belief, I am still at fault. Therefore they did not reverse, cancel or remove the original charge which actually means they think they did not admit any fault or responsibility and actually did me a big huge favour for which I should be grateful. By “accepting” their offer, again in their own special language, I was accepting that the deal was closed and they would never, ever do anything special for me ever again. THEN THE KICKER, at the end of the call the sympathetic CSR mentioned that she also saw approximately $450 worth of additional type charges on my account from in June. (REMEMBER according to FIDO that because I “accepted” their resolution for the single $900 I was no longer entitled to even a discussion regarding the additional charges that resulted from the same root problem.) So today, after my account was suspended for non-payment and still at a balance of about $1,000 because I am contesting almost half of that account and therefore won’t pay the amount I don’t believe is owing I spent 3 hours (YES THREE HOURS) on the phone again being told that my logic was flawed, I am wrong, they can’t and won’t discuss the other charges with me and it’s all my fault. I asked three reps to shut down my account and at 2 hours on the phone was told they couldn’t do that because the department to close accounts was closed. I then got a fifth reconciliatory CSR who offered the $100 deduction (which I took) and hopes I’ll stay with FIDO (she only did this because I told her I want to get as far away from FIDO as possible and am switching carriers tomorrow). NOT A CHANCE WILL I STAY WITH FIDO. They refused to offer me the same resolution for the earlier transaction that have the same root cause as the single transaction they did “credit” back to me because it’s my fault and because they say they don’t ever have to do anything for me ever again. I DON’T KNOW HOW ROGERS THINKS THEY CAN STAY IN BUSINESS WHEN THEY CONTINUE TO TREAT CUSTOMERS THIS WAY. I HAVE NEVER HAD A DATA PLAN WITH FIDO. 3G KICKED IN WHEN I WAS IN THE U.S. ON ROAMING WITHOUT MY CONSENT AND FIDO CHARGED ME $30/mb. Long story short – avoid FIDO and ROGERs totally! I’m switching to Wind or Mobilicity as soon as I can get to an outlet.