topic Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad in Account & Billing

Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

Span31 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:50:41 GMT

I have a mobile account with a number of Sims on one of them being my nephew who's only 12 years old. He was on holiday in Ibiza and went on a boat trip the boat went into Greek Waters for a very small amount of time, he was unaware of this as it wasn't a route planned just choppy waters. He used less than 1/2 a g data and was charged £141. When I explained with the Sky mobile team they explained there was nothing g they could do about these charges. I'm incredulous that they have such extortionate prices for one but even more incredulous they claim there is nothing they can do but bill me this cost!

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

Daniel0210 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:52:55 GMT

That's correct. He incurred the charges (albeit unknowingly). Sky are under no obligation to cancel the charge.

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

PandJ2020 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:56:25 GMT

Are you sure the device connected to Greece? (As this is covered by the £2 roaming passport)

It was more likely it connect to Albania? What does the billing show?

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

Daniel0210 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 18:00:17 GMT

@Span31

My thought as well.

Common holiday destinations where this can happen are where an EU country borders a non-EU country, resulting in extra roaming charges.

Location:	Could accidentally connect to:
Corfu (Greece)	Albania
Cyprus (Greece)	Turkey (Northern Cyprus)
Kos / Rhodes (Greece)	Turkey
France	Monaco
France	Andorra

To help avoid this:

Always check the network provider's name on your phone before using it. If you've connected to a network from a different country for the first time, you'll get a Welcome text.
Turn off data roaming in your phone's settings.
Avoid making calls or sending texts.

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

martswain — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 18:39:37 GMT

Ibiza to Greece, that's a cruise not a trip!

Something a bit odd here.

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

daveNOS — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:36:37 GMT

@martswain wrote:
Ibiza to Greece, that's a cruise not a trip!

Something a bit odd here.

@martswain Indeed, best part of a thousand nautical miles between the 2.

Anyway doesn't matter if it was a "short time" or longer the data was used and has to be paid for.There is no valid complaint for getting it waived(pun intended).

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

PandJ2020 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:43:26 GMT

My guess would be connecting to Northern Africa (Algeria/Tunisia) - which are Rest of World locations.

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

TimmyBGood — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:55:26 GMT

It's something over 200Km from Ibiza to any point on a north African coast, which would be an extraordinary distance over which to consume cellular data (and require a mast at an elevation of about 3000 metres, rather higher than anything in that region)

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

PandJ2020 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:30:37 GMT

@TimmyBGood wrote:
It's something over 200Km from Ibiza to any point on a north African coast, which would be an extraordinary distance over which to consume cellular data (and require a mast at an elevation of about 3000 metres)

...when the boat trip went past 😁

Re: Extortionate charges using mobile data abroad

TimmyBGood — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:37:59 GMT

@PandJ2020 wrote:

...when the boat trip went past 😁

On its way to Greece...