Charged for receiving message

[Tasha231]

I just want to find other people's opinion on this.

I went to Cape Verde last month and only just noticed I have been charged an extra £200, so immediately looked into it and called Sky to query.

So for context, got off the plane in Cape Verde and turned Airplane mode off. Before I even got to turn Data Roaming off, I received a message from Sky about roaming charges. I then turned roaming off.

After speaking with Sky today, the charge I received was for using 44MB data. Turns out the text message I received from Sky was the cause as the message was that long! So I have been charged by Sky for a message Sky sent.

Been with Sky for 20years, so thought they'd be able to do something as goodwill but all I have been told is that it is my fault.

[GD1]

@Tasha231  All roaming charges are clearly laid out on Sky's Mobile tariff page.

It would have been better to have the moble, in airplane mode/ roaming disabled to prevent you connecting to a local mast, which must have happened for your to receive the text in the 1st place.

You are liable for this charge.

[63johnw]

Hi @Tasha231  you don't get charged for receiving messages, you have been charged for using 44m of data in a rest of the world roaming destination. As soon as you landed your phone connected to the local network and your phone started using data to receive emails etc. In future you need to turn off roaming and mobile data then turn on flight mode before leaving the UK. It's too late once you land, as you have found. You are liable for the charges. 

[PandJ2020]

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@Tasha231 wrote:

After speaking with Sky today, the charge I received was for using 44MB data. Turns out the text message I received from Sky was the cause as the message was that long! So I have been charged by Sky for a message Sky sent.

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I think you've been slightly misled.

You are not charged for the text setting out the charges but you are charged for data usage.  (Texts are not data)

It would seem your phone used 44MB of data - which isn't unusual for modern smartphone 'chatter' as they continually communicate with the Internet, such as checking for emails.

However, I would agree that you are liable for the usage unless Sky are prepared to apply any goodwill rebate.  Cape Verde is a rather expensive 'Rest of World' location - £4,320 per GB of data (Yes, four thousand pounds).

You should left your phone in airplane mode - you can still connect to WiFi.

[Tasha231]

Thanks all. I get what you're saying. The message which was sent by Sky was the cause of the 44MB data usage, this was what the advisor had said. That one message used the full amount. Within 5mins of stepping of the plane. WiFi wasn't available in the airport neither. Just annoying how I only incurred the charge because of that message.

[63johnw]

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@Tasha231 wrote:

Thanks all. I get what you're saying. The message which was sent by Sky was the cause of the 44MB data usage, this was what the advisor had said. That one message used the full amount. Within 5mins of stepping of the plane. WiFi wasn't available in the airport neither. Just annoying how I only incurred the charge because of that message.

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The sky representative is wrong @Tasha231 , you didn't receive the charge for the message, you don't get charged for receiving the text message, it's a text message, it's not 44meg in size, your phone used background data, that's what the charge is for. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Tasha231 wrote:

 The message which was sent by Sky was the cause of the 44MB data usage, this was what the advisor had said. 

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Simply incorrect: a text message about a kilobyte at most (and a few hundred bytes would be typical)

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@Tasha231 wrote:

Within 5mins of stepping of the plane. 

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Even a minute of live connection after switching off Airplane mode would easily be enough to inadvertently use that much cellular data.

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@Tasha231 wrote:

 WiFi wasn't available in the airport neither. 

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Well, yes, that's rather the point, because then any connection would be cellular.

[PandJ2020]

The forum would be inundated with complaints if Sky charged hundreds of pounds for simply receiving the tariff when roaming...

Think about it.

The rep is 'mistaken'.  (I'm being generous)