Updated: Man Gets Slapped With a $28,000 AT&T Wireless Bill
Could this be a sign of things to come with tethering and the iPhone? Will all of us who own iPhones be vulnerable to these overages if we choose to start using software like the upcoming SlingPlayer Mobile?
A Chicago man (Jamesus — hoping it was not you, buddy!) decided to watch a Bears game via Slingbox on his laptop before leaving for a cruise… Harmless enough one would think, but his AT&T wireless data card decided to pick up a international signal while he was still in Miami… end result: A $28,067.31 bill for international data charges. It’s safe to say the data card was picking up the wrong signal and with a few customer service calls he eventually did get the charges dropped down to $290.65.
So all of you travelers out there, take heed if you are traveling on a fringe area and take all precautions to avoid something like this happening to you…
*It seems that this story comes to us via the Chicago Sun-Times and their feature: The Fixer. The man who was charged could not get AT&T to remove the charges from customer service calls until the Sun-Times got involved and the story ended up in the paper. Knowing that, it makes AT&T look a lot worse then they already did… Ouch.
[Via EngadgetMobile]
February 24th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Omg! I would have a heart attack if I got a $28k bill! Glad he got it all worked out with AT&T.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
WTF?! If a bill can be that much then something is wrong with AT&T… seriously that ridiculous.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
i would not even pay the 290$ period.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Yeah you are right Miami is a FRINGE area! haa haa
February 24th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I didn’t know Cuba had 3G cell service, where was he picking up this signal from? And why would AT&T’s own laptop card choose an international network over theirs? Something is fishy, if I was that guy I would complain all the way up until even that $290 charge is gone.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Where in Miami was he? I think Miami has great 3G service, better than Chicago and NYC.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
The cell tower on the ship is based on the cruise ships registrar…ie: Cuban registration, Cuban roaming as it attached to that tower..
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp
February 24th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Hope he enjoyed the game.
February 24th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
As a packer fan all I can say is I’m sure he deserved it.
February 24th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
This is why I keep “Roaming” turned off.
February 24th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Thought you actually had a date for slingbox on the Iphone. DAMNIT!
February 24th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
My first AT&T bill from my iPhone was for $6800. They had my plan listed as unlimited data, but were billing me “per use”. They reversed the charges, but it took several months and a lot of phone calls.
February 25th, 2009 at 2:10 am
LOL
February 25th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Damn…. LOL keep up the gaming dude
February 25th, 2009 at 10:33 am
maybe none of you care, but i found this rather funny..
http://www.zshare.net/audio/56146609c9169721/
around 1min35.. kid cudi freestyle.
“but im pissed at the moment, i got charged for some roaming,AT&T’s on some bullsh*t..”
February 25th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Thankfully that wasn’t me!!!!
April 3rd, 2009 at 3:04 am
That’s exactly why I have a prepaid iphone and only get charged for what is used!
April 3rd, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Apple make AT&T a big things and now at&t put some rules for the iPhone 3g, we pay $89 for just the basic and they need more, I wish if t-mobile had a 3g that change a lot of things,
July 7th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
AT&T uses third-party for billing purpose so they are one degree away from any direct blame. Regarding the roaming charges ATT gets splits the charges by default so it is programmed in all their telco switches. It is lots of slush funds ATT makes from government agencies who do not check their bills all the time… more power to ATT.. it is above any local or state rulings..
August 4th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
My guess is that he was picking up the tower on the cruise ship.