orange want me to pay 4,200 chf for using iphone in UK. This was my son on Uni visit for 2 days using phone 2 nights for maybe 2 hours a night, They say he used 518 Mbytes charged at 8 chf a Mbyte. No I didn't opt in for travel data daily service. From July 1 EU rules that international mobile charge must not exceed euro 50 - unless customer specifically overrules that limit. They say they cannot give me breakdown off useage. I will fight this. i see lots of you have had this issue.

Switzywitzy is not in the EU, therefore they are exempt from that rule. You knew the risks, and you eschewed common sense and used half a gig of roaming data... crazy by ANY standards even if you do have a roaming plan. Yes, it sucks and it's overpriced, but you are in the wrong here.

Sorry, I just don't understand you parents.
Can't a child survive two days without a bloody mobile phone?

I don't understand how 2 days x 2 hours => 4 hrs for CHF4,200 => CHF1,050 per hour.

That doesn't stack up to me?

half a gig is a lot of download - was he streaming the world cup or something....

ouch

I guess your son will be more techno-savvy if you make him pay for it...that's a heavy lesson to learn about mobile phones, but not unheard of - when mobile phones were first introduced it was my university days and friends managed to run up $500 a month bills simply by using their phones...

Sounds to me like he had his data roaming switched on 100% for the entire time he was away...rather than only turning it on when he needed it...

a quick internet search will get you some ideas of what you did wrong:
http://forums.ilounge.com/showthread.php?t=220047

http://ipod.about.com/od/internation..._data_roam.htm

http://www.tuaw.com/2007/08/01/insan...aming-charges/

http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/...ng-ripoffs-433

Quoting EU rules in a non-EU country won't get you to far, and I'd be surprised if they will wear the " I didn't know". Your son used the service, you pay the bill.... a big one that will hurt no doubt, but it's not really the fault of Orange is it.

A first-poster with an incredible problem? Wow, it has been awhile.

Buttered or with sugar?

I'm a pretty heavy data user in terms of browsing and emails and the occasional video and I don't use much more than that in a month. He must have been streaming something or had it tethered to a laptop.

I'd also question whether its even possible to download that much data in the amount of time quoted. NB I'm well aware of the theory behind it, but in the real world with the crappy 3g networks in the UK and others using the cell tower at the same time...

I suspect the "maybe 2 hours a night" figure is slightly off.

if you insist they can provide you the breakdown within few days. But you have to pay this. Please quickly install OS 4.0 which gives you the option to turn off cellular data

I just got mine for work in the UK 350 chf in 10 days. They told me it comes out to 2chf per email.

He must of left roaming on.
What a painfull bill but maybe you can do a payment plan or something. I could not afford that just like that.

He was visiting Uni with the son...and no some people cannot go 2 days without email. the backup would be horrible ........

On a similar subject, last month I used 7GB on my HTC Desire. I have no idea how that happened as I don't think I used it extensively. I have the maximum 1gb included so my excess charge was around 700CHF. The really hard thing to swallow is that I can't get a package that has unlimited surfing, and that Sunrise does have such a package but I'm in the middle of a contract. I'm literally helpless, and don't know how to guarantee not going over the 1gb. I also think it's ridiculous that they roll the contract over each year, whereas in the UK if you don't take the free phone the contract auto-renews monthly.

EDIT: I'm with Orange btw.

I use my mobile phone for Emails and data abroad whilst on business, typical bills around CHF1000 / month. Swisscom texts me while overseas and gives me the amount my bill was at, when it reaches about CH 800. Did your son not receive any warnings whilst he was in the UK! Nothing you can do I'm afraid, just pay it and deduct it from his pocket money.

cant you look at the cost of breaking the contract vs what the new bill would be?

...for the next 5 years...

Not really. I'm not going to pay two contracts, I can't afford that. I'm willing to pay extra, but I don't see why Orange can't match a Sunrise deal like they do in the UK.

Nah, kid's at uni. He can get a job working in Esso like I did and pay it off in a couple of weeks.

International data roaming bill of 4,000 CHF

Sweet Mother Of.........

Sorry for bleating the blatantly obvious......

..........looking forward to post #2 following all of the advice the OP asked for....