$1,064 shock SingTel bill: Why no warning trigger?

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Read this from ST Forum of writer who wrote to complaint against charges for GPRS Data Usage Charges.

 

the link :- http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Onl...ory_173546.html

 

The report read:-

 

"Nov 5, 2007

 

I RECEIVED a shock when I saw my daughter's latest SingTel mobile phone bill this month - a whopping $1,064.46 was charged to a single item called 'GPRS Data Usage Charges'.

There was no breakdown except an indication of '212892K bytes usage'.

 

I know I can't blame SingTel for the charges but what I would like to know as a parent and consumer are:

 

1. Why is the GPRS usage so expensive?

 

2. How does SingTel and other mobile operators inform their customers of the charges involved? For many, the indication of KB usage makes little sense. Do the operators alert the user after each session the amount that has been charged so that consumers (especially younger children) are aware of the implications of cost due to their actions?

 

3. How can a bill for a 'student account' run up to over $1,000 without even a warning triggered?

 

I am now waiting anxiously for my next bill, and I wonder how many parents are in the same predicament as me.

 

Chai Lee Fung (Ms)"

 

 

I can understand her ordeal as I myself had to pay $896/- for my daughter usage on her 3G handphone whilst in Perth, Australia. She was serving the hotmail in Perth and what a surprise I received when SingTel operator asked me upon returning to Singapore whether I was in Australia on certain dates. I reply yes and then she informed that a total of $896/- had occurred during my stay in Australia for GPRS Data usage.

 

So, to all members, kindly refrain your children from using the GPRS services unnecessary or you will face a huge bill for GPRS Data usage.

 

Post threads just for your knowledge.

 

Cheers..........

 

[Kianbeng]

yes....gprs very expensive. if it's locally used, then they can go for a package ie pay $100 per month and it's unlimited. But overseas gprs always no cap.

 

I always use GPRS overseas and how I wish there's a package to limit everything. Yesterday I heard the announcement of "bridge". Unlimited gprs package for overseas but only a few selected countries.

[Sfhuang]

What warning triggers? The telcos are money suckers who are more than happy that your kids (or even yourself) use their bandwidth. That's why they sell you handsets cheap, and promote this dumb 3G tech. (3G this 3G that)

[Beei]

GPRS charge are killers..

 

ur daughter surfing hotmail somemore.. X 2 killers..

normally i used it to check soccer result only..

[Maxus-MIFA9]

"normally i used it to check soccer result only.. "

 

 

For me, I prefer to use the Tele Text for soccer results.

[Beei]

but outside time, no teletext to use.. and was anxious also..

[Mzrmazda3]

Ai yo, why this charbor wanna complaint this sort of thingy?

 

Wanna use then pay up loh.

 

It's a fair deal

[Maxus-MIFA9]

For instant results on the spot (eerrr... actually 1 minute late on games day), login to ESPN Live Score Wed Site and at the same time in between you could also login to MCF to read threads.....

 

 

[Qpik]

Bro...cannot lidat say mah...

 

If next time yr kid kanna this kind of thingy...I think u will also air yr unhappiness mah...

 

Singapore is Truly Unique... Simi sai also no transparency...

 

Parents who want to give their kid handphone shd stick to those normal one unless someone tell me that it also function as a tracker to trace their kid's whereabouts

[Sfhuang]

you betting hor?

[Sirbrian]

'212892K bytes usage'

 

That more than what I use 8 months!...I am clocking only 26274KB per month.

 

Anyway, based on SingTel advertised "Lowest" 3G Data rate of 0.37cents/KB. Thats works out to be $787.7004. That leaves $276.9396 of talktime (and excess sms if applicable). That is also alot of talktime.

 

So I guess her daughter should really be warn on her really excess usage. With this type of cost, might as well apply iTwo/iThree Plus and Broadband on Mobile lor...still so much cheaper lor. For Broadband on Mobile, pay $22.42 and get free 10GB at 512Kb/sec, and excess is only 0.19cents/KB in blocks of 2KB.

[Slowmo]

hotmail has a shiitload of images and crap, no wonder 1k. maybe daughter only check mail 1 time a day.

 

 

if using google mail at least they got very lean version

Edited November 6, 2007 by Slowmo

[Slowmo]

you underestimated the power of teenagers chatting.

 

"Wah now I in aussie land leh" CC: friends

 

"the fish and chips not bad" CC: myspace

 

"so bored, waiting for dad to pump petrol" CC: blog

 

[Guyver]

  Quote

What warning triggers? The telcos are money suckers who are more than happy that your kids (or even yourself) use their bandwidth. That's why they sell you handsets cheap, and promote this dumb 3G tech. (3G this 3G that)

 

I'll always advise people to "Disable" they GPRS .... because the telco configure the phone so well that once they detect you want to connect to internet .... they'll activated GPRS.

[Mzrmazda3]

Bro...cannot lidat say mah...

 

If next time yr kid kanna this kind of thingy...I think u will also air yr unhappiness mah...

 

 

Parents who want to give their kid handphone shd stick to those normal one

 

Yeah Sis

 

However, some Gin Nas phones are of even much more latest model than us

[Qpik]

basically, i tink kids nowadays too pampered.

 

hands out, the parents will give them monies.

 

so ah di, next time u got kids hor, dun spoil yr kids like what some parents are doing.

 

spoil the market, buay tahan when my kids tell me their friend's parent give them this & that. i tell my kids to either look for new set of parents or go & earn it themselves.

[Rickster]

  Quote

yes....gprs very expensive. if it's locally used, then they can go for a package ie pay $100 per month and it's unlimited. But overseas gprs always no cap.

 

I always use GPRS overseas and how I wish there's a package to limit everything. Yesterday I heard the announcement of "bridge". Unlimited gprs package for overseas but only a few selected countries.

 

I don't really see the point in using GPRS...whenever i need to use the internet on my HP, I'd always make use of the data call. Not GPRS that charges 1c/kb! Many people do not know how small is 1 KB!

 

- Just by loading the MCF main page alone can easily amount to more than 100KB. ($1 using GPRS)

- A typical picture taken by a 2mp handphone camera is around 300-400KB. ($3-$4 using GPRS)

 

Why pay so much for GPRS when you can use data call for a flat rate of $0.10/min? Although it is slower, but the difference is hardly noticable.

Edited November 6, 2007 by Rickster

[Mzrmazda3]

I, old man liao lah Sis

 

No more Ah Di

Edited November 6, 2007 by Mzrmazda3