0:00:02 > 0:00:03I've been fighting your consumer battles for years,
0:00:03 > 0:00:07but there are still companies out there trying to get one over on you.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11They don't care, as long as the cash register's going "ching, ching", that's all they care about.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Thousands of you are still subject to an array of unfair treatment,
0:00:15 > 0:00:20from poor customer service, to hidden small print, and faulty products.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22What can we do?
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Make a complaint maybe, that will get lost in the communications abyss?
0:00:26 > 0:00:29These companies simply don't seem to care,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33and are causing you, the consumer, a lot of unnecessary stress.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35But, never fear,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39because I'll take them on, to make sure you don't get done.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01And coming up on today's show:
0:01:01 > 0:01:06I tackle the costly issue of mobile phone data roaming for one hapless holidaymaker.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11I contacted T Mobile and was told I had charges of over £2,000,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15so my phone had been restricted.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Follow my guide to mortgage protection to ensure you don't get stung.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22It was two years last month since I lost my husband.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26And my biggest fear now is I can't pay the mortgage.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30And we test your consumer knowledge on the streets of Britain.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Interesting! I'll remember that for the future!
0:01:38 > 0:01:41There was a time when, to make a phone call,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43your phone had to be plugged into the wall.
0:01:43 > 0:01:49Nowadays, we've all got mobile phones and you can ring someone from anywhere in the world.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And not just phone calls either.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54I can check my e-mails in one country...
0:01:56 > 0:02:00..while surfing the net in another.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04I can download movies while on holiday.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09And stream brand new albums down while on a business trip.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13International data roaming is a fantastic idea.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18But it can come with a pretty big bill.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Oh!
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Ouch.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25And that's just what T Mobile customer, Dawn Christie, from Bristol,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29found out on her return from a week-long trip abroad.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33I went on holiday in September to celebrate a friend's birthday.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37We went to Egypt to do a Nile cruise.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39I took my phone with me.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44And my phone was turned on, but was mainly in my cabin.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The reason I had it switched on was I wanted to be able
0:02:47 > 0:02:52to receive calls or messages from home, because my father had been seriously ill.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54So I wanted to be in touch with my family.
0:02:54 > 0:03:02A well needed break from work meant Dawn had no desire to use her smart phone much while away.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04I think I sent three or four text messages.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Other than that, didn't use it at all,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08apart from when the battery ran out on my camera,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11and then I used the camera on the phone.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13After a relaxing holiday,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Dawn's stress levels were about to rise as soon as she got back home.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19When I returned from Egypt,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23the first thing I did was to ring my mum to find out how my dad was.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25As I tried to make the phone call,
0:03:25 > 0:03:31I got a recorded message from T Mobile, telling me I'd exceeded my limit.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34I thought this was really strange because I'm on a contract
0:03:34 > 0:03:36and I've never exceeded my limit.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38I contacted T Mobile.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42I was told I had charges of over £2,000.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45So my phone had been restricted.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49The charges were for a staggering amount of data use whilst abroad,
0:03:49 > 0:03:54suggesting Dawn had accessed the Internet from her phone while in Egypt.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I explained to the operator I hadn't used the phone,
0:03:57 > 0:04:02and she said my phone would automatically roam while switched on, which I wasn't aware of.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Horrified, and being told to complain in writing,
0:04:05 > 0:04:10Dawn sent an e-mail to T Mobile, and soon received a call back from customer services.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The girl I spoke to was extremely rude.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Virtually implied I was lying,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19that I had used the phone while I was abroad, which I explained I hadn't,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21and that I didn't know about the data roaming charges.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26She told me I would have known, because the pilot would have told me on the plane. Which he didn't do.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30And I don't think it's the pilot's responsibility to tell me to turn my phone off.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Dawn was left with an unsupportive response from T Mobile
0:04:34 > 0:04:39and no outgoing mobile phone line at the worst possible moment.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41At the time when I needed my phone the most,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43because my father sadly passed away,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I wasn't able to use it at all.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49After more calls and e-mails to T Mobile,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Dawn's phone was eventually reconnected,
0:04:51 > 0:04:56and they offered her a 25% reduction of the total bill.
0:04:56 > 0:04:57But Dawn is adamant she shouldn't have to pay
0:04:57 > 0:05:04for any of the data roaming charges within her bill of £2,209.80,
0:05:04 > 0:05:08as she's positive she didn't use the Internet abroad.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13I feel quite happy that Dom's taken this seriously,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16that he's going to look into this for me.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20I feel quite confident that, with the help of Dominic,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22that something will happen.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25I'll certainly try my best, Dawn.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29But a face-to-face meeting is needed first, I think.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32I've come to Bristol to meet Dawn Christie.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37Her problem particularly interests me because it's one that keeps cropping up in my inbox.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46- Hello.- Dom, thanks for coming. Come on in.- My pleasure.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49- Nice day, isn't it? - Yeah, it is a lovely day.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54'First of all, I want to know how clued up Dawn is about her phone.'
0:05:55 > 0:06:00- Is this the phone?- Yes. - Smart phones now, they're brilliant.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03I've got the iPhone. You've got the HTC. They are good.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- But are you 100% certain what you're doing this?- No.- Right.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09And that can be a bit of a problem.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Do you think there's any chance in the world
0:06:12 > 0:06:15you might have pressed a button, done something, made a mistake,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19and you've genuinely downloaded this huge amount data?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21- No.- You're adamant on that?- Yes.- OK.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26- No one else borrowed your phone, stole it, anything else like that? - No, it was in my cabin, locked away.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30- Is it password protected? - Yes, it's password protected.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- It's not that then, is it? - No.- Right.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- So it does look like you might be innocent?- Yes. I know I am innocent.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Have they actually told you what it is that caused that?
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Was it videos, music, radio?
0:06:41 > 0:06:43No, they haven't told me anything.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48Dawn did leave the data roaming function on instead of switching it off,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51but didn't actively access the Internet from her phone.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53And another puzzling thing about the charges
0:06:53 > 0:06:58was the distribution of the data used, which Dawn spotted when the bill came through.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03So, every single day there are some charges for mobile data.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08And, most days, it's small amounts, less than £10.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13Then we get to Monday 26 September, when there's two amounts,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16one for £1,056.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20And another one for £893.89.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22They said it's because my phone was roaming.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26So I was quite shocked to see it was all on one day.
0:07:26 > 0:07:27What?
0:07:27 > 0:07:29So, nearly £2,000 of Dawn's bill
0:07:29 > 0:07:34was for data roaming charges on a single day. That's almost unbelievable.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37I've taken my smart phone to Europe.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39But, when I've been in Europe,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42the first thing I get is a text message from T Mobile
0:07:42 > 0:07:45asking me if I want to purchase a data roaming bundle.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49And, if I purchase it, I can use the Internet. If I don't, I can't use the Internet.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52So I would have assumed that would have been the case, internationally.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55You may have hit the nail on the head, with the crux of the problem.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58There's a certain amount of protection inside the EU.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Step outside of the EU and, all of a sudden,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- you can end up in an awful position like this.- Yeah.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07If you were going to Egypt next week, and were going to apply for a limit,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10a data allowance limit or a cap on your bill, what would you set it at?
0:08:10 > 0:08:14- About £50. - Yeah. I'm with you on that.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18- Because you don't want any shocking bills.- No.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22I tell you what would be very interesting. You've been with T Mobile for ten years.
0:08:22 > 0:08:28Do some homework. Find out for me what other companies do about using your phone outside of the EU,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30whether other people put a protection in place.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35- You're definitely 100% positive it's a mistake, aren't you?- Yes.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Is it, something that's happened out in Egypt? Is it their mistake, and T Mobile are innocent?
0:08:39 > 0:08:43- Or was it T Mobile's mistake, or was it a combination of both?- Yeah. - I'll be on to it.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46I might need to borrow that. Don't use, don't wipe anything on it.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50If that's the case, I'll let you know, because I might need to get that examined.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52- I'll see how I get on.- OK.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54One last thing. You tell me what you'd like to happen?
0:08:54 > 0:09:00One, it would be good if they could wipe the bill off, or remove those charges. That would make me happy.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05But I think, more importantly to me, is people are made aware.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Because I don't want somebody else to go abroad,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10to be unsuspecting, and come back to amounts of charges.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12These mobile companies shouldn't get away with it.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17- I agree with you. And I bet the problem's massive once I start investigating it.- Yes.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18The problem I'm going to have here is,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21if T Mobile are telling Dawn she's used all this data,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24it's going to be very hard for me to prove that she hasn't.
0:09:24 > 0:09:30But, even so, using £1,800 worth in one day, and they haven't even sent her a warning,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34that in itself is wrong. Let's see how I get on.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Time to make my first phone call to T Mobile.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Let me tell you,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42data charges for when people are abroad
0:09:42 > 0:09:46are something which we hear tons and tons of complaints about.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50From experience, a lot of these big companies dig their heels in.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I've got a funny feeling I'm going to end up with a battle on my hands here.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55RING TONE
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Please don't.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Just say sorry and she can have a refund.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03"Welcome to T Mobile. If you are already a customer,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06"or you're in the process of joining us, press one."
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Unfortunately, getting through to the right department isn't that easy.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11BEEP
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Hash. Puts you through to an operator sooner or later.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16- "Press one..."- Hash.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18- "If you are already a customer..." - Hash.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20- "If you're already..."- Hash.
0:10:20 > 0:10:21- "If you are already..."- Hash.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23"Sorry, that's not on my list!"
0:10:23 > 0:10:25You're not on my list!
0:10:25 > 0:10:27"Try again later. Bye-bye."
0:10:27 > 0:10:30LINE GOES DEAD
0:10:30 > 0:10:33And, believe it or not, things just get worse.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34Damn it.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37I'm not having a lot of luck here.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40I can't seem to get through to anyone at T Mobile.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45HIGH-PITCHED TONE
0:10:45 > 0:10:48"Sorry you're having a problem."
0:10:48 > 0:10:50PHONE LINE DEAD
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I'm in disbelief that it's taken this amount of time
0:10:53 > 0:10:56to get through to someone I can talk to about Dawn's case.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00But, finally, it seems I might have a number for their PR office.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05I've probably spent 20-25 minutes getting the phone number of someone to speak to at T Mobile.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Most people would probably have given up at that point.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12I felt like it, but I'm not doing that because I feel even more determined to speak to somebody.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15If this one doesn't work, I suggest you switch your TVs off,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18because I'm going to smash that phone up.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19DIALLING TONE
0:11:19 > 0:11:22'Hurrah. Someone of use has finally answered.'
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Basically, this lady went on holiday last year.
0:11:26 > 0:11:33She's been billed for using 262 megabytes of data allowance,
0:11:33 > 0:11:34literally in one day.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Now, she's got this bill which is £2,000.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41'I explained the details, and they say they'll get back to me.'
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Now, normally, I fight other people's consumer battles,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46but this time, it's me who feels wronged.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Time to complain the only way I know. Firm, but fair.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56Well, first of all, I tried your 0845 numbers. Then your 0844 numbers.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Then your 0800 numbers. Then, I eventually got through to a lady in the Philippines
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and she gave me an 070 number.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Then I was given a customer service number which is an 01707 number.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Eventually, I got the number I've dialled you on.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Literally it's taken me half an hour and plenty of searching on the Internet.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18I tell you what, for a communications company, it was shocking.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Bye-bye.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25What a breath of relief. Finally, I got to speak to a human being,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27who actually seemed very, very nice.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29This lady said, fine, get all the details over to me,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31and we will see what we can sort out.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33That doesn't mean they're going to rectify this problem,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36it just means they're going to look at it and give me their answers.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Which, I suspect, initially, is probably going to be,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41she used it, she's going to pay for it.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46Fingers crossed my battle, from now on, will be less taxing.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Supply me with concrete proof, and that's it, I'll go away, you won't hear from me again.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53If you can't, I'm going to keep fighting on behalf of Dawn.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Consumer law can be very confusing.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02You've got your Sale of Goods Act.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Distance selling. Right to return. I could go on and on.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10But knowing just a few of these laws can save you not only money,
0:13:10 > 0:13:11but a lot of hassle as well.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13My research team
0:13:13 > 0:13:16have been out on the streets, armed with questions to put to you,
0:13:16 > 0:13:21the buying public, to find out if you know your consumer rights from your consumer wrongs.
0:13:24 > 0:13:29Today, we've headed to Birmingham, in our quest for spreading knowledge.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31First up:
0:13:33 > 0:13:39"One month, your utility company takes out more money from your bank than your agreed direct debit.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44"When you call to complain, they say your account is in arrears,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46"and they need to cover the shortfall.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49"Can they do this?" Yes, I think they can.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55- No. - No, they can't, because they've taken more than they agreed.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Two out of three of you correct.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00If your direct debit is for a fixed amount,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02they are not entitled to take a penny more.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04To clear the outstanding debt,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07they should either continue collecting the monthly payment until it's paid off,
0:14:07 > 0:14:12or write to you to let you know the monthly payments need to be increased.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15No? Right.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- And know your rights as well. - Next up:
0:14:21 > 0:14:24"You go out for dinner to a restaurant. The service is terrible.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28"The menu states that a compulsory 12% service charge will be added.
0:14:28 > 0:14:29"Do you have to pay this?"
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Yes, you do, because you've had the service.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34So I guess you have to pay.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36No. Well, I wouldn't.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37And you're correct, madam.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42If the service was poor, then the restaurant have technically broken their contract with you.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47Even if they say it's compulsory, you are well within your rights to refuse to pay it.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51But if the service was satisfactory, and the charge listed as compulsory,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54then you're obliged to pay it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56- I got one right. - You did indeed, clever clogs.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58And lastly:
0:14:59 > 0:15:01"You're coming back from a holiday in Greece,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03"and your flight home is overbooked.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07"The airline asks for volunteers to transfer to fly the next day.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12"They offer you a night in a four-star hotel, including a meal and transport back to the airport.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15- "Should you accept it?" - Yeah, I'd accept that.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18If you weren't that bothered, yeah, I'd accept it. But you don't have to.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21I don't think you have to accept it, but I think I probably would
0:15:21 > 0:15:24because then you get an extra day in Greece in a four-star hotel.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29Correct indeed. You're not obliged to accept the airline's offer.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34Under EU law, there's no limit on compensation for passengers in these circumstances.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37But if you did want to accept the offer, you should push for more benefits,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41like travel vouchers or complimentary trips.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Interesting. I'll remember that for the future!
0:15:45 > 0:15:47So there's room for improvement.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50But clearly, some of you have listened to me over the years.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55A little bit of know-how can go a long way to stopping you from getting done.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04As a nation, us Brits just love our smart phones.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08At the end of last year, there were ten million of them in the UK.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09Take warning.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14Each one of these has the potential to run up a huge bill when you take it abroad.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20T Mobile customer Dawn got the shock of her life when she returned from holiday
0:16:20 > 0:16:24to find a smart phone had run up a staggering bill of
0:16:24 > 0:16:31£2209.80, mostly for data roaming while away.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35I've gone over the holiday in my mind, over and over again.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39And I never used the Internet, so I have no idea what the charges are.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43T Mobile told Dawn that if her data roaming function was switched on,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47the phone could have been downloading data in the background.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51But still, more than £800 of the charges were for one day only.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Surely that's not possible?
0:16:55 > 0:16:56While Dawn was in Egypt,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00T Mobile were charging her a massive £7.50 per megabyte.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Now, given the right conditions,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06a smart phone can download about two megabytes per second.
0:17:06 > 0:17:12That means she could be getting billed £900 per minute
0:17:12 > 0:17:15if the phone is doing maximum downloads.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18All of a sudden, smart phones don't seem that clever, do they?
0:17:18 > 0:17:20My research into T Mobile reveals that,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23when it comes to international roaming on their smart phones,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28they have data packages or boosters available to buy for travel in Europe
0:17:28 > 0:17:30so you know exactly what you're spending.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32By law, but only within Europe,
0:17:32 > 0:17:37service providers now have to cap data bills at 50 euros per month.
0:17:37 > 0:17:42But still around 1.4 million of you have complained to telecoms regulator OFCOM,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46about bill shock, mainly from data roaming charges.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51However, there are changes coming in to protect the consumer in 2014.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56But customers will still be unprotected further afield than Europe.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59So it's up to you, the public, to protect yourselves.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04But the question is, do you know how to?
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Well, I'm about to find out as I hit the high street find out
0:18:07 > 0:18:11how many of you have had similar situations to Dawn's.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- Do you own a smart phone?- I do, yes.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- Do you own a smart phone? - Yeah, I do.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19- Do you own a smart phone? - I do, yes, an Android phone.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21- Do you ever take it abroad? - I do, yes.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Have you ever had any bills that were rather large, larger than you were expecting?
0:18:25 > 0:18:30Yeah. That once stung situation.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32I've tried it once,
0:18:32 > 0:18:37and when I came back, they charge me around £120 for checking my e-mail.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39How did you feel about having to pay about £120?
0:18:39 > 0:18:43I'll never use my phone abroad again, never ever.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46I was trying to follow cricket scores,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50and also checking my work e-mail on holiday, which I know is a dreadful thing to do.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55OK, so some of you have been stung by expensive data charges.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Phone operator websites do detail the charges,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00but, for me, that's not really good enough.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04What would you do if you came back from a holiday in Egypt,
0:19:04 > 0:19:08and your mobile phone provider sent you a bill for over £2,000,
0:19:08 > 0:19:12and said you had downloaded more than 250 megabytes of data,
0:19:12 > 0:19:13and you didn't even know about it?
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Oh my goodness, crazy.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17If that happened, I'd be completely lost.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20I wouldn't know where to go, what to do.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23If she hasn't used it, then she shouldn't have to pay.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28But the mobile phone company's saying you have used it, and she's saying, I haven't.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I still wouldn't pay.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32I think the operators have a moral duty
0:19:32 > 0:19:37to stop people coming back from holidays and having to fork out huge amounts of money on their bill.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39In Dawn's case, two grand.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44And no one can tell her how this has happened.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47All they can tell her is they know she's downloaded that amount of data.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50She's disputing it. But they can't tell her what it is was.
0:19:50 > 0:19:51That seems a little tenuous to me.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54If she's sure she hasn't, particularly in one day,
0:19:54 > 0:19:59you'd hope they'd be a bit more open-minded about it perhaps.
0:19:59 > 0:20:00I agree.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04My chat with the general public confirms that lots of you sympathise with Dawn,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06and have been stung in a similar way.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09But it would be interesting to see exactly what other operators
0:20:09 > 0:20:12have to offer their customers when travelling outside of Europe.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17So I asked Dawn to research the four other major UK providers.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Hi, yes, I'm looking to get a smart phone,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22because I want a phone where I can use the Internet.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25If I'm travelling abroad,
0:20:25 > 0:20:27what sort of data plans do you have there?
0:20:27 > 0:20:30First up, it's 3.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35He was very cagey about Europe and the rest of the world,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38and just kept advising me, if I was travelling outside of the UK,
0:20:38 > 0:20:40I should buy the sim card for the country I'm travelling in,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44because it's very expensive to use data whilst outside of the UK.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Hm. Next, Vodafone.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49He was noncommittal on the charges
0:20:49 > 0:20:53because he said they were at the mercy of other mobile phone companies.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58And he again said, if you're abroad, I would either buy a sim card for that country,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02or turn your Internet off and use Wi-Fi.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Let's see what O2 have to offer.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08She gave me some prices about abroad.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12So, if you're in Europe, they charge you £3 per megabyte.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16The rest of the world is £6 per megabyte. But they will cap.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21At last, one company who capped data use worldwide.
0:21:21 > 0:21:28Lastly, it's a call to Orange, who've recently merged with Dawn's provider, T Mobile.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30If you're travelling outside of Europe,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34you can buy a bundle from them for £15, which is 30 megabytes.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38Once you've used that 30 megabytes, they won't charge you,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41you then have to buy another 30 megabytes.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44That's an awful lot of inconsistencies across the board.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46But thankfully, two countries have plans in place
0:21:46 > 0:21:52which help prevent overspending on data while travelling outside of Europe.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Had T Mobile implemented a similar system,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Dawn wouldn't be facing such a hefty bill.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59But I'm still baffled as to how her phone
0:21:59 > 0:22:01ran up this bill in the first place.
0:22:01 > 0:22:07Dawn has no idea, and T Mobile have mentioned data being used automatically in the background.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08What does that mean?
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Time to speak to an independent technical expert.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15In terms of what smart phones can do without our knowledge,
0:22:15 > 0:22:16these bite-sized applications we use,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20instant messaging, maybe going on the Internet, even our e-mails,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24the news and weather widgets, every single feature and function of our smart phones
0:22:24 > 0:22:28often picks up little bits of data, so there's loads of things going on in the background,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30maybe whilst we don't notice.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Ah. So it's possible Dawn's phone could have been accessing the Internet itself
0:22:34 > 0:22:37with programmes running in the background.
0:22:37 > 0:22:43Maybe that would explain the 269 megabytes of data T-Mobile say she used.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46It's quite a substantial amount of data you'd have to use.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50250 megabytes of data is around 750 web pages,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52maybe 500 e-mails with images.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55So these aren't small amounts we're talking about.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59To use that amount of data in a day, or even a month, is quite a substantial amount.
0:22:59 > 0:23:05750 web pages? I think Dawn would remember visiting that many of them.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Not what you do when cruising down the River Nile!
0:23:08 > 0:23:13How can T Mobile think Dawn had used this much data, mainly in a day?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Whilst it is technologically feasible for providers
0:23:15 > 0:23:17to have access to a breakdown of data,
0:23:17 > 0:23:22I've never known an instance where consumers have been provided access to it.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's very much your word against the provider's.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27They have a log, they have an itemised bill
0:23:27 > 0:23:30that says you've used a certain amount of data on a certain date.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32You can only insist that you haven't.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36But it's very, very difficult to prove you haven't used that data.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Do you know? I'm not sure whether to be happy and sad.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42It seems there may be ways of getting a more detailed breakdown
0:23:42 > 0:23:43of what kind of data was used,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47but it's not something readily available.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51I'd better try and press T Mobile on this one
0:23:51 > 0:23:54so, time for another call to their public relations team.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58T Mobile have responded to some of the questions I've asked them with a rather lengthy e-mail.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01In a nutshell, they say, hang on, this is Dawn's problem, not ours.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06"We have given a small offer of a goodwill gesture," but that's all.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08I'm not really happy with that.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11I'm going to go back and see if I can fight this some more.
0:24:11 > 0:24:17But I tell you what, this is going to be quite a hard battle to win.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20This data usage is becoming a common problem.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23I'm hearing a lot of people moaning about it.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Yes, a lot of people are moaning about it
0:24:25 > 0:24:29because the industry is doing nothing to stop this happening.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33269 megabytes and a two grand bill? It's just crazy!
0:24:33 > 0:24:35In my eyes, not fair.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37It's Dominic Littlewood calling from the BBC.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42'Especially as Dawn and T Mobile have no idea how it happened.'
0:24:42 > 0:24:45To suddenly say someone's used 269 megabytes
0:24:45 > 0:24:47is an incredibly large amount.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52You quote here, "This information was provided by the foreign network that provided the service."
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Here lies the big issue.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58How do you know that their figures are accurate?
0:24:58 > 0:25:02I would like some sort of concrete proof from them that they say this amount has been used,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06there's no errors there at all, and no additional charges which they think could be an error.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08'As T-Mobile aren't budging,
0:25:08 > 0:25:13'and what's happened to Dawn is happening to thousands of others Brits travelling outside of Europe,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15'with a number of network providers,
0:25:15 > 0:25:20'I want to take it to the top, to see how T Mobile are going to stop this happening in the future.'
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Considering that,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26at the moment, you're sticking on this 25% gesture of goodwill,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30we'd like to bring the programme to the attention of Olaf Swantee,
0:25:30 > 0:25:37and ask him if we can have an interview face to face with him on the programme, for broadcast?
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Basically, I hit them with just about everything I had.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Starting with, can I go and meet the CEO, to talk to him about these problems.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47That one normally does help situations
0:25:47 > 0:25:50because, once the CEO's cage is rattled,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54quite often things happen which don't, until you rattle it.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57And I've got to keep my fingers crossed on that because
0:25:57 > 0:25:59it's a very, very touch and go situation.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01HE SOBS
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Sometimes I love my job, sometimes I hate it.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08I'm not going to lie.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10I'm a bit worried about this case.
0:26:10 > 0:26:16T Mobile are playing hardball, and they've refused to budge on Dawn's 25% discount.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21They even sent me the information from the Egyptian service provider that I asked for.
0:26:21 > 0:26:22Doesn't matter.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25I'm going to up my game, and get Dawn's phone forensically examined
0:26:25 > 0:26:28to see if I can find out what that data was.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35The report from the provider in Egypt unfortunately doesn't go into any details.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40Once again, all it shows me is the amount of data used, and on which days.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42If this is all the information they have,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46maybe a forensics expert can shed some light on Dawn's alleged usage.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49I attached Dawn's phone to my laptop
0:26:49 > 0:26:51and I extracted all the data from there.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54What I found was that, during her period in Egypt,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58she actually did very little with her phone,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00there was very little activity recorded.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04I found nothing which gave evidence of large data use during that period.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06This is very interesting.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09If the extraction is accurate,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13how on earth can T Mobile be saying Dawn used all this data?
0:27:13 > 0:27:16There's a number of apps installed on the phone, I notice.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21This includes Spotify, YouTube, which streams a lot of data in the background.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25There's a daily horoscope app installed there as well.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Now, these were set, I have discovered,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31to update themselves in the background.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35And it may be something that Dawn didn't realise at the time.
0:27:35 > 0:27:36Not great news,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40but it seems unlikely all the apps would have updated on that one day.
0:27:40 > 0:27:41And even if they did,
0:27:41 > 0:27:46Ernest from uSwitch told me the amount of data T Mobile claim Dawn downloaded
0:27:46 > 0:27:50was a lot to use in a month, let alone 24 hours.
0:27:50 > 0:27:51But I still need more proof.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53With data usage,
0:27:53 > 0:28:00you do not get as much information about what caused the data to be used.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03With a text message, you see who it was sent to, from,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07the service centre timestamp, the contents of the text message, etc.
0:28:07 > 0:28:13At the moment, the granularity of detail available on data usage is rather lacking, I think.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16So, what might have happened to incur Dawn's high charges
0:28:16 > 0:28:20may have been related to a tiny setting on her phone.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23But the results from my experts are still frustratingly inconclusive,
0:28:23 > 0:28:28and, if no one really knows, how is it fair to bill Dawn over two grand?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Even Ofcom are pushing legislation
0:28:33 > 0:28:35to cap and reduce data charges worldwide,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38so surely T Mobile have to consider this.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Because Ofcom state, and I'm just going to read you this on my other phone -
0:28:41 > 0:28:45they want to see more pressure on UK operators to adopt data caps
0:28:45 > 0:28:48and spending alerts.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51"Mobile phone providers must stop bill shock."
0:28:51 > 0:28:53That's the headline I've got here.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56'She tells me they're committed to working with Ofcom,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59'so there's more transparency in their terms and conditions.'
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Do you know in Dawn's case how many basic e-mails
0:29:03 > 0:29:07the data you're charging for would mean she'd have to download?
0:29:07 > 0:29:12According to Ofcom, it's quarter of a million simple e-mails.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14It would be a 30 minute video
0:29:14 > 0:29:17or a four hour radio programme
0:29:17 > 0:29:21and that's for 250 megabytes - you're charging her for 269.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26She's never used more than two megabytes on any day
0:29:26 > 0:29:28previous to this.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30She's adamant it's a mistake.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34Do they seriously think Dawn spent her Nile cruise
0:29:34 > 0:29:36sending a quarter of a million e-mails?
0:29:36 > 0:29:40'Regardless of how ridiculous these figures are,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43'T Mobile confirm they definitely can't give a breakdown
0:29:43 > 0:29:46'of how the data was used and say there's nothing more they can offer
0:29:46 > 0:29:50'than a 25% goodwill reduction they already have.'
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Why don't you cap people's bills like O2?
0:29:54 > 0:29:57You haven't got the capping in place.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59People's bills come in at £2,200.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Is it just a financial reason why you've not put a cap on?
0:30:02 > 0:30:06OK, if you can't comment on why other companies have put
0:30:06 > 0:30:08a cap on, do comment on why you can't.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11'Finally, I'm told they're introducing a new system
0:30:11 > 0:30:13'for worldwide data roaming charges,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16'but she can't give me any more information about it
0:30:16 > 0:30:19'and I seem to have hit a brick wall regarding Dawn's case.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23'So I'm forced, once again, to request feedback from the CEO.'
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Is Olaf Swantee aware of this?
0:30:25 > 0:30:26Has he been informed?
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Is he prepared to have a meeting with us?
0:30:29 > 0:30:31'I'm told it's not possible.'
0:30:31 > 0:30:34We don't have concrete proof that that data's been used, Emily.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36That's the reason I'm digging my heels in.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39Supply me with concrete proof and I'll go away, Emily.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41You won't not hear from me again.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43If not, I'm going to keep fighting on behalf of Dawn, then.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Bye-bye.
0:30:45 > 0:30:46When I told her
0:30:46 > 0:30:49it's quarter of a million basic e-mails,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52she sounded a bit shocked actually. Bit of a silence in the air.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54But you know what,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57they're digging their heels in and they're not budging.
0:30:57 > 0:30:58I've told her, if we have to,
0:30:58 > 0:31:00we'll take it to the Small Claims Court.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09So many of you get in touch giving me
0:31:09 > 0:31:11the low-down on your consumer nightmares,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14that my little team of helpers here are worked to the bone.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Mind you, so they should be!
0:31:16 > 0:31:19My inbox is overflowing and the phone hardly ever stops ringing.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22But sadly, I can't meet every one of you face-to-face,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26so follow my guide and hopefully you won't get done.
0:31:26 > 0:31:27Right, crack on guys, come on!
0:31:33 > 0:31:35We're looking at one of the most
0:31:35 > 0:31:37important insurance policies you can have -
0:31:37 > 0:31:40mortgage protection.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Meet 47-year-old widow, Fiona, who got a very nasty shock
0:31:43 > 0:31:45when she discovered her insurance
0:31:45 > 0:31:48didn't cover her family for what they thought it would.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53If I had to go back to 2003
0:31:53 > 0:31:55and meet that adviser again,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58I would have my questions.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02We naively thought and trusted the adviser.
0:32:02 > 0:32:03You can't trust anybody.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Fiona was convinced their family home would always be secure
0:32:07 > 0:32:11if anything happened to her or her husband, Colin.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15The mortgage adviser was absolutely lovely, explained everything,
0:32:15 > 0:32:16offered us everything.
0:32:16 > 0:32:21Everything what they offered us - we had the full package.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Fiona is one of around 14 million people in the UK
0:32:26 > 0:32:29that have a mortgage and many of us get mortgage protection,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32so if for any reason, the mortgage holders are unable to work
0:32:32 > 0:32:35due to illness, injury or unemployment,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38the monthly payments can still be met.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41He said,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44"God forbid if you walked out of this door now
0:32:44 > 0:32:47"and you got knocked down, your mortgage will be covered.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50"If you contracted MS,
0:32:50 > 0:32:52"Motor Neurone or cancer
0:32:52 > 0:32:55"your mortgage would be covered."
0:32:55 > 0:32:57We signed all the paperwork.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Everything was in joint names.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03And it appears she made the right initial moves.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance is often,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09but not always, sold to you by your mortgage lender.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12By law, your mortgage provider has to give you 14 days
0:33:12 > 0:33:15before contacting you about this protection
0:33:15 > 0:33:18so that you're not rushed into a purchase.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20The cost of your cover will depend on how much
0:33:20 > 0:33:22your monthly mortgage repayments are.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25If you need to claim, your insurance
0:33:25 > 0:33:26payments will typically
0:33:26 > 0:33:27begin around one month
0:33:27 > 0:33:29without a salary,
0:33:29 > 0:33:30either directly to your mortgage
0:33:30 > 0:33:31lender or straight to you.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Sadly, six years into their mortgage, Fiona's husband, Colin,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given four months to live,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42so Fiona phoned up to make sure their mortgage
0:33:42 > 0:33:45would be protected when he passed away.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47He says, "Can I get somebody to phone you?
0:33:47 > 0:33:49"I'll get me manager to phone you."
0:33:49 > 0:33:52The manager phoned and said, "I'm sorry, you're not covered."
0:33:52 > 0:33:54I said, "Oh yes, I am."
0:33:54 > 0:33:58I said, "I'm covered for Motor Neurone, MS and cancer.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01"Them are your words, not mine."
0:34:01 > 0:34:03He says, "You are not, Mrs Allcroft.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05"You haven't got that policy."
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Fiona and Colin weren't covered for what they thought they were.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Although they would receive payments while Colin was sick,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14the bank wouldn't continue paying if he died.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18The policy would only pay out in cases of accidental death.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22If you take out mortgage protection,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26it's very important that you receive your policy documentation
0:34:26 > 0:34:29and keep it in a safe place for reference.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30The devil's in the detail.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32You need to read the small print
0:34:32 > 0:34:34so you know what is and isn't covered.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Policies vary and may not cover you
0:34:36 > 0:34:38for all types of sickness,
0:34:38 > 0:34:39death and unemployment.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Tragically, Colin died in October 2009,
0:34:44 > 0:34:48five months after he was diagnosed.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52And all mortgage protection insurance payments stopped.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57I still thought it was a mistake somewhere down the line.
0:34:57 > 0:35:02The mortgage adviser just said it's our own fault for not checking
0:35:02 > 0:35:04when we signed all the forms.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06I was devastated.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Fiona was convinced that when they were sold the policy,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12the sales adviser told them they were covered for death
0:35:12 > 0:35:15as the result of an illness and complained,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18but the bank were insisting the right cover wasn't in place.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22A worried Fiona took her case further.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25If you have exhausted
0:35:25 > 0:35:29the complaints procedure within the financial company you're in dispute with,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31you can contact independent bodies.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35The Citizens Advice Bureau, or CAB, offer free, confidential advice
0:35:35 > 0:35:38on a number of subject areas.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42The CAB took Fiona's case to the Financial Ombudsman's Service.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46The FOS will take an impartial look
0:35:46 > 0:35:48at the dispute based on the paperwork provided
0:35:48 > 0:35:50and deliver a verdict.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Unfortunately, the FOS ruled against Fiona, because she no longer
0:35:55 > 0:35:59had a copy of the original terms of her policy and it seems
0:35:59 > 0:36:02from the bank's current policy, that they would never have been covered.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06So, Fiona has been left in a financially unstable situation
0:36:06 > 0:36:09with her family home at risk.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12It was two years last month since I lost my husband.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16My biggest fear now is that I can't pay the mortgage.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20All I'm asking for them to do is when the next person who goes in
0:36:20 > 0:36:23for a mortgage and has got a family,
0:36:23 > 0:36:27please just give them the right information.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31What we need to remember is that mortgage advisers are there
0:36:31 > 0:36:34to sell a product, so you need to do your homework
0:36:34 > 0:36:36and learn from Fiona's difficult lesson.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39She now has to sell her house, as without her husband's income,
0:36:39 > 0:36:41she can't meet the mortgage repayments.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Make sure it's the right product for you.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Can you afford it
0:36:47 > 0:36:50or could you not afford it if anything happens to you?
0:36:50 > 0:36:52I wish then, in 2003,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54we asked these questions,
0:36:54 > 0:36:58but we trusted the mortgage adviser.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Good advice from Fiona
0:37:00 > 0:37:02and if you follow my tips as well,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04hopefully, if you take out mortgage protection
0:37:04 > 0:37:08and need to claim for any reason, you won't get done.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Dawn's week-long Egyptian cruise left her with a sinking feeling
0:37:16 > 0:37:20when she returned home from the holiday to a hefty mobile phone bill
0:37:20 > 0:37:22from T Mobile to the tune of...
0:37:24 > 0:37:26..mainly for data roaming charges.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29So far, T Mobile are sticking to their offer
0:37:29 > 0:37:32of a 25% bill reduction,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35but there's no proof of how Dawn used the data.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Even Ofcom recognise an industry-wide problem
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and say consumers should be protected
0:37:40 > 0:37:43from data roaming bill shock.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Last time I spoke to T Mobile,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48I asked to speak again to their chief executive
0:37:48 > 0:37:51and it seems I might have ruffled some feathers.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54I've just had an e-mail from T Mobile.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Listen to this. "Hi, Dom.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01"We have just found out that we were already doing a policy review
0:38:01 > 0:38:04"on international roaming cases and we have asked the team
0:38:04 > 0:38:08"to review Ms Christie's case in light of this ongoing review."
0:38:08 > 0:38:11This is sounding quite positive.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14"We cannot guarantee what this will mean for Ms Christie
0:38:14 > 0:38:17"but if you are OK to wait just a little longer,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20"then I think that would be in everyone's best interests.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22"Many thanks. Emily."
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Now, I think that means
0:38:24 > 0:38:27T Mobile are about to offer a resolution.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33All phone providers are providing more and more services to us
0:38:33 > 0:38:34that use data,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37but it's the cost of that data that's the issue.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41The real problem here is perception.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43You see, we expect to pay a lot of money for data roaming
0:38:43 > 0:38:47so we're charged a lot of money for data roaming.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Someone somewhere is making an awful lot of money out of it
0:38:50 > 0:38:53and it's at the expense of you, me
0:38:53 > 0:38:55and the likes of Dawn Christie.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59Let's see what my technology expert thinks
0:38:59 > 0:39:01of these astronomical data charges.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04A lot of operators are now finding
0:39:04 > 0:39:08that their total revenue for data is outstripping that for SMS
0:39:08 > 0:39:10for example, for the first time,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13so it's obviously a service which is being used more and more.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Again, as people go away on holiday, they want to take that with them.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21I imagine international roaming, given that it's a higher mark-up
0:39:21 > 0:39:23than domestic roaming,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25would therefore contribute to their profits.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28It seems there's only one way forward.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32I believe that international data charges are too high.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36There doesn't seem to be any technical justification
0:39:36 > 0:39:39for each megabyte cost being so high
0:39:39 > 0:39:43and the only way I can see that realistically coming to an end
0:39:43 > 0:39:45on a global level
0:39:45 > 0:39:50is with some sort of global regulation.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53After all, if Dawn Christie's mystery data use had been capped,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56it might be a 50 euro battle
0:39:56 > 0:39:58instead of a £2,000 one.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00But I want to know what happens if global regulations
0:40:00 > 0:40:03don't happen soon or ever.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Without regulation being put in place,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09I can only imagine acceptance
0:40:09 > 0:40:11of people's desire to use these services
0:40:11 > 0:40:14and therefore wanting to attract those customers
0:40:14 > 0:40:18being the driving factor in reducing the overall costs to the consumer.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Winning business off each other is the only real incentive.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24So it seems mobile providers
0:40:24 > 0:40:27are making the most of consumer demand for worldwide data roaming.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29But people are starting to wake up
0:40:29 > 0:40:31and if regulations aren't in place,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34I think unhappy customers should be reason enough
0:40:34 > 0:40:37for providers to change their prices and policies.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42And it seems T Mobile are starting to see my point,
0:40:42 > 0:40:47because they've suddenly e-mailed Dawn Christie with another offer.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50I'm back in Bristol to meet Dawn, except this time,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53she's the one who has news for me, not the other way round.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59Dawn, normally at moments like this, I'm here to give you good news,
0:40:59 > 0:41:00but there's a reverse of roles now,
0:41:00 > 0:41:04because you're going to give me the good news which T Mobile have
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- gone behind my back and given you directly, haven't they? - Yes, they have.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11- What was it?- They've reduced my bill from 2,300 to £200.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13So when they sent you that e-mail,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16tell me what happened when you read it.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18I read the e-mail and I think I had to read it about three
0:41:18 > 0:41:22or four times and then when it did
0:41:22 > 0:41:24finally sink in that they'd reduced it down to £200
0:41:24 > 0:41:26I was very excited.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29I tell you what. It was not an easy battle.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33I got onto them and I questioned how can someone with your history
0:41:33 > 0:41:36where you'd only been downloading one or two megabytes per day,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40all of a sudden have nearly 260 in one day?
0:41:40 > 0:41:431,800 odd pounds just in that particular day.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47I said, "There's got to be a mistake." I started to question what was the data?
0:41:47 > 0:41:49And this is quite interesting, because they can't tell you.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51All they can say is, "It's data, we don't know."
0:41:51 > 0:41:54The important fact is we've highlighted the problem,
0:41:54 > 0:41:56your bill's down to a sensible amount.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59- Happy to pay 200, aren't you? - Yes, I'm happy to pay 200.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02That's probably two months of charges anyway, so.
0:42:03 > 0:42:04T Mobile said...
0:42:25 > 0:42:28What have you learned from this?
0:42:28 > 0:42:31What I've learnt is that if I go abroad,
0:42:31 > 0:42:33either in the EU or internationally,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36if I take a smart phone with me that I ensure
0:42:36 > 0:42:39data roaming is turned off before I leave this country.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41I think that's a really good message to send out there
0:42:41 > 0:42:44to everybody who might be caught out the same way as you.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46I think that's one thing people should check with their phones
0:42:46 > 0:42:49when they get them, is if you have to enable data roaming
0:42:49 > 0:42:51or turn it on or off, you should keep it off
0:42:51 > 0:42:53and use Wi-Fi wherever possible.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Good advice!
0:42:55 > 0:42:57Do you want a job?
0:42:57 > 0:42:59Don't get done get Dawn?
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Dawn's not the first person to be caught out like this
0:43:03 > 0:43:05and she'll certainly not be the last.
0:43:05 > 0:43:06The outcome for her has been good
0:43:06 > 0:43:09but it could have been a whole different story.
0:43:09 > 0:43:10Be careful!
0:43:36 > 0:43:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd