DoctorDoom
08-01-2007, 08:25 AM
I have a caveat emptor to top them all. I purchased an iPhone on opening day to use in lieu of a cumbersome laptop while traveling in Ireland and England for two weeks in early July. AT&T promises "easy, affordable, and convenient plans" in their advertising... turns out I got two out of three.
On the way to the airport, I activated the per-use international roaming data plan - the only one offered to me. The rep quoted me $.005 per KB but did not disclose what that would translate to in layman's language (i.e., X amount per e-mail, X amount per web page, etc.). I'm a web developer as part of my career and I couldn't even tell you how many KB the average web page is, no less a text message to my son, an e-mail with a photo to my mother, or a quick check of Google Maps. That's part one of the trap. However, I now pay $40 per month for unlimited data usage on the iPhone, so really -- how much could it be? $100 at the most, right?
Keep reading.
As we know, the iPhone can't be unlocked to use a European provider's SIM card for more reasonable rates while traveling. There's part two of the trap.
To be safe, I went online to My Account at AT&T a couple days into the trip and again a week later and was told "usage data is currently unavailable"... and that's part three. I had no way of knowing specific usage data until I received my bill over the last weekend.
A bill for $3000.ATT + iPhone int'l. roaming data horror story: $3K bill - UDPATE (http://www.boingboing.net/2007/07/31/att_iphone_intl_roam.html)
To be fair, same page:
UPDATE, 12:18PM PT: Dave says, "AT&T just called and agreed to waive all charges due to the 'miscommunication.' I think they have a customer for life now."The guy's circumstances were highly unusual, and AT&T did bend, but the story is evidence that a fixatingly attractive gadget in the wrong hands can be a ferocious ass-biter.
Folks who give iPhones to their kids should be aware that the rug apes are clueless about the cost of hours of surfing in MySpace and watching YouTube videos on their toys. Rude awakenings are coming in the snailmail.
On the way to the airport, I activated the per-use international roaming data plan - the only one offered to me. The rep quoted me $.005 per KB but did not disclose what that would translate to in layman's language (i.e., X amount per e-mail, X amount per web page, etc.). I'm a web developer as part of my career and I couldn't even tell you how many KB the average web page is, no less a text message to my son, an e-mail with a photo to my mother, or a quick check of Google Maps. That's part one of the trap. However, I now pay $40 per month for unlimited data usage on the iPhone, so really -- how much could it be? $100 at the most, right?
Keep reading.
As we know, the iPhone can't be unlocked to use a European provider's SIM card for more reasonable rates while traveling. There's part two of the trap.
To be safe, I went online to My Account at AT&T a couple days into the trip and again a week later and was told "usage data is currently unavailable"... and that's part three. I had no way of knowing specific usage data until I received my bill over the last weekend.
A bill for $3000.ATT + iPhone int'l. roaming data horror story: $3K bill - UDPATE (http://www.boingboing.net/2007/07/31/att_iphone_intl_roam.html)
To be fair, same page:
UPDATE, 12:18PM PT: Dave says, "AT&T just called and agreed to waive all charges due to the 'miscommunication.' I think they have a customer for life now."The guy's circumstances were highly unusual, and AT&T did bend, but the story is evidence that a fixatingly attractive gadget in the wrong hands can be a ferocious ass-biter.
Folks who give iPhones to their kids should be aware that the rug apes are clueless about the cost of hours of surfing in MySpace and watching YouTube videos on their toys. Rude awakenings are coming in the snailmail.