9.5 gigabytes of data for $143,000?
A TracFone 10 GB data card is $40
Yeah, I get it - roaming.....
But still...
I remember these sorts of stories circa 2000’s... how are there still people who don’t check on this sort of stuff before they travel? And most phones allow for dual SIMs!!! I have found Googlefi to be the best service for traveling, you are allocated the same data plan as you have in the states abroad. This is solely for travel, you can’t remain abroad and use it... after 3 months they will throttle and then turn off roaming.
I doubt that T-Mobile’s billing would be defensible if put to the test. The most likely reason for T-Mobile’s outrageous charge was that the local T-Mobile employees did not know what they were doing when the customer consulted them before the trip. They ought to have warned the customer of potentially excessive charges under his rate plan.
U.S. Man Learns that Man Owes Over $200,000 to Foreign Holders of U.S. Treasury Notes
Something about this smells. I’m a T-Mobile customer, I went to Germany for a week last year and paid maybe $20 extra. I checked the website through my app and it was pretty clear on what to do.
https://www.t-mobile.com/support/coverage/international-roaming-services
We used to go up to the Niagra Falls area, Hub’s older brother lived in Ransomville. Walk down one side of the street you were on AT&T, the other Rogers Canadian. Big difference in the charges, and AT&T had to adjust.
Japan is particularly bad for this. It’s easy to get a mobile hot spot for WiFi, but difficult to get a phone, unless you know a legal resident who will buy a phone for you. I’ve only found one place that will rent a SIM, and you have to take care of all the paperwork before you arrive there.
This is why you should always buy an unlocked, dual SIM phone. Use one SIM slot for your usual carrier, and buy a second SIM in whatever country you’re visiting.