A senior citizen was shocked to receive an £18,000 phone bill for surpassing her mobile data limit, with O2 insisting on full payment. Roz Dean, the owner of RGR Facilities, initially believed it was an error when O2 attempted to charge her £12,000 in January. Despite blocking the transaction, O2 later verified the bill and issued two additional invoices totaling £6,000 for exceeding the 50GB monthly data cap on a work phone.
Expressing intentions for legal action, Roz disputed O2’s decision, claiming that customer service representatives initially suggested the charges would be waived but later upheld them following an investigation. O2 defended their stance, stating that alerts were sent to the device as it surpassed data thresholds, with no spending cap in place.
Roz criticized O2 for not directly notifying the bill payer and argued that the excessive charges were unreasonable, given her £48 per month unlimited data plan. O2 acknowledged the situation could have been handled better and mentioned ongoing discussions with RGR Facilities to find a resolution.
Highlighting specific data usage instances, one showing the employee incurred £1,586.14 for 54GB on a single day, Roz emphasized the disparity between normal data costs and the unexpected bill. She stressed the impact on her small business, suggesting that O2’s approach unfairly targets smaller enterprises.
Roz emphasized the potential impact of the bill on her business’s growth, particularly in light of high youth unemployment rates. Planning to switch providers once the issue is resolved, she criticized O2 for their handling of the matter. In response, an O2 spokesperson acknowledged the need for better communication and indicated a willingness to reevaluate the bill as a goodwill gesture.
