Billing Dispute: €650 Roaming Charges (India) - Misleading SMS

The 59,50 is a cap on data and at that point your data connection would have been deactivated. It also says this in the SMS. If you continued to make calls, then these will have been charged as per the price list. Why would you assume these would just be free?

"I am not assuming the calls should be free. However, the SMS on Feb 18th explicitly stated that the block was put in place 'to protect against further costs' (Zum Schutz vor weiteren Kosten).

As a consumer, this creates a clear expectation of a safety net. Allowing a bill to escalate to over €600—nearly 10 times my usual monthly amount—without a specific warning for voice usage is a failure of the provider's duty of care. I am seeking a fair compromise (Kulanz) based on this misleading 'safety' communication, as this was an unintentional dual-SIM error."

Do you still have the text message? Maybe you could post the contents here. I am sure it specifically says data. Your expectation would be unjustified in that case.

If you have submitted a request for a goodwill reduction in your bill this will be processed by the respective department. You will receive their decision by email or post but it can take a few weeks.

Hello ​@Sri_K,

welcome to our o2 Community 🙂

That is a large sum, I understand that you are wanting to get clarity as fast as possible.

I could take a look, according to a note by our colleagues they gave an answer regarding your formal letter via Registered Mail (Einschreiben).

Our billing department on the other hand is still working on a request on your behalf and will give you a reply as soon as possible.

Best Regards,

Gerrit

Subject: Evidence of Misleading Roaming Protection SMS - Billing Dispute

Hello,

To follow up on my previous post and provide the proof requested, please find the attached screenshots.

The SMS Proof: As seen in the screenshots from Feb 18th, I received two messages stating: "Zum Schutz vor weiteren Kosten ist Datenroaming... gesperrt." (To protect against further costs, data roaming is blocked).

As a consumer, the use of the word "Schutz" (Protection) combined with the phrase "protection against further costs" created a clear and reasonable expectation that my total financial exposure was capped. I was not sent any equivalent warning for voice calls, which allowed the bill to escalate to a total of over €650.

The Bill Proof: I have also attached my March and April bills. You can see I am a loyal customer with multiple active contracts (O2 Mobile M and O2 my Home XXL).

This was a one-time, unintentional error caused by confusing and misleading "cost protection" notifications. I believe this situation warrants a "Kulanz" (goodwill) credit, as the provider's duty of care (Fürsorgepflicht) was not met. I have already sent a formal letter via registered mail (Einschreiben) but would appreciate it if a moderator here could review the case and the specific SMS wording used.

Thank you for your help.

Sorry, but there is nothing misleading about the text. You put emphasis on the word protection, but disregarded the data roaming. I understand it may have been a misunderstanding on your part but the wording is not unclear and your expectation therefore not reasonable in the circumstances.

Nevertheless, I am sure o2 will properly consider a good will response. The moderators here can't decide this.

O2 specifically refers to data roaming(Daten-Roaming) and data charges; this unambiguously refers only to data and has no connection whatsever to phone calls or text messages.

The SMS you underlined red has been the information about your number incurring 80 % of the capped amount for data usage, ​@Sri_K.

The other SMS in your screenshot informed about the costs of out-going and incoming calls as well as for sent SMS.

Our billing department is working on a request on your behalf and will give you a reply as soon as possible.

Please keep us updated here and ask further questions here as well 🙂

Best Regards,

Gerrit

We have 368,62€ for voice with no limiting and 59,38€ for data with billing break.

The cost you get via sms from O2. Where is the problem?

Read „https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-telecoms/mobile-roaming-costs/index_en.htm“

The cost of roaming (particularly data roaming) outside the EU/EEA can be expensive. To avoid running up high bills, check the cost for roaming outside the EU with your provider before travelling.

Thank you for the clarification. I understand that the messages distinguish between data and calls, ​@o2_Gerrit .

My main point remains that for a standard consumer, receiving a message about 'Protection from further costs' after a block is triggered creates a strong impression of safety. I am very grateful that the billing department is reviewing this individually. I will wait for their reply and update you here as soon as I hear from them.

Best regards,
Sri

​@Sri_K 

Thank you for your detailed and understandable feedback 😊

I can absolutely understand your point of view here. Especially the wording about “protection from further costs” can easily create the impression that no additional charges would occur afterwards. It’s good that the billing department is now reviewing the case individually once again 👍

Please feel free to keep us updated as soon as you receive any feedback 🙂

Best regards 
Daniela