US Couple Receives $143,000 Phone Bill After Switzerland Trip, T-Mobile Resolves Issue Following Media Intervention

A Florida couple, Rene Remund and his wife Lynda, were astonished to receive a $143,000 phone bill from T-Mobile after returning from a trip to Switzerland. Despite being told they were 'covered' before traveling, the couple was charged for using 9.5 gigabytes of data during their three-week vacation, amounting to an average of over $6,000 per day.

Remund, a T-Mobile subscriber for nearly 30 years, said he always notifies the carrier before traveling abroad. Before this trip, he visited a T-Mobile store and was assured that he was 'covered' for charges while traveling outside the US. However, upon returning home, Remund found that T-Mobile had charged him over $143,000 for the data usage.

Initially, Remund thought the bill was for $143, but a T-Mobile spokesperson confirmed that the $143,442.74 charge was accurate. The couple challenged the bill and tried to resolve the issue with T-Mobile, but the company claimed the charges were correct.

Seeking legal help, Remund engaged a lawyer who wrote to T-Mobile's president, but they initially received no response. The couple then contacted the media for assistance. After ABC Action News reached out to T-Mobile's corporate office, the carrier agreed to credit Remund's account for the entire amount.

Why this matters: This incident highlights the importance of thoroughly understanding international roaming plans and features before traveling, as conditions can differ significantly between carriers. It also underscores the potential for exorbitant charges when using data abroad without proper coverage or precautions.

In a statement, T-Mobile said, "This shouldn't have happened and we fully credited the customer. We are taking steps to avoid it from happening again." The company advised customers to verify if their plans cover international roaming and data before departing. Travelers have options to avoid high international data fees, such as using airplane mode, connecting to Wi-Fi, and monitoring their account for usage during travel.

Key Takeaways

• Florida couple received $143,000 phone bill from T-Mobile after Switzerland trip.
• Couple was assured they were 'covered' before travel, but charged for 9.5GB data.
• T-Mobile initially claimed charges were correct, but later credited the full amount.
• Incident highlights importance of understanding international roaming plans before travel.
• T-Mobile advised customers to verify if plans cover international roaming and data.