Roaming charges whilst data roaming turned off

bcracknell · ‎09-12-2023

I was on holiday in the US last month and had data roaming turned off before I even left the UK. At no point did I turn my data roaming on. Three texted me randomly at 3 points during my trip saying hello and welcome to the USA, outlining the costs associated with using my phone whilst in the USA. These texts were not telling me I was using my data, just letting me know I could. I've just received my bill to find I've been charged 3x £5 plus VAT for roaming services whilst in the USA. I can see on my bill that these supposed usages were really tiny amounts of data, <10MB. When I tried to dispute these charges, stating that I had my date roaming turned off the entire time, I was told there was no way the system could be incorrect. However, clearly, the system is wrong if I can be charged tiny amounts of data usage whilst my data roaming is turned off. Please can you advise what I can do in this situation?

JonathanB · ‎10-26-2023

Hey everyone,

I've sent a PM to everyone that's replied on this thread. Please have a chat with the team I've directed to there and they'll help gather some more info from your accounts for our investigation.

To view your private messages on the community, click on your avatar image in the top right of any community page, then "Messages".

Thanks,
Jonathan

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Clegsr · ‎10-26-2023

I had the exact same experience iPhone 12pro, iOS 16.6 was on a 2 week trip to USA with an esim (Airalo). Data roaming off on the Three sim but got charged 6 days roaming charges for 0.0009 mb of data

JonathanB · ‎10-30-2023

Hey @Clegsr,

I'm sorry to hear that you've also had this issue. I've sent you the same details as the others on PM. Please have a chat with the team so that they can add your info to the investigation.

To view your private messages on the community, click on your avatar image in the top right of any community page, then "Messages".

Thanks,
Jonathan

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HelenG · ‎05-02-2024

Hi JonathanB, please could you also add me to the resolution chat - I'm having the same issues fro Switzerland. Thanks.

slbarron23 · ‎05-03-2024

Please can I be added too - I have now left Three due to this issue but customer services won’t do anything about the bill!

apadley1337 · ‎10-28-2023

Got hit yesterday again, seven days after getting the first charge, in the USA. Ive already been in the USA for a week but yesterday, got another Welcome to the USA message, during day, seemingly randomly, then got charged immediately afterwards for a days roaming. Why do I get a second 'Welcome to the USA' message while I've been in the USA for a week already. Seems like whatever is triggering this type of message and the triggering of the daily charge could be linked?

Gurj · ‎10-28-2023

I raised a formal complaint with Three a week ago and just got a call where they acknowledged there is something wrong and credited me back the ~£190 of excess charges across 4 SIMs.
I then followed the instruction above and contacted the social media chat team and they wanted to do the same.

The chat team can only help with the refund and the investigation is another dept so I wasn't able to provide any more help for that.

@apadley1337 Try turning off the SIM for a couple of days. I think that will confirm you don't then get any charges.
Also you could try turning off WiFi Calling to see if that is the cause (there was a suggestion earlier that it might be a setup message related to that).

apadley1337 · ‎10-28-2023

I, too, have been in contact with the team at three and had the initial charges refunded. Good call about WiFi calling, I'll try it to see if I get charged again. I'll do the same in my other phone (wife's) that doesn't have an eSIM. May just be a simple call that the SIM does to call home to update your settings while you roam. Who knows. I'll keep an eye on the forum to see anyway.

**Just checked on wifes phone and she has wifi calling already turned off but still got charged. **

apadley1337 · ‎10-28-2023

Just updated to iOS 17.1 over hotel wifi ( to see if it made a difference). Phone rebooted and as soon as I put in my Three SIM PIN code, I got charged. No 'Welcome to the USA' message this time though ( and I was on hotel wifi the whole time). Roaming and wifi calling both off for the Three SIM.

apadley1337 · ‎11-01-2023

As an addition to this, Ive found that if you turn your phone off ( power off) then as soon as you power it back on, you will be charged but dont get a Welcome to USA' message.