Naughty Boy or Irresponsible O2?

[EvianBaby]

They are talking about this on the radio just now and I'm interested in what others think.

http://www.dailymail....just-month-after.html

In short, the lad ran up a phone bill of £900 and his Mother blames the phone company for not warning them about the excessive use.

In my opinion, she shouldn't be so stupid to give a boy of that age a contract phone and he shouldn't be so stupid not to have thought all the extra calls and texts might be running up a big bill.

[erin-x]

It's not up to the company to flag excessive use.. if she didn't want him going over she should have gotten him a capped contract.

[Booldawg]

Yes, listening to this on Jeremy Vine.

My sentiments exactly, pay-as-you-go all the way for anyone who doesnt financially support their own mobile usage. Like o2 are going to intervene!!!

[jno]

neither, really... she's paying the bill; but she does have a point, that people could be warned when they approach a limit. If it can be done with internet usage, why not with phones?

[EvianBaby]

These people Fosters me off. It's always someone else's fault. Now O2 have agreed to reduce the bill by half. I wish they hadn't.

[redcrx]

ok so they text the phone "you have exceeded £50 on your contract" what does boy do? stop calling his girlfriend?????? nah, press delete.

what parent would give a child free run on a contract??? naughty boy, naive parent.

[EvianBaby]

I know that it's also possible to monitor your usage online with O2, so there isn't really an excuse for saying you didn't know it was going ot be so high.

[Old_Geezer]

I think a telephone service provider ought to warn when unusual/unexpected activity occurs, as a service to their customers. A quick profit from them will otherwise tarnish a reputation, it is in their interest, and surely they don't wish to suggest they don't care they'll grab whatever they can.

That said it is the users responsibility not to run up massive bills. If your 14 year old doesn't have a lot going on between their ears, maybe then they ought not be allowed a phone. And if parents give such a kid a contract phone maybe that indicates the kid is just a chip off the old block.

Sure a warning would be nice to have and the company should consider it, but ultimately the responsibility is with the customer and anything from the company at this point would be a gesture of good faith.

[daffy654]

Only buy PAYG mobiles for kids.

[erin-x]

They halved it?! I wonder how many people will start complaining now....

[EvianBaby]

Red is right though, even if they did send a text the boy would just delete it and pretend he never got one.

Yeah they halved it Erin. Way too generous.

I once had a boyfriend who lived in Sweden and ran up a bill of about £500 one month but I didn't go crying to O2 telling them it was their fault. I gave myself a smack on the head, paid the bill and changed my contract.

[gingejbee]

Neither. Daft parent. PAYG only at that age.

[alid5]

Didnt think you were allowed a contract phone till the age of eighteen, and yes its always someone elses fault, never the stupid parents. If I were O2 id be wanting the whole £900 paid asap.

[jackthehat]

Teenagers have precious little idea of quite how long their 'brief' conversations take.....

When I left home, my parents (landline) 'phone-bill more than halved, despite my protestations that I barely used the darned thing. The fact that they still receive miniscule bills would seem to reinforce their point....:o(

I *do* think that getting a Contract 'phone for a lad this age is a little naive, however.

[jno]

she hasn't said it was O2's fault, she's paying them off and she's suggested that they should send out warnings. If they did so and the recipient deleted them, tough; but it's unjustified to assume that anyone would do so. Kids aren't necessarily stupid; but they can misunderstand things, and so, as I well know, can parents. I think this is just the Mail overhyping things again.

My guess is some warning system (maybe even shutting the phone down) could be incorporated, and some provider will do it one day as a selling point.

[daffy654]

They should set a credit limit on all contract phones, when the limit is exceeded by around £1.00 the service should be restricted to incoming calls only.

[EvianBaby]

She is blaming O2 for not telling her it was building up. As I said, this isn't just a DM story they are also talking about in on the radio, inlcuding an interview from the Mother.

If you are going to provide your teenage child with what is essentially an endless pot of funds, you might to explain the value of money before you let them lose with it.

[redcrx]

the contract was in her name, she should be responsible for checking what he was using it for, even if he never went over £10 before, surely she mustve seen that he was constantly texting or calling his girlfriend, i mean he cant be using it at school so mustve been using it at home.

[NOX]

My daughter has a contract phone ( 2 actually- one German, one UK) and she's 13, and there have never been any issues with it, probably I think because it was explained to her in minute detail what did and didn't cost money to do- for example she can call some people's mobiles free bc she's on the same carrier as them and others it costs. I can imagine that the lad didn't realise he was over his useage, and tbh it wouldn't hurt the companies to notify you if you get close, but at the end of the day it's the responsibility of he and his mum to make sure they don't get a huge bill.