Canadian Gets $85,000 Phone Bill

A Canadian has been hit with a mobile phone bill of nearly CA$85,000 (US$84,000) after he racked up the charges using his phone for as a modem for his computer to access the internet. Bell Mobility spokesman, Jacques Bouchard told CBC News that the company will adjust Staniaszek's bill in "a measure of goodwill." But he will still owe the company over CA$5,000 after that.

He normally pays about $150 a month for his mobile phone.

"I didn't know what to think. I thought there was probably a mistake," 22-year-old oil-field worker, Piotr Staniaszek said of the invoice. Staniaszek said he pays $10 a month for unlimited mobile browsing on his cellphone. "So I figured that was the same thing, but I guess not."

The tariff only applied to mobile web browsing through the phone screen - and did not apply to data services where the handset is used as a modem for another device, such as a laptop computer.

On the web: CBC News

Posted to the site on 13th December 2007