Winnipeg Free Press > Opinion > Columnists > Cellphone shocker a family's nightmare

Columnists

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Cellphone shocker a family's nightmare

Roaming charges on trip mean bill for $17,913

By: Gordon Sinclair Jr.

12/09/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 58

A tall teenager walked into a Pembina Highway Starbucks last week and told what sounded like an even taller tale.

The university freshman, who is 6-7, was asked a simple question by the young woman barista who took his order for a pumpkin-spice latte.

"How are you?"

"Well," he shrugged, "I'm alive."

"Why are you just alive?" the barista asked.

So he told her.

"I just got a $17,000 phone bill."

Actually, the precise amount on the Rogers bill -- $17,913.14 -- was closer to $18,000. And the full amount was due on Sept. 20, which, just to upsize the pain, happens to be his 18th birthday.

Coincidentally, the conversation between the shocked barista and the traumatized customer was overheard by broadcaster/writer Leslie Hughes who -- knowing a good story when she heard one -- asked for the young man's name and phone number.

And then emailed it to me.

Which is how I managed to reach Miguel Yetman on Thursday, the day after he paid the University of Manitoba $1,600 in tuition.

He did that with the $1,800 he had made selling the saxophone he played at Vincent Massey Collegiate.

Naturally, I wanted to know how Miguel -- who's taking science and math courses -- could have miscalculated his iPhone usage so disastrously.

He said it happened in July, while he was out of the country on vacation.

He and a friend spent two weeks in New York City, checking out jazz bars, but judging by the bill he got in August, most of the damage was done while he was visiting his mother's family in Trinidad.

Hollette Valverde-Yetman is a single mother of four who works at St. Amant Centre. The contract with Rogers -- which is a four-phone family package -- is in Hollette's name. Which means if the bill isn't paid, it's her credit rating that takes the big hit.

Anyway, by the time I reached Miguel, Rogers had relented somewhat on the bill. Instead of having to pay nearly $18,000, Rogers had reduced it to $6,000.

That's still money the family doesn't have.

The reason for the phone fiasco is that the Yetmans didn't understand -- didn't educate themselves -- on the realties of travelling and "roaming" internationally.

Miguel said most of what he used his iPhone for in Trinidad was related to the Internet -- selling his sax on eBay, briefly checking Facebook -- and text-messaging.

In fact, the total usage on the $17,913.14 bill came out to 452 megabytes, Miguel said, which wouldn't even be close to going over his plan if he was using his iPhone in Winnipeg.

It was only when his younger teenage sisters arrived in Trinidad "and began texting like fiends," that Miguel said something "clicked" about using his phone internationally. That and recalling a recent story he'd been following about Adam Savage, the co-host of the TV show MythBusters. Savage is no dummy but, on a trip to Canada in late June, had rung up an $11,000 cellphone bill for "maybe two or three hours" of web surfing. An outraged Savage turned to Twittering his story, rallying tens of thousands of supporters in the process. AT&T, Savage's cell coverage provider, quickly cancelled the charges.

A week into his two-week trip to Trinidad, Miguel decided to stop using his iPhone. But most of the damage had already been done during that first week in Trinidad.

The total bill -- all $17,000-plus of it -- even shocked the Rogers rep who looked it up when Miguel returned to Winnipeg in August. Miguel -- and the bill his mother was responsible for -- was directed to what he called "a high-usage investigation unit" at Rogers, where his bill was ultimately adjusted to $6,000.

Again, money the family doesn't have. And the first $2,000 instalment was due Friday.

"ö "ö "ö

Friday afternoon, I called Vancouver and explained Miguel's and his mother's situation to Sara Holland, the communications manager, western region for Rogers Communications.

She sounded sympathetic. But she also had an important message for cellphone users who travel internationally.

"It's really important that people educate themselves about roaming before they travel with their phones," she said. "The information is on our website and they can call us if they have questions. We also have special roaming packages. That information is also on our website."

Since I don't text, I picked up my phone later Friday and called Miguel with a message.

It was from Sara Holland.

"Rogers is working with the Yetmans on a solution."

By that time, Miguel had already received a call.

Don't you love happy endings?

gordon.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 12, 2009 B1

  • Rate this Rate This Star Icon
  • This article has not yet been rated.

    • We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

    You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

    Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

58 Commentscomment icon

YA my cell phone bill is $13,000 from Telus I am not paying that what so ever so everytime they call me I just laugh at them and tell them to screwe off

Lordy, lordy, whatever did people do before texting and cell phones, I can't count the number of times I have had runins with people and the cursed cell phones, especially standing in line waiting to pay for items while the idiot in front of me chats on the phone. the cashier is waiting to be paid, people are standing waiting in line, or hey better yet, watching while some jerk tries to park and talk at the same time. Nine times out of ten, people can only do one thing at a time, if you are going to talk or text, go somewhere where you are not inconveniencing other people. I wouldn't have one of those things if you paid me.

B....You're making a lot of unfounded assumptions and accusations...for a "discussion" you seem awful angry and hostile."

Anwynn, I really could care less if you think my thoughts/ideas/input is "angry and hostile". That's your "unfounded assumption & accusation". I stated my points of view, you have a problem with that, OH WELL! Have fun in being a "woman of the times"! LMAO!

avatar

hahaha I thought my $2,000 Rogers bill was bad... although I never left the country and I still can't get answers on why... This is why I am with Koodo now :D

B., wow.

You're making a lot of unfounded assumptions and accusations.

In response to "it's called a discussion"... for a "discussion" you seem awful angry and hostile. A discussion requires an exchange of ideas and movement through a topic, all you're doing is harping on the same point over and over and over again. You're right and everyone else is wrong.

So if this is what being "old fashioned" is all about, I'd rather be a woman of the times who is capable of intelligent dialogue while understanding and accepting that others may have opinions different than my own, without going into hysterics.

Over and out.

"So claiming possible credit woes doesn't get you any bonus points for this round."

"Bonus points, "round"? Anwynn, it's called a discussion. By the way, if "getting with the times" includes giving your child whatever/whenever they want, going broke by giving in to your child's materialistic demands, then I'm GLAD I'm "Old Fashioned"!

20 years ago, I grew up in an area where crime rates were/and still are high and unfortunately, a girl near to my age was kidnapped and murdered. My Parents did thier best to educate me on the importance of letting them know where I was at all times. I was certainly NOT the "perfect child" but I sure as heck KNEW the consequences and paid for my mistakes.
Of course cell-phones were not so widely available 20 years ago and I strongly believe that childen DO NOT NEED cell-phones now!

The best way to ensure ensure your child's security, in my opinion, is to TEACH them the "Old Fashioned" ways! Good "Old Fashioned" LIFE SKILLS of Respect, work ethic, responsibility, consequences for actions, etc.









B.,

Unlike the parent in this story my daughter having a cell phone won't hurt my credit rating, ever. Pre-paid phone cards, when it gone its gone. So claiming possible credit woes doesn't get you any bonus points for this round.

Krystyn,

I didn't live in Winnipeg 20 years ago but I imagine assaults and crime rates looked a lot different then too. My daughter has a cell phone for security reasons and ensuring that my daughter is secure is most definitely a necessity.

Call me old-fashioned, but what is it with people and their "a cell-phone is a necessity thing". As early as 20 years ago the majority of people did not have cellphones then and we survived. We have survived thousands of years without cellphones so don't tell me a cellphone is a necessity. I, for one, would laugh if in the year 2013 (when everyone says something major is going to happen)there would be some kind of disaster and we had no communications systems. People are beginning to rely to much on these gdgets. They need to get their priorities straight. Anyway, back to the topic, sorry but I don't feel sorry for them.

"B. Get with the times. Cell phones are a near necessity in this day in age, especially in Winnipeg."

Near Neccessity? Ok. LOL!

Anywyn, if you want to gladly pay for your child's cellphone, go right ahead! Parent your child as you see fit, even if it means risking your hard-earned credit rating. However, don't be surprised that someday you find yourself waking up to a nightmarish cell-phone bill and whatever else.

The blame rests entirely on those who have allowed it to happen.
Good Luck with that! LOL!

i guess i am too stupid to understand why these cell phone users wouldn't know about roaming rates and the cost of using a cell phone out of the country...... sorry no sympathy here.

View all Comments

The comment period for this story has ended.

letters

Make text: Larger | Smaller

Special coverage

Poll

Do you approve of the plan to turn Glenlawn Collegiate into an elite sports academy by enrolling Manitoba’s top 48 soccer players there so they can train daily?

View Results