Wireless companies will finally warn customers before they get large phone bills

Ever since Billie Parks of Oklahoma sued Radio Shack and AT&T for a $5,000 data bill, everyone has been clamoring for an early warning system. She bought a netbook and said RS and AT&T failed to warn her about data overcharges.Evidently, she did not sign off from the internet (which is the only way a netbook operates) and the overage charges just kept building. She only found out about the charges after getting the bill.

The earliest $5,000 cell phone bill that I could find that was greater than $5,000 was in
May of 2008. I am sure there were a lot of earlier ones that didn’t make the news.
There may be a warning system put in place by next year. I don’t know why we have to wait so long, but that’s the way it looks.
Earlier this year the FCC requested that the wireless companies do something about warning customers so they do not get “bill shock” when they get a bill for $5,000 or more. The wireless companies could offer some reasonably priced data plans, but they have opted to do something else.
They are going to text you! Don’t worry; you will not have to pay for this text message.

if you are going to go over your limit of text messages, they will send you a text message telling you that you have reached your limit, or are close to your limit. Some companies plan on warning you when you reach 80%, 90% and 100% or your allotted texting.

Voice calls will get the same treatment and you will receive a text message when you get close or exceed your allotted minutes. Those dreaded data overages that can be as much as $0.01 per KB, will not be eliminated, but you will receive a text message before you start incurring those horrendous data overage charges.

They are even going to warn you when you are racking up international roaming charges. This sometime may seem lame, as you should know you are roaming in a foreign country, but the companies agreed to do this too.

The CTIA (International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry) members in the United Sates (AT&T, Leap Wireless, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless) have agreed to setting up the warning system. It should be in place sometime next year.

So, until next year, you had better keep track of your minutes, texts, and data usage. Oh, and please wake up as soon as your jet lands in a foreign country and turn off your phone until you buy a local SIM card.