The trials of technology

Ann shared with us her “String of Bad Luck” and “Change of Fortune”  and “Holiday on Hold” article series  last few weeks.  Still, she prepares for her trip… 

I’ve still got a lot of work to get done before I go, if I go. Because I run my own business six weeks away could be a problem. I’ve lined up a virtual assistant to look after non-urgent email, someone to bring in the mail, water the pot plants and check on things generally.

I’ve got to find out how to get my mobile unlocked so that I can put in a prepaid SIM card when I get to London so I don’t come back to a massive phone bill when I come back. Even when you don’t make a lot of calls the cost can be unbelievable, a total rip-off.

I got caught one time when I went to the states, I bought a USB thingy for the computer with a $29 per month plan and not many gigabytes of data but as I didn’t plan to use it much, I thought I’d be OK. Not so, I came back to a $4,000.00 bill! When I queried it, Telstra could not explain how the charges were calculated or the rates that were charged by the overseas carriers. When I examined the charges it was clear that I had been charged as exceeding my allowed data the very first time I turned on the computer! So, the plan that they sold me before I left was totally inadequate, or the scheme was a rort.

I was lucky. Eventually, Telstra dropped the phoney rate and charged me just $400.00. I was pleased but I suspect it’s a shonky practice and if you don’t fight they get away with it. Currently, the Telecommunications Ombudsman is looking into hundreds of complaints involving amounts over $5000.00.

image: Cambodia4kids.org