Mobile Companies offer contracts that seem unbeatable and then deny the user the right to totally block all calls, texts or other means of communications that exceed their monthly allowance.

My daughter was on "pay as you go" for a while and the costs of topping up made a cheap contract acceptible. The phone company, Virgin Mobile, then hit us for a bill of over 200 pounds! We asked for the minimum overspend limit to be set to 0 pounds and were promptly told that this was impossible and that 50 pounds was the minimum!

Vodaphone did much the same to us on the next contract and even going online to keep an eye on call charges did not help as the information provided was a month late? When we also got warnings of high bills, they were also a month after the limit was broken and after 250 pounds and then 350 pounds in unwarned bills, we are steering clear of contracts.

It seems to me that these companies are all out to con the customer with late warnings and high minimum limits.

Richard Ruddy, Cupar, Fife

Its not just Vodfone, I had a similar experience with O2 in 2005.
I went to Spain for a week and accessed the internet on my smartphone - I had a £50 limit set for my billing at the time so thought I would be safe from going over it. When I arrived home a couple of days later I received a text message telling me that I had reached my limit and the phone cut out. This was all way too late as it ended up costing my £700!! When I explained my situation to O2 I was told- "Oh I'm sorry, it takes a couple of days for our systems to catch up if you have been abroad" and I was told that I would have to pay. I spoke to several advisers and tried to explain - even when I protested that my limit was set to £50 I was still told I must pay. I would like to know if we can try and claim our money back somehow as it is completely criminal. The day my contract expires with O2 I'm off.

Michael Badmin, Ashford, Kent

This is why I do not use my mobile to access the Internet and have had to have it blocked before now as as sometimes sitting on it while it's in my pocket causes it to connect.
Although for some reason that stopped one I left T-Mobile (who promptly threatened me with debt collectors for the sum of £14.95 which they conceded I didn't actually owe when I called to ask).

When mobile internet charges get sensible I will have my phone unblocked so I can use them.

And does anyone know why freephone numbers, which are paid for by the receiving company, are chargable from mobiles at considerable expense?

Thalia, London,

This all very interesting and timely given that I have just had the same experience with Vodafone. I went to France for three days and racked up a £400 bill by accessing the internet! It sounds like I have got away lightly compared to other stories but needless to say I will be pushing Vodafone hard to get these charges withdrawn.

There is not enough transparency with call charges; particularly with broadband access. This is ironic considering leading companies like Nokia are pushing the boundaries with mobile technology which is increasing the dependency on the internet, relying heavily on internet services to enhance the functionality of new generation phones. It feels like the offerings from Vodafone are completely out of steps with these developments we are being ripped off.

This is not acceptable. Ofcom need to step up to the plate here and protect the customer and really clamp down on these unethical working practices.

Brian Milligan, Dartford, Kent

I had a similar, if not so spectacular experience.

Upon moving to Brighton, I had to use my mobile to connect to the internet to apply for work (apparently very difficult to do without these days!)

I ended up inadvertantly downloading some 19mb of information and landed with a £200 bill from T-Mobile.

All I had to do was send a rather angry email to get this credited (though not refunded) to my account.

I was a bit amazed that I wasn't contacted about this sudden change in usage, you know, to let me know I was raking up such a massive bill!

Oh well, in the long run, no harm, no foul.

Nick_MX, Brighton,

It's interesting that Vodaphone have a subsidiary int he USA called Verizon and they have a mobile broadband plan that costs £25 per month and no other charges (other than a fair monthly download policy)

Yet in the UK Vodaphone have a simlar policy which cost £25 which has the smae download policy.

Yet if I go to the USA with my Vodaphone Mobile Broadband account they want to charge £7.05 per Mb.

I feel that this is un explainable the cost of accessing the service does not rise just because I am in the USA but Vodphone want us to think it doe

Rip off Britain again ? - yes I think so

Vodaphone do not get my custom either here or in the States because of this.

I use T-Mobile when in America, Mobile Data cost $1 - yes just 50p) per DAY on a pay as you go account.

You can vote with your feet but we should be able to rely on the OFT to force fair trading.

J Penson, Hythe, England

Vodafone uses Beware!!

I took my phone to South Africa in December, tried to use it then remembered I had not lifted International Barring so put it in a suitcase to await my return to UK - unfortunately while luggage went through airports control it was stolen and I a bill of £2200 run up in 5 days.

Vodafone said I was liable as I had used my phone abroad in Sweden in August and "Roaming" was lifted - this allows phones to be used anywhere in the world and overwrites International Barring!!!

They have offered a 'goodwill' discount of £972, but balance still payable !!

B Davis, GY, UK

Re: "How absolutely atrocious that anyone could waste money to this extent, ........ Hopefully they will get fined for such stupidity.
Lynne Morgan, Yzeures sur Creuse, France"

Lynne you obviously have not taken the time to actually read the article. What happened was a mistake, had the guy stayed in the UK it would not have cost him anything. As he went travelling and the download automatically restarted when he was roaming, without him knowing it cost a fortune. It's Vodafone and the mobile carriers that should be hit here.

Sean Connolly, Dublin, Ireland

Service providers need to be told to make their roaming data charges transparent. I went on a trip to Hong Kong with my new Smartphone. I set it up to sync with my mail every couple of hours. Part way through the trip I received a call from my provider saying that I had charged over 700 euros and I needed to pay up front so as to maintain service!

On my return I called my provider and could not get a straight answer as to the cost of the data services abroad.

Richard A, Valbonne, France

Doesn't he have E4? There's no need to download Friends, its on at least 10 times every day.

Helen, Mitcham,

if he was downloading Friends he deserves everything he got.

Jon, Guernsey,

How absolutely atrocious that anyone could waste money to this extent, when there are people all over the world living in dire poverty. Hopefully they will get fined for such stupidity.

Lynne Morgan, Yzeures sur Creuse, France

Common sense isn't as common as supposed.

John Bowman, Sarlat, France

My mother was charged over £200 for a 7 hour phonecall to my father that unwittingly took place while they were asleep. They had no defence and it seemed to be a technological quirk.....has anyone else had a similar problem?

nick, thame, uk

There must be some phone companies salivating over the bad press that some phone carriers are getting the opourtunity to grab a large part of any market is available to a company who pledges none of the problems mentioned in above arlicle its a gift stories of Vodaphones attitude has made me AWARE of Vodaphone interesting eh!!!

Greg Lyons, Sydney, Australia

My mum recently had a bill for over 200 pounds after using her portable computer in Spain for less than 20 minutes.Nice profit there for someone.

George Day, Spain,