Initial usage cap for contract: True?

I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
contract. My friend recently came back from holiday abroad to find her
teenage son had run up an enormous bill on while they were in Europe.
The handset is on O2, linked to her own 02 contract. O2 have already
taken the money on DD, but can she get at least a partial refund of
this ludicrous bill? She didn't monitor her son's usage because she had
requested and been told (I think at CPW'house) that his account was
capped, so he couldn't exceed a set call level (not sure what that
actual level was).

No sarky responses along the lines of 'read the fecking contract' are
necessary at this stage, thanks. Not everyone is good at deciphering
them, and I haven't crossed town to look over it myself yet.

I've googled all over, but not found any references to a standard cap,
but I'm sure I've seen it mentioned online somewhere before.

O.

SPAMYAMAMA@mailinator.com wrote:
> I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
> avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
> contract. My friend recently came back from holiday abroad to find her
> teenage son had run up an enormous bill on while they were in Europe.
> The handset is on O2, linked to her own 02 contract. O2 have already
> taken the money on DD, but can she get at least a partial refund of
> this ludicrous bill? She didn't monitor her son's usage because she had
> requested and been told (I think at CPW'house) that his account was
> capped, so he couldn't exceed a set call level (not sure what that
> actual level was).

The way I have seen these things work before is that: (a) there was
probably was a limit; and (b) they raised the limit as soon as they felt
like it without permission.

SPAMYAMAMA@mailinator.com wrote:
> I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
> avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
> contract. My friend recently came back from holiday abroad to find her
> teenage son had run up an enormous bill on while they were in Europe.
> The handset is on O2, linked to her own 02 contract. O2 have already
> taken the money on DD, but can she get at least a partial refund of
> this ludicrous bill? She didn't monitor her son's usage because she had
> requested and been told (I think at CPW'house) that his account was
> capped, so he couldn't exceed a set call level (not sure what that
> actual level was).
>
> No sarky responses along the lines of 'read the fecking contract' are
> necessary at this stage, thanks. Not everyone is good at deciphering
> them, and I haven't crossed town to look over it myself yet.
>
> I've googled all over, but not found any references to a standard cap,
> but I'm sure I've seen it mentioned online somewhere before.

This very subject was on Watchdog earlier this year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and...20060411.shtml
>
> O.

>> I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
>> avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
>> contract. My friend recently came back from holiday abroad to find her
>> teenage son had run up an enormous bill on while they were in Europe.
>> The handset is on O2, linked to her own 02 contract. O2 have already
>> taken the money on DD, but can she get at least a partial refund of
>> this ludicrous bill? She didn't monitor her son's usage because she had
>> requested and been told (I think at CPW'house) that his account was
>> capped, so he couldn't exceed a set call level (not sure what that
>> actual level was).

Hi I sympathise with your problem, but here's some ammo for when you do go
back to either O2 or carphone warehouse although going by that watchdog
report I wouldn't get your hopes up.

When I've called O2 in the past and recently this year to get a bar on my
contract after receiving two bills for £350 (texting while in europe over 5
weeks) they said sorry but because you can check your bill online we don't
do bar's on accounts. Although this is crap as I didn't always know where
the nearest internet café was and in some places there just wasn't one!

With this in mind if you receive your bills by post they should in fact
allow a bar on your account, and yes I'll go to court for you

Note: They won't do refunds only credit on your account, refunds cost them
money due to bank charges. Try to barter something from them say you've
learnt a harsh lesson and would like a good will gesture. Possibly putting
to them the new reduced call charges they have put in place due to Ofcom's
new legislation. Check their website for the new call charges (packages).

SPAMYAMAMA@mailinator.com wrote:
> I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
> avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
> contract.

There is no statutory cap.

"Colin Forrester" <colin@thefrogslepthere.com> wrote in message
news:4nrpt8Fbofj5U1@individual.net...
> SPAMYAMAMA@mailinator.com wrote:
>> I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
>> avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
>> contract.
>
> There is no statutory cap.

Used to be through CPW; but they pished it up, and caused many families to
experience very high bills, and CPW would not compensate in most cases, even
after being shouted at by some tit on watchdog.

<SPAMYAMAMA@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:1159214541.499243.13690@m73g2000cwd.googlegro ups.com...
> I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
> avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
> contract. My friend recently came back from holiday abroad to find her
> teenage son had run up an enormous bill on while they were in Europe.
> The handset is on O2, linked to her own 02 contract. O2 have already
> taken the money on DD, but can she get at least a partial refund of
> this ludicrous bill? She didn't monitor her son's usage because she had
> requested and been told (I think at CPW'house) that his account was
> capped, so he couldn't exceed a set call level (not sure what that
> actual level was).
>
> No sarky responses along the lines of 'read the fecking contract' are
> necessary at this stage, thanks. Not everyone is good at deciphering
> them, and I haven't crossed town to look over it myself yet.
>
> I've googled all over, but not found any references to a standard cap,
> but I'm sure I've seen it mentioned online somewhere before.
>
> O.
>I would make the son pay it. Stop his pocket money for a few years or
>something.

Dan

David R wrote:

>>> I've heard that there is a statutory usage cap for security and to
>>> avoid enormous bills during the first three months of a new mobile
>>> contract.

>> There is no statutory cap.
>
> Used to be through CPW

So we are not meaning Statutory as in required by Statute but having
come to be required or expected due to being done regularly. OK.