Thai holiday leads to GBP159,230 roaming bill

A London man returned from a five-week trip to Thailand in early July to find an O2 mobile bill for GBP159,230.06, after being charged for 27GB of data use.

The customer, identified only as B.P., said he believed he had arranged a GBP7.50-a-day roaming pass before travelling. After the case was raised with O2, the company agreed to remove most of the charge, leaving him to pay about GBP50 on top of his usual monthly bill.

He had travelled to Phuket, visiting landmarks including the Big Buddha and attending a health retreat where he trained in Muay Thai.

A six-day phone use brought a huge charge

B.P. said he only used his phone on six days during the trip because he was concerned about the cost of the daily pass. He believed the arrangement would let him use his normal allowance of calls, texts and data while abroad without additional charges.

On returning to Britain, he initially assumed the GBP159,230.06 bill was a billing error. O2 told him that it reflected 27GB of data use and that he was liable for the full amount.

The unexpected charge left him worried about the future of his plumbing and heating services business.

He said he had checked before departure, with ICE Comms, the broker which arranged his O2 contract, and had been assured that the roaming package was active. However, after repeated calls to both ICE and O2, he said neither company initially explained why the daily pass had apparently not been applied.

O2 finds no record of a spending cap

After the matter was referred to consumer protection columnist Sally Hamilton, O2 investigated. The company said it found no record of a request to apply optional spending caps to the account.

Within 24 hours, O2 agreed to clear almost all of the bill. An O2 Business spokesman said: "We always aim to do the right thing by our customers. As soon as this matter was brought to our attention, we acted swiftly to review the case, spoke directly with Mr P and reached a resolution he was happy with."

ICE Comms had not responded to enquiries, so it was unclear whether it had provided incorrect information or failed to action a request for daily passes.

What travellers to Thailand should check

For foreigners travelling to Thailand, particularly those relying on a UK or overseas contract, the case is a reminder to confirm roaming passes, data limits and spending controls directly with the mobile provider before departure.

O2 said customers should regularly check account settings and spending controls, particularly before travelling, to avoid unexpected charges. Travellers can also limit mobile roaming to essentials such as navigation, use free Wi-Fi where available, or consider a local physical SIM or an eSIM plan if their handset supports it.

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13 August 2026