An AT&T customer received a shocking $19,500 roaming bill after just two days of international data use, highlighting the extreme costs associated with mobile carrier charges outside of pre-arranged plans. The incident, shared on Reddit’s r/ATT forum, underscores the critical importance of managing international roaming settings before traveling.
The Incident: A $19,500 Shock
The customer had intentionally removed AT&T’s $12-per-day International Day Pass, intending to rely on local SIM cards and Wi-Fi. However, an active eSIM remained enabled for the first 24 hours of the trip. By the time the charges were noticed, one line of service had already accrued $18,600 in fees, while a secondary line was suspended after exceeding $1,000.
The Cost Breakdown: $2,000 Per Gigabyte
AT&T’s international data rates without the Day Pass are exceptionally high: $2,000 per gigabyte. The customer calculated that they were billed approximately $900 for every eight minutes of data usage, or around $110 per minute.
Why This Matters: The Trap of Default Roaming
This case exemplifies how easily international roaming charges can spiral out of control. Mobile carriers often default to expensive pay-as-you-go rates when pre-paid plans aren’t activated. The incident raises questions about carrier transparency and whether customers are adequately warned about these costs before incurring them.
The customer’s experience is a stark reminder that checking and disabling international roaming before travel, or purchasing a local SIM card, can prevent massive unexpected bills.
The incident serves as a cautionary tale: always verify your international roaming settings with your carrier before traveling, or risk crippling fees.
