Ouch.  Steve-o might want to rethink that.

As an aside (since we are a Windows skinning community    ) if you haven't read The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs it's worth a gander.  Fake Steve Jobs is one funny guy.

Bragging rights definitely has its downfalls. All I have top say to them is "SUCKERS"

Apple and at&t are sitting back laughing at all you fools

There's a flight mode, or "airplane mode" as Apple calls it.

the family messed up but at the same time you know many people buy high tech phones just to have it, calling tech support for phone features that can be found in the manual.

If they were not going to use them overseas, they should have just left them at home. That would have not only solved the huge charges, but prevented any chance of them getting lost or stolen.

There is no doubt they should have been more aware.  But, again, it's not just a phone anymore.  They should be able to use it's other features without it calling home.

All I have to say to them is "iSUCKERS".

There, fixed that for you.

They can, they just choose not to. 

Cell phone companies are BS. Don't think for a moment that it was a "mistake" on AT&T's part. Other companies do the same thing with their PDA's. The more net access you have in general, the higher chance you're going to have to be screwed.

I'm with Sprint and have had 4 MotoQ's since February. Just 2 days ago, I sent my "new" one into Motorola for replacement because I plugged it in one night, and the next morning, all of the software was GONE. It displayed a flash screen asking for software. Two of the phones I had before it did the same thing and the 1st one would shut itself off randomly, and Motorola & Sprint said the only thing I could do is replace it. No problem right? Doesn't cost me anything to replace each phone... over and over. But AHAAAA - There's a catch - a $35 activation fee every time I activate a new Q, because Sprints software blows. Times 4 Q's (soon to be 5) that's an extra $140 (again, soon to be $175) I've spent since February just activating phones. My monthly bill is only $100. Personally, I think Sprint has some deal going with Motorola. Moto must get a cut of that $35 activation. Times that by hundreds of customers that have had the same problems with their Q's... That's a good amount of pocket change. They of course counter that logic by saying that thousands of people DON'T have problems with their phones, but really... What's a few hundred lemons in a few thousand. Right? Think it's all bull, and I'm just a complainer?

WWW Link

Hundreds of complaints... Yet nothing done. You be the judge.

Cell phone companies have nothing but $$'s on the brain. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy a Treo.

Graviti very good reply and well stated.   

As in most things of this nature the consumers become the X factor, so to say.

Consumers can and have been known to cause many of products to either be imporoved or disappear from the market place. I'm sure the same can be said about services offered.

It's not front page stuff but when products don't sell or services aren't used, people notice, like CEO's, Board of Directors, Stockholders.

Just think how quickly the word spreads because of Internet Fourms!   

Where does personal responsibiltiy play a factor here? 

These people did not shut their phones off, and knowingly had e-mail set to automatically check.  It's not the fault of the phone company.

Instead of blaming "the man" maybe people should step up and say "hey, we made the mistake".

It's the "knowingly" part that is the stickler here for me.  Yes they are responsible.

Should Apple (not AT&T) put an alert that they are roaming and allow for email or phone service to be turned off?

Should AT&T (not Apple) throw an alert if usage goes all crazy and shit?  My bank gives me a call every time my wife gets a bug to buy.  I think that falls under protecting everyone and is good customer service.

Should this guy get loud, raise a ruckus, try to get part of his money back, alert other folks and then STFU and pay the bill?  Oh yeah.

I'm not wringing my hands for this poor schmuck nor am I screaming for blood because the big-bad cell company is a thief.  I'm saying that there is a shared responsibility here that is lacking.

G-d! That really is awful....just a small question, though: If you weren't going to use your phones.....why did you take them?????

  

Maybe becuase phones do other things than make calls.  Music, games, notes, contacts, etc. . . 

The problem is, does AT&T just turn off their service? You're wife goes on a shopping spree, and you get a "CALL". On your "PHONE", which they had put to sleep. They didn't turn the phones back on during the trip, so there's no way for AT&T or Apple to tell them they're doing the wrong thing. Ideally, the phone should be set, by default, not to roam. Force the user to acknowledge roaming before continuing. If anyone can agree with this theory, the "big bad phone company" isn't at fault. Apple is. Apple made the software which seamlessly went to roaming. But then again, most people who love the iPhone and hate the cell companies want to point the blame to AT&T. Honestly? AT&T didn't have a lot of options for what they could do... They couldn't call, they shouldn't just stop service because the users bill is high... Rock and a hard place.