Constantly being charged double for overseas SMS

[Anonymous]

I'm being constantly charged double by O2 for overseas texts under 160 characters. Even when I sent message "That's fine. See you later" O2 charges me twice for the same text. I complained before and they credited overcharged amount back but then it happened again. I went to O2 shop where guy confirmed it should have not happened and asked me to contact Customer service. Do I have to contact them every bloody time when I sent text overseas until they fix it and make it right?

[MI5]

You may have to if it doesn't resolve itself, but I would ask for a sim swap in store first to see if it helps....

[Anonymous]

The exact same thing has just happened to me while in Morocco and texting back to the UK. I only sent 20 messages and am being charged this month for sending 76! They are charging me an extra £30.40 which is ridiculuous and taking so long to reply to my investigation. Hope I won't have to pay it!

Jasmine

[Anonymous]

"Do I have to contact them every bloody time when I sent text overseas until they fix it and make it right?"

Unfortunately until they get it right..... Yes I'm afraid.

[Cleoriff]

This is slightly peculiar really....I have text many friends in Spain today as I wont get through tomorrow...I must make sure I check my account. Mind you they haven't told me they have received two....but must check I am not being charged double .

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous Are you sure you haven't been charged for sending mms instead of text?

Many phones have functionality for colourful smileys now. If you use one of those in a text on most phones it converts it to mms and these are charged at 40p each

[Anonymous]

And of course you will have to pay for the 20 you have sent from Morocco as these are not included in your tariff.

[Anonymous]

This did not help as I swapped cards twice since I spotted this first time from iPhone 4 to 5 and then to 6 plus. 😞

[MI5]

You will just have to ask CS for an explanation/investigation and a refund then.
It must be something on your account that maybe needs resetting ?

[Anonymous]

I have sent many text messages abroad from various devices, (mostly a USB dongle, actually), and never seen this.

I do have a 3g desk phone which sent sms in a strange format, though, (16 bit unicode). The messages arrive fine on other UK handsets, but when looking at it from the network side, older equipment was displaying an ampersand between each character. These messages were rejected by foreign networks, and many short code operators here.

The message length was limited by the phone to about 80 characters.

So basically, I suspect that your phone is, (for some reason), sending out weirdly formatted messages which the service centre doesn't know how to bill correctly.