Outstanding Bouygues Telecom
brucine Posted messages 24834 Registration date Status Member Last intervention -
Hello,
Following a trip abroad last month, Bouygues Telecom charged me 60 euros for out-of-bundle usage. I told them that I didn’t understand because not only did I think I was in Europe in Cyprus, but I was also on the north side, which is considered outside of Europe by telecom operators. Then, I hardly used my internet connection once I was there because it didn’t work, and it was only after 5 days that I received a text message from them while I was still there saying that I had used 60 euros of out-of-bundle charges... Upon my return, I explained to them that I was unaware of anything, as this was not mentioned at all in the first message I received when I got off the plane. The girl was supposed to call me back after consulting her superior to agree on a possible arrangement; she never did. Following that, I decided to change operators and today I still have an unpaid bill of almost 80 euros with Bouygues Telecom. They didn’t even offer me the option to pay in installments, nothing... Yesterday, I received a simple letter as a reminder from the collection agency Iqera.
Am I going to be obligated to pay this bill in full? What do I risk by continuing to ignore Bouygues' reminders and calls?
5 answers
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Hello
As a piece of advice, check with Bouygues' recovery services and Iquera for an amicable arrangement.
In any case, you will have to pay, but to avoid litigation fees, you need to play the victim—saying things like “I didn't know” or “I was unaware of this,” etc.
Not everyone is brilliant, but we’re working on it.
Google is your friend, don't forget that! -
What about the legal fees? When is that supposed to happen?
I would have liked to reach an amicable agreement with them, but it seems too late now that the dispute is established. I was just asking them to make a gesture so that I wouldn't have to pay the full bill, but they made no effort despite their nice promise.
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the litigation is paying lawyers, let's just say that
the bailiff firm, so you will have to settle this with Bouygues, you will be obliged to pay
we're not all geniuses, but we're working on it
google is your friend, don't forget that! -
Hello.
This happens very frequently, one needs to be very careful, for example many people get caught out with Andorra, which is on the France/Spain border but is not covered by all plans, and for data it’s €20 for 100MB, so a simple 300MB YouTube video can cost €60. In your case, Bouygues is entitled to ask you for this amount, but you can potentially contact the mediator (free).
bazfile
Moderator/Contributor security.
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Hello,
The pricing conditions abroad are quite difficult to understand because they depend on the operator, the direction of the call, whether mobile or fixed, the type of communication, and the area according to the terminology used by the operator: for example, "Europe" means any country that is geographically part of it, unless explicitly mentioned as "EU" or a limited list as described by the operator.
In the case that concerns us, "Europe" refers to (Rates p 36) notably "Cyprus," but it is important to remember that usage calls "Cyprus" the "Republic of Cyprus" and "Northern Cyprus" the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," a usage confirmed by Bouygues, which distinguishes separate rates in its pricing grid (page 31).
This same brochure tells us that, in the case of out-of-bundle consumption, the subscriber is only notified twice: the first at 80%, the second at the time of blocking.
The problem therefore arises from the fact that hardly anyone reads these T&Cs.
According to what has been reported to us, the operator made no promise of arrangement, the interlocutor merely asked their supervisor if it was feasible; operators are even less inclined to agree to this as the case is more or less widespread and they themselves pay local operators for these calls abroad.
There is currently no legal dispute, as there is no enforceable procedure that only a judge could decide.
The operator is not entitled to charge penalties (in this case, they can only immediately demand the total amounts owed, which doesn't change anything in the event of a change of operator); a collection agency, even if led by a bailiff, does not have the authority of a ministerial officer and therefore has no legal power: it is therefore important to settle the amount owed, but directly to Bouygues as if this company did not exist, and only for the amounts due to Bouygues regardless of the fees claimed by this agency, which will have to accept the loss.