News, Teen runs up dad's cell bill to nearly $22,000. (parents, son, learn)

[John1960]

HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) - A 13-year-old teen was probably in hot water with his father after running up a cell phone bill of nearly $22,000. Ted Estarija said he was expecting his bill to be higher this month after adding his son to his plan, but wasn't expecting a bill of $21,917 in data usage charges.

Teen runs up dad's cell bill to nearly $22,000

[formercalifornian]

Originally Posted by John1960

HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) - A 13-year-old teen was probably in hot water with his father after running up a cell phone bill of nearly $22,000. Ted Estarija said he was expecting his bill to be higher this month after adding his son to his plan, but wasn't expecting a bill of $21,917 in data usage charges.

Teen runs up dad's cell bill to nearly $22,000

Holy cow! Time to get the unlimited data plan.

[Hopes]

I have to give Verizon credit for letting the man off the hook for the bill.

I'm impressed because they seem like highway robbers.

I guess they realized it would be bad PR to make a Dad pay 22k for one month's usage.

[aidxen]

Well don't put your teen on your plan. Pretty obvious.
Give em prepaid!
& let them pay it.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by aidxen

Well don't put your teen on your plan. Pretty obvious.
Give em prepaid!
& let them pay it.

Then it costs you money when they call your cell phone because they're not in your network.

[gallowsCalibrator]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Then it costs you money when they call your cell phone because they're not in your network.

Not with Sprint!

This reminds me of when my younger sister decided that "Unlimited Nationwide" meant that she could call a friend in Canada.... every night.... for hours.... ((Glad I had my own account and was not on that bill!))

[omigawd]

My DD wants me to add texting to her phone (I currently have her blocked from everything except making phone calls). I called Verizon and it will be about $30/mo extra for unlimited texting on all the phone on our account (4). I'm thinking about it but not really sure if I want to do it.

Why this dad didn't block his son or add a data plan to the account before giving the son the phone is beyond me.

[skahar]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Then it costs you money when they call your cell phone because they're not in your network.

Bet it won't cost 22,000!


I had my DD on a my Verizon plan but she wanted texting and all that fun stuff but I was not going to pay $60 a month just for her phone, so she got a prepaid and although the phones themselves are of pretty cheap quality she gets the unlimited texting and a little data usage for about $30 a month. Now that she driving we make her keep minutes on it also so about $40. Now we don't have to worry about her going over.

[sskkc]

Verizon doesn't charge parents either when their teen has a prepaid phone from Verizon.

How nice of Verizon to forgive this debt! On one hand, it's good PR. On the other, did the dad really learn his lesson? Both the father and child are at fault.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by sskkc

Verizon doesn't charge parents either when their teen has a prepaid phone from Verizon.

How nice of Verizon to forgive this debt! On one hand, it's good PR. On the other, did the dad really learn his lesson? Both the father and child are at fault.

I hope they forgive everyone's debt equally. To me it's not a good lesson to only forgive those who are especially abusive but have the others go on paying.

I don't believe in unlimited texting, I don't believe it's necessary and I believe it creates very bad habits. I got cell phones for my kids because it's convenient for me to have them with them, that way I can always get ahold of them or vice versa if need be, but Tracfone is about $9 a month, and they can do limited text messaging. They see their units disappear and so get an idea how to budget them.