$300 phone bill a wake-up call | Warwick News | Local News in Warwick

By CAITLYN GRIBBIN

WHEN she ripped open her phone bill, Katrina Seiler was shocked to learn she owed $300.

You may think that's a whopper of a bill to rack up in just one month but spare a thought for 18-year-old Brisbanite Brodie Shepherd who managed to accumulate $50,000 in charges.

The teen thought he could browse the internet for free on his mobile phone but found out the hard way this was not the case.

Miss Seiler said she didn't realise how easy it was to rack up a huge phone bill. "I didn't really know the ins and outs of my plan I wasn't exactly sure of how much the internet, text messages and call rates cost and when I received my bill I thought there had to be a mistake," she said.

"I knew I couldn't keep spending that much money on my phone each month so I moved to a pre-paid plan. Now I get good deals with one cent text messages, only spend $20 a month and it's easy to keep track of how much I'm spending."

But Miss Seiler and her fellow mobile-savvy counterpart Brodie are not the only young people who have felt the adverse effects of out-of-control phone bills.

"A lot of my friends go over their plans and some have monthly bills of up to $500. We don't realise we're using our phones so much," Miss Seiler said.

Warwick Optus Network Communications owner Scott Reimer said mobile phone users could ensure they didn't receive any nasty phone bill surprises in their mailbox by taking a few of his suggestions on board.

"My first tip is if you're unsure of how you're going to use your phone, then go pre-paid. If you do decide to go on a plan, make sure you understand exactly what things cost," Mr Reimer said.

"Most phones companies let you register for online access to your bill. You can also use the data and call counters to keep track of your usage."