Incorrect Charges on Your Phone Bill: What to Check and How to File a Complaint

Why Might Unexpected Charges Appear on Your Phone Bill?

A mobile or landline phone bill does not always include just the monthly subscription fee. Depending on your plan, usage and the additional services you have activated, extra charges may appear.

However, not all additional charges are correct or expected. Sometimes they result from actual usage, while in other cases they may be due to terms and conditions that were not fully understood or, occasionally, a billing error.

That is why it is important to check every bill in detail rather than looking only at the final amount due.

Which Charges Should You Check?

1. Monthly Subscription Fee and Promotional Offers

Check whether the monthly subscription fee matches what you agreed to when activating or renewing your contract.

Pay particular attention if you received a promotional offer, such as:

• A discount for a specific period.
• A reduced monthly fee for the first few months.
• A bundled discount for multiple services.
• A special price for new or existing subscribers.

A common reason for an increase in your bill is the expiry of a temporary discount. Check whether the offer had a specific duration and whether the final charge is consistent with its terms and conditions.

2. Charges Beyond Your Included Minutes, SMS and GB

If you have used up the allowances included in your plan, you may be charged for additional usage.

Check for:

• Calls to numbers not included in your package.
• Calls to international destinations.
• SMS messages beyond your allowance.
• Additional mobile data usage.
• Services that are billed separately.

It is also important to check whether your plan genuinely offers unlimited usage or whether specific limits, conditions or fair usage policies apply.

3. Premium-Rate Services and Subscriptions

Some charges may relate to third-party services, such as:

• Premium-rate SMS services.
• Subscription-based content services.
• Digital services or applications.
• Information, entertainment or competition services.

If you do not recognise a charge of this kind, ask your provider to identify the service, its activation date, how the subscription was initiated and the relevant billing details.

Do not settle for a general description of the charge. Ask for specific information explaining how it arose.

4. Roaming Charges

Using your mobile phone abroad can significantly affect your bill, particularly when travelling outside the European Union or to destinations not covered by the EU roaming rules.

Check:

• The country where the usage took place.
• Calls made and received.
• Mobile data consumed.
• The applicable charges for that destination.
• Whether a special roaming package was activated.

Do not assume that charges are the same in every country. Even when travelling to a European destination, you should check any special cases and the terms of your plan.

5. Equipment and Additional Service Charges

Fixed-line and internet packages may include charges relating to:

• Router rental or purchase.
• Equipment instalments.
• Service installation or activation.
• Additional television services.
• Activation of extra telephone lines.
• Technical support services, where applicable.

Compare these charges with your original offer and contract to determine whether they are agreed costs or charges that need clarification.

6. Pro-Rata Charges for the First or Final Month

If you have recently activated a service or changed your plan, your first bill may include a pro-rata charge for part of the month, together with the subscription fee for the following billing period.

Similarly, when cancelling or changing a service, charges may appear that relate to different billing periods.

Therefore, a higher first bill does not necessarily mean that there is an error. Ask for a detailed explanation of the dates and periods covered by each charge.

7. Taxes, Fees and Other Levies

Check whether the final amount includes taxes, fees or other statutory charges. It is important to distinguish the net subscription fee from the total amount payable and to check whether the individual charges have been calculated correctly.

How to Check Your Bill in Detail

Before contacting your provider, gather the information that will help you identify the reason for the difference.

Step 1: Compare your bill with your contract.

Check the agreed monthly fee, discounts, promotional periods, included allowances and any additional services.

Step 2: Open your itemised bill.

Do not look only at the total amount due. Check the individual charges, dates, call durations, data usage and services that have been billed.

Step 3: Compare it with previous bills.

If the amount has suddenly increased, identify which category of charges has changed. The reason may be an expired discount, additional usage or a change to your plan.

Step 4: Gather supporting evidence.

Keep copies of your contract, promotional offer, bills and relevant correspondence with the company. If you have screenshots of the original offer or information displayed in your provider's app, save them as well.

How to File a Complaint with Your Telecommunications Provider

If you identify a charge that you believe is incorrect, the first step is to contact the company providing your service.

You can initially contact customer service to request clarification. If the issue is not resolved, submit a written complaint through the official contact form, email or another available official channel.

Include the following information in your complaint:

• Your full name and subscriber details.
• The telephone number or connection concerned.
• The bill number and date.
• The exact amount you are disputing.
• A description of the charge you believe is incorrect.
• The reason why you consider it incorrect.
• Any relevant supporting documents.

Ask for a unique reference number (complaint reference number) and keep it. This is important for tracking your request and for any subsequent complaint to the relevant authority.

According to the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT), the provider is required to respond to your complaint in writing within 20 calendar days.

What Can You Do If Your Provider Does Not Resolve the Issue?

If you have already submitted a written complaint and have not received a satisfactory response, you can contact the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT).

The process involves the following steps:

1. You must first have submitted a written complaint to your provider.
2. You must have received the unique reference number for your complaint.
3. Gather your previous correspondence and any relevant supporting evidence.
4. Submit your complaint electronically to EETT.

EETT examines the complaint within the scope of its responsibilities and forwards it to the provider, requesting the required response. If the response does not resolve the issue, you can submit a further complaint in accordance with the Authority's procedures.

Useful official links:

• EETT – Handling Complaints About Telephony and Internet Services
• EETT – Submitting a Complaint
• Gov.gr – Complaints About Telephony and Internet Services

For issues involving broader consumer rights or disputes that do not fall within EETT's remit, you can also consider contacting the Hellenic Consumer Ombudsman, depending on the nature of the case.

Do You Have to Pay a Bill You Are Disputing?

Disputing a charge does not automatically cancel the debt or suspend your payment obligations.

Before leaving a bill unpaid, contact your provider in writing and ask them to clarify:

• The amount you are disputing.
• The amount you are not disputing.
• The payment method and deadline.
• The possible consequences of late or non-payment.
• Whether there is a procedure for temporarily suspending collection of the disputed amount.

Where possible, ask for written confirmation explaining how you should handle the disputed amount while the investigation is ongoing. Do not assume that submitting a complaint automatically protects your connection from restrictions or disconnection.

How to Prevent Incorrect or Unexpected Charges

A few simple habits can help you keep better control of your telecommunications costs.

• Check your itemised bill every month.
• Monitor your usage of minutes, SMS and mobile data.
• Check when your discounts and promotional offers expire.
• Avoid activating services you do not need.
• Check roaming charges before travelling.
• Request written confirmation of any plan changes or agreed promotional offers.
• Keep copies of contracts, bills and correspondence with your provider.

If you have more than one connection, such as a mobile phone, fixed-line internet and television service, it is useful to review the total cost rather than looking at each service separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my bill is higher than the agreed monthly fee?

First, check the individual charges, the duration of any discounts and whether there has been additional usage. If there is no clear explanation, request a written breakdown from your provider.

How long does the provider have to respond to a written complaint?

For complaints concerning telephony and internet services, the provider is required to respond in writing within 20 calendar days.

Can I contact EETT directly?

Before submitting a complaint to EETT, you must first have contacted your provider in writing and obtained the unique reference number for your complaint.

What happens if I do not recognise a premium-rate service?

Ask your provider for detailed information about the service, its activation and the related charges. If the issue is not resolved, you can follow the complaint procedure through EETT.

Can I request a refund?

If the investigation establishes that a charge was unjustified or incorrect, you can request a corresponding correction or refund, in accordance with the applicable terms and the provider's procedures.

Conclusion

A higher phone bill does not necessarily mean that an error has occurred, but neither should every charge automatically be assumed to be correct. Reviewing your itemised bill, comparing it with your contract and contacting your provider in writing promptly are the key steps to protecting your rights.

If the issue remains unresolved, EETT provides an official complaints procedure for telephony and internet services.

At Globy+, you can explore available telecommunications plans and compare allowances and charges to choose a solution that meets your actual needs and budget.