Austrian tourist handed €37,000 mobile roaming bill

An Austrian woman on holiday in Croatia received a 37,000-Euro mobile phone bill from Mobilkom Austria for internet roaming charges.The 37-year-old used her smartphone to browse the internet while in Croatia, using 15 gigabytes during her four-week long vacation, according to a Croatian Times report from today (Thurs).Mobilkom Austria reportedly helped its client by wiping 15,000 Euros off the bill, but the woman still has to pay 22,000 from her own pocket.A provision based on a decision by European Union (EU) consumer rights watchdogs takes effect on 1 July which obliges mobile communication firms  to warn their customers if they exceed their downloading limit or interrupt the connection.The provision is binding only within the EU – which leaves companies free to make enticing, but dangerous offers valid for using the phone outside the 27-member union.