Tourist Hit with $143,000 Phone Bill After Vacation Mistake

A Florida couple's European getaway resulted in a shocking phone bill due to data roaming charges.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Rene Remund, a 71-year-old Florida resident, was hit with a $143,442.74 phone bill from T-Mobile after a three-week vacation to his hometown in Switzerland. Remund, who was told he was "covered" for EU data roaming, ended up using 9.5 gigabytes of data while taking and sending photos during the trip. When he returned home, he was shocked by the massive bill and had to hire an attorney to get T-Mobile to eventually waive the charges.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance for travelers to thoroughly understand their wireless plan's international data roaming terms and coverage before going abroad. Unexpected roaming charges can lead to exorbitant bills that catch many vacationers off guard.

The details

Remund, who was born in Switzerland, decided to take his wife Lydia on a three-week trip to his hometown in September. Before the trip, he went to a T-Mobile store and was told he was "covered" for EU data roaming. However, Remund ended up using 9.5 gigabytes of data over the course of the vacation, primarily from taking and sending photos. When the couple returned home, Remund discovered the massive $143,442.74 bill from T-Mobile. After unsuccessfully trying to resolve the issue directly with the company, Remund hired an attorney who eventually got T-Mobile to waive the charges.

  • Remund visited a T-Mobile store before his September vacation to discuss his travel plans.
  • Remund and his wife took a three-week vacation to Switzerland in September.
  • Remund received the $143,442.74 phone bill from T-Mobile upon returning home from the trip.

The players

Rene Remund

A 71-year-old Florida resident who was born in Switzerland and took a three-week vacation to his hometown with his wife.

Lydia Remund

Rene Remund's wife who accompanied him on the three-week trip to Switzerland.

T-Mobile

The wireless carrier that provided Rene Remund's phone service and initially charged him $143,442.74 in roaming fees for his trip to Europe.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They said you're covered. Whatever that meant. You're covered.”

— Rene Remund (Scripps News Tampa)

“I'm looking at it and I say, 'Excuse me, $143,000, are you guys crazy?'''”

— Rene Remund (Scripps News Tampa)

“We were able to work with Mr. Remund to resolve this issue last month. There were many factors at play here, but we always recommend that customers double-check the travel coverage in their wireless plans to understand their international data roaming terms and if their destination is included in is included in our Simple Global list.”

— T-Mobile spokesperson (UNILAD)

What’s next

Rene Remund hired an attorney to send letters to T-Mobile's president in an effort to get the charges waived. After those initial attempts were unsuccessful, the attorney contacted the local news outlet Scripps News Tampa, which seemingly led T-Mobile to ultimately waive the $143,442.74 in roaming fees.

The takeaway

This case serves as a cautionary tale for travelers to thoroughly review their wireless plan's international data roaming policies before going abroad. Unexpected charges for data usage can lead to shockingly high bills, underscoring the importance of planning ahead and using free WiFi whenever possible to avoid roaming fees.