Family gets $17,000 internet bill for trip to Canada

MACOMB TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJBK) - AT&T has agreed to waive the $17,000 bill a Michigan family unknowingly racked up during a trip to Canada.

Mike Domzalski says his 11-year-old son was trying to watch videos in an iPad to pass the driving time.

"[He was] watching YouTube videos in the U.S. and once we got to Canada, over the bridge, then all of a sudden he couldn't get a signal at all," Domzalski said.

That iPad was linked to a work cell phone, and later, when Mike was in a meeting, he got his bill sent to him.

$17,476.99.

"I thought it was a practical joke or something," Domzalski said.

According to the breakdown of his bill, he was charged $11,733 for the first hour. AT&T finally cut it off after about five hours.

Domzalski says his son didn't even come close to getting his money's worth.

"For $17,000 he never even saw anything," Domzalski said. "The screen went blank and there was no connection for the whole time we were getting billed."

AT&T initially said international rates apply since the data was downloaded outside of the U.S., and encouraged people to enroll in an international plan.

However, AT&T now says it will waive the bill.