AT&T data card + Slingbox = $28,000 bill

To be hyper-connected in today’s world means you’re never more than a couple mouse-clicks away from surfing the web, tapping out a Tweet, or watching live TV as it streams from your Slingbox at home. But, in that same hyper-connected world, you really have to watch your data usage – or, more specifically, how you’re connecting to your data network.

Case in point, a Chicago man decided to watch the a football game on his laptop as he waited for his Carribean cruise to set sail from a Miami port of call. With his AT&T (NYSE: T) data card and laptop in hand (in lap?), the unsuspecting football fan started streaming a live feed from his Slingbox at home. There’s little doubt that he was burning through wireless data like it was going out of style, but that’s what unlimited data plans are for. Right?

Unknown to him, his AT&T data card had locked onto his cruise ship’s own wireless network (which is obviously going to be seen as an international roaming network), and proceeded to rack up a $28,067.31 bill! Thankfully, the bill was reduced to a mere $290.65 after what we’d imagine were some heated phone conversations with AT&T customer support.

Live and learn. We’d suggest shelling out for that $50 a day on-board WiFi connection the next time you’re on a cruise ship – it’s a whole lot cheaper than $28,000…. or even $300.

[Via: TheRegister]