High usage of company mobile..

[lgvisa]

I work for company A. Company A has given me mobile to use for business purpose but I thought I can make personal calls and started using it unknowingly india calls extensively for the past 1 year. On an average, each month bill has come to $7000. Should I bear all the expenses (total comes to almost $75,000)? The company failed to let me know that I was not supposed to make india calls 1 or 2 months after I started using it to make india calls. If I resign the job, can i escape from paying the bills?Is there any way that I can avoid paying the mobile bills?

[JoeF]

You probably have to pay the bill. Company property is for company use only, unless the company explicitly allows personal use.

[krv99]

You would need to pay the bill no matter what. And the bill you have got is so high. Were you on your cell phone the whole day ?? It is extremely silly of you to use your company phone this way!!!

[shandan]

And I was mad when my younger brother crossed my monthly minutes on the Family plan and I had to pay $180 :D....

[lgvisa]

Won't the company monitor the monthly bills? Won't they give any kind of warning soon after I started using it to make india calls?

[JoeF]

They may or may not. It doesn't matter. You still have to pay the bill.

[RGunda]

Dude.. Its your ignorance to ask rules and regulations before you use it for personal calls. However request the company to redemm some amounts. Else, try to move from that company to avoid that bill. You can move to another company if you make h1 b transfer.

Still, they can take legal action on you, so better speak to them.

[gcjourney]

@lgvisa: Were the calls made to India company related calls? If it is then its company's responsibility to make the payments.

IF NOT:

Didnt you have an International Plan before making the calls?

How come the company never alerted you after the first month itself? One Year is too long before being alerted.

The best I can think of is negotiate with the mobile carrier and see if they can give you a break. Usually they do. Even if you have to pay 50% 35K is a Lot of Money. Ask them for a monthly plan whatever you can afford say for ex: $25 a month.

[wiweq]

'Won't the company monitor the monthly bills? Won't they give any kind of warning soon after I started using it to make india calls?"

=> They have other things to do. Remember, there is no "warning" in USA. Everyone is considered responsible and educated enough to understand "ignorance is not bliss".

Pay the bill, and take it as a lesson learned.

[pontevecchio]

Why is the bill 7000 USD a month?

[JoeF]

Why is the bill 7000 USD a month?

Probably lots of calls, with the standard international rate, no international plan.

My guess is that the OP probably thought, oh, the company pays, so just call home a lot... And now the company had an audit of it...

They probably wouldn't have said anything if the usage hadn't been so excessive. Abusing company privileges is as bad an idea as abusing visa privileges...

[wiweq]

" Abusing company privileges is as bad an idea as abusing visa privileges.."

=> Now this post is immigration related :)

"They probably wouldn't have said anything if the usage hadn't been so excessive."

=> Excessive or moderate, company's property shouldn't be used for for any personal use, in my view.

[chtummala]

what kind of contract you signed .. u r company might have a policy ..

if it says you have to pay for u r personal calls .. then you might have to pay them ..