A Canadian oil-field worker has been stunned to get a C$85,000 cell phone bill.

Piotr Staniaszek, a 22-year-old oil and gas well tester in rural northwest Alberta, has become an international media star after his father went to the press to complain about the size of his son’s bill.

Staniaszek’s father said his son thought he could use his new phone as a modem for his computer as part of his C$10 unlimited browser plan from Bell Mobility, a division of Bell Canada.

He downloaded movies and other high-resolution files unaware of the charges they would incur. “He’s working in the field sometimes, alone, in the shack. What to do? Drink vodka or go on the Internet?” Staniaszek senior told Reuters on Thursday from Calgary, Alberta.

“Now it’s $85,000 and nobody told him,” he said. Staniaszek senior said Bell has agreed to reduce the charges to C$3,400 for “goodwill”.

Well it is nearly Christmas after all….

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