A Vodafone customer has reportedly received a bill for £11,000 after downloading television episodes while abroad.

Reports in The Telegraph said that a businessman's wife set up the download of US series Friends on a mobile broadband card before he left for an overseas trip.

The downloads, which would have been free in the UK, ended up costing £11,000.

However, a Vodafone spokeswoman claimed that there were some "factual inaccuracies" in The Telegraph story.

"In cases like this we make every effort to contact the customer in case of fraud," she said.

Vodafone refused to comment on individual cases but said that the company attempts to reach a settlement with customers where very large bills are concerned.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards has confirmed that he will investigate the case.

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information, Society and Media, has pledged to cut roaming data charges, promising unilateral action by 1 July 2008 if mobile operators fail to act.