iPhone roaming charges - please read!

mogsyman · Post by **mogsyman** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:07 pm

To cut a long story short, I recently went on holiday to Egypt and for once decided not to roam and pick up emails - work could get stuffed :razz1: However whilst sitting down one day for lunch my Inbox was suddenly full of new emails and I could read Sky News and browse the web regardless of the fact I wasn't roaming. As quickly as mail had arrived and I could see Sky News etc. it stopped, with no increase in data usage showing in settings on the iPhone. Throughout the entire process roaming was definitely switched off and I took photo's to confirm the fact as I suspected I might be in for a large bill. It was then just a matter of waiting for the bill to arrive.......which arrived yesterday. I thought my discussions with O2 technical might be of interest to those who travel abroad and may not wish to roam even when roaming is switched off.

Basically O2 have told me that simply switching off roaming isn’t a fool-proof guaranteed way of not roaming and running up large bills and you need to do the following:

You need to go into your phone before you leave the UK and do the following:

• Settings
• Mail contacts calendars
• Fetch new data
• Switch push off

Then go back to :

• Settings
• Notifications – manual.

Also ensure of course you have data roaming switched off.

I have managed to get a refund for all charges based on the fact I had switched roaming off, however they won't do that again as they have now told me what to do!

On another similar note, I travel frequently overseas and throughout Europe have been until recently used to quite large roaming bills (porn uses loads of mb's I've since found out

). Whilst looking at the O2 website I stumbled across a free offer on the O2 website that was free to sign up to. Once activated which took 24 hours, you are then only charged a maximum of £1.99 per day for 25mb of data whilst within the EU. That is considerably cheaper than the normal 'bend over and take it like a man' charges I am used to and well worth a look.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:27 pm

How can that be? You have data roaming off - that is just the entire purpose of it?

Not been stung so far for anything as I have the "data roaming off".

Did you get a 3G or other data symbol whist you were connected and getting emails etc?

Abroad I only use WIFI to get my stuff in .

mogsyman · Post by **mogsyman** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:35 pm

No 3g showing, nothing at all aside from my phone obviously started to use a 3G connection. I hadn't even used wifi at the hotel as their charges were a complete rip-off.

I've got a 4S, but it has happened some time ago on a 3S.

I made that very point - what's the point of turning roaming off if it doesn't actually turn it off!

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:29 pm

Thanks for the warning! Seems ridiculous that if you have roaming off then the push still works.

Orange just tell you to ensure Data and Roaming are off. Seems that may not be enough.

There is a mandatory data regulation in the EU of 50€, unless you have agreed a higher or lower setting, and the operators must warn you at 80% of the bill limit. Of course that only holds within the EU.

We travel to Southern Thailand and are always mindful. I think I have airplane mode selected most of the time, 3G is off (3G coverage is bad anyway) and Data is always off. The hotels in Thailand charge about £6 for 24 hours of access on WiFi, and that's a cumulative 24 hours over 30 days.....much easier than the usual £25/day charges!

We'll remember your advice for when we travel.....

jeegnesh · Post by **jeegnesh** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:47 pm

I believe if you change the settings then it can't connect at all.

wilkoturbo · Post by **wilkoturbo** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:09 pm

Charge your battery !

mogsyman · Post by **mogsyman** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:15 pm

Apparently if you switch Cellular Data to off it does exactly what O2 suggest in a single click.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

jeegnesh · Post by **jeegnesh** » Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:02 pm

[quote="wilkoturbo"]
Charge your battery !
[/quote]
I try but it's a 4S

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:23 pm

[quote="mogsyman"]

Whilst looking at the O2 website I stumbled across a free offer on the O2 website that was free to sign up to. Once activated which took 24 hours, you are then only charged a maximum of £1.99 per day for 25mb of data whilst within the EU. That is considerably cheaper than the normal 'bend over and take it like a man' charges I am used to and well worth a look.
[/quote]

Beware of this if you don't intend to use your data daily also.

Orange have/had a similar package (it was worded differently by the guy on the phone implying the charge was per usage as they charged to set up the package) and they basically charge you for each day you are abroad regardless of how little or much you use the data. I had a weeks holiday and was charged the £14 for using about 1.8 MB over the entire time on top of the set up fee. I managed a refund as I told them I was not informed it was a daily charge but led to believe it was per 'x' MB used.

Just be carefully of their wording so not to be stung!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

mogsyman · Post by **mogsyman** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:33 pm

[quote="rusty nail"]
[quote="mogsyman"]

Whilst looking at the O2 website I stumbled across a free offer on the O2 website that was free to sign up to. Once activated which took 24 hours, you are then only charged a maximum of £1.99 per day for 25mb of data whilst within the EU. That is considerably cheaper than the normal 'bend over and take it like a man' charges I am used to and well worth a look.
[/quote]

Beware of this if you don't intend to use your data daily also.

Orange have/had a similar package (it was worded differently by the guy on the phone implying the charge was per usage as they charged to set up the package) and they basically charge you for each day you are abroad regardless of how little or much you use the data. I had a weeks holiday and was charged the £14 for using about 1.8 MB over the entire time on top of the set up fee. I managed a refund as I told them I was not informed it was a daily charge but led to believe it was per 'x' MB used.

Just be carefully of their wording so not to be stung!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
[/quote]

Appreciate the warning - I've had this for a while and essentially with O2 the clock starts ticking the moment you roam on a daily basis rather than being charged regardless.

Some time ago I would buy a bundle which gave me data from a date to another date I suspect O2 and others have simply had their knuckles smacked and are now being more sensible re pricing.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:12 pm

Soon-ish I expect that data roaming will be part of your standard package Europe wide at least.

Madness that as soon as you get out of the country, your phone becomes useless or very expensive.

MiniX · Post by **MiniX** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:39 pm

Nobody talks to me so I don't understand your problems!!!!

:cry1:

535dboy · Post by **535dboy** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:53 pm

I had this happen in Canada with 02

Actually thought I was on the wifi (data roaming off) and got home to have charges for email

mogsyman · Post by **mogsyman** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:01 pm

[quote="pvr"]
Soon-ish I expect that data roaming will be part of your standard package Europe wide at least.

Madness that as soon as you get out of the country, your phone becomes useless or very expensive.
[/quote]

Totally agree - the days of being absolutely shafted are coming to an end.

Sent using Tapatalk

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:05 pm

[quote="MiniX"]
Nobody talks to me so I don't understand your problems!!!!

:cry1:
[/quote]

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