Additional fees abroad

[ink13]

Heyo!

So the question is how to prevent additional charges while abroad (internet etc.)
Do I have to turn cellular off and enter roaming? Is this enough to prevent additional internet charges? Also it'd be cool if someone'd spell it out for me what roaming actually is, I'm not quite sure about it... I'm new to wp7 and want to be very sure about this so yeah...thx in advance

 

[selfcreation]

Hey Ink13

Welcome to WPCENTRAL!!!

ill try to explain it the best i can .

Roaming:
what roaming is is basically when you are using an OTHER carrier's Network , witch often relates to you being in a different country.
Now what happens is that by using this other providers network , they charge YOUR carrier for you using it and in return your carrier charges you that amount.

your best bet is to simply TURN off DATA to prevent being charged . Normally you could get charged 1$ ++ for every MB that you use outside your network. ( call your carrier for confirmation on COST )

Most carriers will have OPTIONS /Features you can add to your Monthly bill to help minimize does charges. ( roaming data + calls + msg ) exp: 40$ for 100min instead of 0,65-2$/min

Keep in mind that while roaming you get charge for EVERY connecting to the network: SMS , DATA , Phone call ,e-mails ...etc....


recommendations:

- call your carrier to get option for roaming
- turn OFF your network ( air plain mode) for zero charges. and just use your pho9en for media.
- get a unlock phone and buy a SIM card from the carrier of that country you are in( for a couple weeks )
- turn off just data and accept the 1-2$/min phone calls... or dont pick up!

hope this helps

 

[ink13]

Hey! Thx for the reply!
And another question is that... I can use wifi without any charges, right?
Oh and about the airplane mode, it turns off my network off, so internet won't work, so I won't get any fees bout that, but can I use wifi with the mode on?

 

[ninjaap]

The cheapest route is to unlock your phone and use a local prepaid sim card. If you provide the country you will be visiting, I'm sure someonce can give advice on which carrier to go with in that country.

 

[selfcreation]

Hey! Thx for the reply!
And another question is that... I can use wifi without any charges, right?
Oh and about the airplane mode, it turns off my network off, so internet won't work, so I won't get any fees bout that, but can I use wifi with the mode on?

yes , WIFI does NOT cost you anything. When you activate WIFI it becomes your main source for data. so no charges.

The problem with airplane mode is if you turn WIFI on it turns airplane mode back off so you reconnect. the danger here is that if some one sends you a SMS you cant block it. but you can chose not to answer a phone call. ( 65cent a txt more or less)

If you want to make SURE you dont get charged, simply take OUT your SIM card from the phone and use WIFI only! this way you have access to the web ( trough local internet ) but wont risk getting 00,65$ charges per SMS...

maybe keep your SIM card nearby encase of emergency where you NEED to use your phone no matter the cost!!

but like I said and NIJAAP also said: your better off getting a local PE-RPAID SIM card for the week or so your out of your country. ( your phone needs to get unlocked first and you can find local people to do it for you for 20$+ iish)

 

[palandri]

The cheapest route is to unlock your phone and use a local prepaid sim card. If you provide the country you will be visiting, I'm sure someonce can give advice on which carrier to go with in that country.

+1 That's what I always do.

 

[mprice86]

Some good news on this front is that UK carriers are being forced by their regulatory body to reduce roaming costs to be more in line with their standard network rates.

The network Three UK is the first to come out with a deal of ?5 a day for "unlimited" data abroad. Personally I find that still to be prohibitively expensive, but better than nothing. Given time and competition with other networks I expect that price will come down; and spread to other countries carriers.

Also, Selfcreation is a little wrong about Airplane/flight mode. Once you turn it on you can enable the likes of wifi/Bluetooth separately, without your network/data reconnecting.

 

[cgk]

It's not simply UK carriers, it's a EU-wide arrangement and costs will continue to drop over the next three years.

 

[holzlondon]

Not knowing your location it's hard to say, but if you're located in the EU, the roaming charges for phone calls and text messages are really not that bad as long as the country you're in is still within the EU (or Switzerland).

Actually, in some cases roaming is cheaper. I get charged ?0.29 per SMS to a different country, when I'm in my HOME country, Germany. When I roam within the EU, I get charged ?0.15 for an SMS to any country.

Receiving SMS is free of charge in the EU, and receiving a phone call is ?0.75 per call up to 60 mins, so receiving calls is not really that bad. You're available, and it's not going to kill you.

Making calls is not too bad either ?0.29 per minute.

But data is a problem - the regulators still haven't tackled the problem in the EU. I'll currently be charged ?3.40 per MB by T-mobile Germany. That's a real killer.

My solution is normally just to turn off mobile data, and use WiFi when I have the opportunity. Otherwise I'm still available.

What's really frustrating in Europe though is that almost all the carriers in different countries belong to only 4 large multinational carriers (I think it's T-Moble, Telefonica, Vodafone and Orange that own almost all the networks).

The boarders are not really there. There's just using the national boarders to charge more. I hope the regulators will get to the bottom of it, because it really is silly, especially on the data side of things....

Sorry, went of on a bit of a tangent/rant there.