Hawaii USA and International Roaming Trap

MrBurns · 2 September 2009

Back from Hawaii, it's hot, humid and expensive.

The sun there seems different you go red you don't get BBQ'd like here, think I'd like to live in Maui for a while.

While i was over there the IPhone connected automatically so I just checked the weather here, the news the stock market all day then got home to a bill of $700 for data access while overseas.

I called Telstra and explained how that is misleading and deceptive and they waived the bill but here's how it happened and it's a warning to others.

I went to Europe a couple of years ago and organized international roaming on my mobile phone, all ok, BUT between then and now I've got a phone that connects to the web like many others, NOW when I go overseas I connect to the Internet easily but the charge is $15 per MB

Even if you walk past a hot spot your phone will connect and the charges will start running so be warned unless you're prepared to pay, get WiFi disabled on your phone before you leave for overseas.

Trembling Hand · 2 September 2009

MrBurns said:
I went to Europe a couple of years ago and organized international roaming on my mobile phone, all ok, BUT between then and now I've got a phone that connects to the web like many others, NOW when I go overseas I connect to the Internet easily but the charge is $15 per MB

Even if you walk past a hot spot your phone will connect and the charges will start running so be warned unless you're prepared to pay, get WiFi disabled on your phone before you leave for overseas.

Burns I think you got that wrong. Its not the Wifi that got you. It the 3G data conection.

WiFi hotspot = Good, free.

International roaming 3g data = Bad, Friggin expensive.

MrBurns · 2 September 2009

Trembling Hand said:
Burns I think you got that wrong. Its not the Wifi that got you. It the 3G data conection.

WiFi hotspot = Good, free.

International roaming 3g data = Bad, Friggin expensive.

Telstra told me that, anyway just be wary.

They may have meant it might auto connect to their carrier over there, dunno, but if you dont change your settings it will just connect to your carrier every time and ignore hot spots.

Ashsaege · 2 September 2009

Telstra can be very misleading!!

Our Blackberry bolds at work are on an unlimited download plan.
So at home i plug the bold into my computer and start downloading uni lectures etc...

I got the shock of my life last week when i saw the bill, i almost threw up! I learnt the hard way that even the bold is on an unlimited download plan you still have to pay when you use it as a modem into a computer - because apparently is uses another network! The bill was more than most people's yearly salary!!!!!!!!!

prawn_86 · 2 September 2009

Dont forget to tell us about your trip over on the travel forum

And yeh, i always try and avoid using my phone as much as possible overseas, no matter what. If i want internet i buy it at a cafe.

theasxgorilla · 2 September 2009

Ashsaege said:
Telstra can be very misleading!!

Our Blackberry bolds at work are on an unlimited download plan.
So at home i plug the bold into my computer and start downloading uni lectures etc...

I got the shock of my life last week when i saw the bill, i almost threw up! I learnt the hard way that even the bold is on an unlimited download plan you still have to pay when you use it as a modem into a computer - because apparently is uses another network! The bill was more than most people's yearly salary!!!!!!!!!

Vodafone NL, 10 EUR a month capped plan (aka Unlimited)... phone plugged into the computer now posting to you .

It's the "push" setting that will get you when roaming. Of course practically all phones have "push" disabled when roaming by default, or ought to. "push" means that data is sent to your phone either at intervals or as it arrives ie. an email. If you have this turned on while roaming then your phone will happily suck down all this data, often unbeknownst to the user, incurring international roaming charges.

$15 AUD for a MB is highway robbery.

MrBurns · 2 September 2009

theasxgorilla said:
Vodafone NL, 10 EUR a month capped plan (aka Unlimited)... phone plugged into the computer now posting to you .

It's the "push" setting that will get you when roaming. Of course practically all phones have "push" disabled when roaming by default, or ought to. "push" means that data is sent to your phone either at intervals or as it arrives ie. an email. If you have this turned on while roaming then your phone will happily suck down all this data, often unbeknownst to the user, incurring international roaming charges.

$15 AUD for a MB is highway robbery.

I told them that if one of their phones connects to an international carrier partner of theirs there should be an auto SMS with a warning sent.

Sunder · 2 September 2009

MrBurns said:
I told them that if one of their phones connects to an international carrier partner of theirs there should be an auto SMS with a warning sent.

Interesting, when I went to HK, I got SMSes all hours of the night claiming if I marked "XYZ carrier" as my preferred carrier, I would get cheaper international roaming rates...

Also did get charged $7 for a couple kilobytes of data. I don't know how, since I had push email off and didn't browse... But $7 wasn't worth arguing about. When I say a "couple" I don't mean 500kb (1/2 x $15). It literally said something like 32kb. There must be a minimum spend or something.

weatherbill · 3 September 2009

Is Telstra pretty much a monopoly in AU?

DB008 · 4 September 2009

weatherbill; answer to your question= YES.

If you leave any Capital City in Oz, you need Telstra. Telstra have to provide services in the bush by law. If they weren't required by law to provide this service, lMO Telstra would not have 98% coverage in Australia.

Telstra is a rip off. Just compare them to all the other providers, either; mobile pre-paid, mobile plans, internet plans, wireless internet. Anything. They are like the Government. Slow, expensive, behind the times. Arhh, Telstra.

Trembling Hand · 4 September 2009

Let me join some dots for you,

Telstra have to provide services in the bush by law ............................................................................................................................................ Telstra is a rip off.

Hawaii USA and International Roaming Trap

MrBurns

Trembling Hand

Can be found on the bid

MrBurns

Ashsaege

prawn_86

Mod: Call me Dendrobranchiata

theasxgorilla

Problem solved... next bubble.

MrBurns

Sunder

weatherbill

DB008

Trembling Hand

Can be found on the bid

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Hawaii USA and International Roaming Trap

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