Airplane Mode Abroad

[barefootpilot]

Airplane mode is for airplanes, not for being abroad. It's totally unnecessary to disable your phone completely when travelling.

Make sure 'Data Roaming' option is off in settings>Wireless and Networks>Mobile Networks.

That's it. Nothing else needed. You don't get charged for anything unless you choose to make/receive a call or send a text (receiving a text is free, certainly on Orange). Really, you don't.

When you find a wifi hotspot, turn on wireless and connect for updates, email etc. When you've finished turn it off again.

In the last year I've been all over Europe plus Singapore and the US and have never, ever, been charged for data roaming.

 

[smallclone]

That's it. Nothing else needed. You don't get charged for anything unless you choose to make/receive a call or send a text (receiving a text is free, certainly on Orange). Really, you don't.

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Not 100% true though is it. My 500mb 3G allocation is likely to be maxed out by the time I get out to the states.

Therefore, everytime I click on 3G it incurrs further charges. So if I receive a picture text it will click on 3G and I'll be charged. And who knows what those charges will be in USA.

This scenario is unlikely for most I appreciate that, but I'm likely to have it as I don't have unlimited 3G and get alot of pic mesages.

 

[barefootpilot]

Not 100% true though is it. My 500mb 3G allocation is likely to be maxed out by the time I get out to the states.

Therefore, everytime I click on 3G it incurrs further charges. So if I receive a picture text it will click on 3G and I'll be charged. And who knows what those charges will be in USA.

This scenario is unlikely for most I appreciate that, but I'm likely to have it as I don't have unlimited 3G and get alot of pic mesages.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this, but if you are on a roaming network and have 'data roaming' turned off, your phone will not connect to any data network, 3G or otherwise. You will not be charged anything. If you try to do something which results, normally, in a data connection it will be unable to connect and will tell you so.

 

[smallclone]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this, but if you are on a roaming network and have 'data roaming' turned off, your phone will not connect to any data network, 3G or otherwise. You will not be charged anything. If you try to do something which results, normally, in a data connection it will be unable to connect and will tell you so.

Yeah, understood. It's just that I will need to check my text messages once or twice in the week at the very least. Which means I have to turn Data roaming on doesn't it?

I won't get charged for regular text messages but picture ones will then result in 3G clicking on.

 

[barefootpilot]

Well, if you can find a free wireless network you can avoid using data over 3G at all. Should be easy enough if you just want to 'check in' every few days.

 

[smallclone]

Well, if you can find a free wireless network you can avoid using data over 3G at all. Should be easy enough if you just want to 'check in' every few days.

Yes. For internet, email etc

But not for picture messages! That is why i HATE picture messages!

 

[Hadron]

Yeah, understood. It's just that I will need to check my text messages once or twice in the week at the very least. Which means I have to turn Data roaming on doesn't it?

I won't get charged for regular text messages but picture ones will then result in 3G clicking on.

You don't need data roaming for texts - I'm in Sweden at the moment, have mobile data off and data roaming off, still able to receive texts. Basic text messaging is part of the GSM spec, and is available without "data" being enabled.

Don't know about picture messages - I must have received 2 in the last year - but I would guess that if data roaming is off then it won't download them (I would hope that that setting would be respected).

 

[smallclone]

You don't need data roaming for texts - I'm in Sweden at the moment, have mobile data off and data roaming off, still able to receive texts.

Don't know about picture messages - I must have received 2 in the last year - but I would guess that if data roaming is off then it won't download them (I would hope that that setting would be respected).

Thanks.

I would have thought that by turning mobile data off it would have been respected too. But not the case when receiving picture messages.

I never send them by the way. I just have a luddite family all on nokias who send me pictures via text message!

 

[EVU]

Just to add to this since my Dad just incurred $200 in roaming charges because we didn't follow the above steps when using GrooveIP overseas:

Turning on airplane will grey out all the Settings>Wireless & Networks>Mobile Data settings.