[Spookylady]

Hope this is the right place for this question. I'll be traveling to the UK in September for 2 weeks. I don't know if I should bother taking my BB Bold. I'm concerned about data overages (I do not have unlimited data plan). How can I minimize the usage of data but still be able to text or make the occasional call? I don't yet have email set up on the phone, but most likely will by the time we travel.

Any suggestions? By the way, I'm a very new smartphone user, so forgive my ignorance!!

[deejayburnout]

When you come to the UK, buy a pay as you go Sim card.

Best way to make calls and get emails. Some providers will give you good deals for a �10 top up, good for 2 weeks in the UK.

Particle Physics give me a Hadron.

[Branta]

When I travel out of country I prefer email rather than voice or SMS. For less than the cost of a 1 minute voice call I can send email back to a colleague to arrange my flight home, get the reply, confirm the choice and get my e-ticket info. If you use data sensibly for email (with minimum attachments) or BBM you should get very economical communication even at roaming rates. It only starts to accumulate serious cost if you access higher volume areas like websites, or apps which do background data polling (like twitter, facebook, weather apps...). Streaming music or video is the quick way to huge roaming data charges.

1. Use WiFi whenever possible. Turn off data (in the Manage Connections menu) when you are away from your WiFi link.
2. Shut down or even uninstall data-intensive apps which might try to run wild.
3. It is unlikely you will exceed even the meanest data allowance for regular email, BBM, etc. However, check your cell provider's charges (cost/megabyte) for roaming data so you know how restrictive you need to be. Maybe there is even a short term international plan available at reasonable cost.

[infinus]

Carriers have special data/voice plans for roaming to europe...
Check out with your carrier...
Take extra battery and synch/charge cable it's really important..
...
Local pay as you go is another option...
But you need to..
Unlock your BB, so you can use it on different carriers..
If you are on BES...it will be not a good idea to use pay as you go...

[Spookylady]

When I travel out of country I prefer email rather than voice or SMS. For less than the cost of a 1 minute voice call I can send email back to a colleague to arrange my flight home, get the reply, confirm the choice and get my e-ticket info. If you use data sensibly for email (with minimum attachments) or BBM you should get very economical communication even at roaming rates. It only starts to accumulate serious cost if you access higher volume areas like websites, or apps which do background data polling (like twitter, facebook, weather apps...). Streaming music or video is the quick way to huge roaming data charges.

1. Use WiFi whenever possible. Turn off data (in the Manage Connections menu) when you are away from your WiFi link.
2. Shut down or even uninstall data-intensive apps which might try to run wild.
3. It is unlikely you will exceed even the meanest data allowance for regular email, BBM, etc. However, check your cell provider's charges (cost/megabyte) for roaming data so you know how restrictive you need to be. Maybe there is even a short term international plan available at reasonable cost.

I don't have any apps running that do background data polling (no facebook account, etc) so I should be good there.

I understand that if I turn off data services, I can't make calls or texts, but I can still email? (Again, I'm a newbie, so forgive me!) If that's the case, then am I correct in thinking I won't be using much data at all, if that's pretty much all I do?

My phone is not unlocked, so buying a local sim card won't work. By the way, I asked someone at a cell phone store (not a verizon store, but one that sells verizon phones, etc.) and he practically had a stroke when I asked about getting an unlock code, etc.).

[FF22]

Depending on how long you are a Verizon customer they will unlock for free. It may be six months and account paid up. Otherwise there are third parties that do it.

[PDM]

@ SpookyLady : Personally, my private BB is always configured :
Options > Network and Connections > Mobile Network >
"Data Services > On" and "While Roaming >. Off"

which will mean that you will not use any Data Services, via an "overseas" carrier. However, you will still be able to receive/make phone calls (which are not data).

Nevertheless, I always have WiFi ON as I can receive e-mails via WiFi at NO extra cost to my plan i.e. Data via WiFi.

As advised above unlock via a third-party if your carrier is unwilling to give you an unlock code. Nevertheless, why unlock if you do not plan on using a different SIM card overseas?

[Branta]

I don't have any apps running that do background data polling (no facebook account, etc) so I should be good there.

A standard out-of-box BB with no extra applications added shouldn't be too greedy.

I understand that if I turn off data services, I can't make calls or texts, but I can still email? (Again, I'm a newbie, so forgive me!) If that's the case, then am I correct in thinking I won't be using much data at all, if that's pretty much all I do?

A smartphone has two types of service;
(a) Voice and SMS
(b) Data (everything else)

If you turn off data you stop email, BBM, everything except voice and SMS messages. That's probably not a problem while you are out and about as a visitor (vacation?) - you want to be a tourist, not answer email. You can always flip the switch if you decide you need it, and most email - certainly the heavy duty stuff with pictures attached - would wait until you are back to a WiFi connection. Even if you left data enabled a BlackBerry is very efficient about data usage and for just family/friends contact you probably wouldn't find the cost excessive.

However you should be aware that all smartphones use "some" data for housekeeping even when idle. BB is the most efficient for this because it waits for the network to make contact and "push" when email arrives, rather than explicitly going live to check (polling). Think of that like the effort to check snail mail at home - you can until it is delivered to your home, or you cah hike to the central delivery office and ask.

My phone is not unlocked, so buying a local sim card won't work. By the way, I asked someone at a cell phone store (not a verizon store, but one that sells verizon phones, etc.) and he practically had a stroke when I asked about getting an unlock code, etc.).

Look in our unlock forum - there are several respected unlocking companies posting there who will give good advice. As others suggested Verizon may provide an unlock (free) but for a short trip it would probably be more trouble than it is worth to setup a BB account on a local SIM so you might be constrained to voice and SMS

[Gees97]

I just came back from puerto rico and it was the worst. As soon as my plane landed I noticed I only had 1X service. After calling verizon they told me they would reset my account. And after the reset I lost all access to bbm usage and internet. All I could do was talk and text (barely). I was constantly hitting the resend button on texts and I was constantly dropping calls. Even to the point where I had to reboot because everytime I'd dial out the seconds on timer would go up but I couldn't hear a ringer. But person on other ends phone would ring. After a reboot I could hear a ringer again. Now for the stupid part..verizon claimed I was supposed to hit *228 before leaving the states to update my roaming capabilities. But I do that all the time. And how would they even know where I'm traveling to for them to update roaming? And on top of that my touchscreen on this 9930 doesn't allow me to use my phone outdoors because cursor goes crazy and clicks on apps and texts. If you ask me I believe its time to jump ship and get the phone I hate the most...the iPhone

[Spookylady]

Thanks, all! You've been very helpful.