1. cutefrenchhouse's Avatar
    Hi all -- I've followed the discussions the past couple of years re: T-Mobile and its growing tendency to charge for data when roaming internationally. I noticed this last year in France when even though I used data minimally (checked a newspaper article or two and did a Google search), I was billed about $200 for data over a 6-day trip (I had never gotten hit with data charges on previous trips -- and I did buy the International email add-on).

    I'm heading back to France in October, and I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to minimize possible data charges. Turning off data completely doesn't work because then I won't get emails. Should I remove all possible apps from my phone? I'm thinking things were running in the background that I didn't know about.... any other settings I can adjust so that I can get emails but not unwittingly rack up data charges?

    FYI, I've checked out getting SIM cards, but for various reasons I don't think this is an option (for my business, I need to be reachable by my usual phone number). Thanks for any advice you can offer. By the way, I'm using the Bold 9700.
    07-29-11 04:21 PM
  2. perkyaim99's Avatar
    I am also researching this as I will be going to Canada soon. From what I read in a thread on UMA and texting (a few threads below this one currently), it sounds like you should be able to use the phone while on wifi. Some posters recommended turning data off while roaming, turning mobile network off, and setting to wifi only. This will ensure that you will be using only the wifi to surf, text and call.

    Also, from my understanding the International email plan is for email only, not for calling/texts or any other data or browser use. So if you still have this option on your plan, I think you'd want to keep data on while roaming and keep wifi on preferred. Just make sure not to use any data aside from email. Not sure though.
    08-01-11 01:50 PM
  3. hubermania's Avatar
    The Connection Preference, i.e. Wi-Fi Preferred, only applies to voice calls. If you're connected to Wi-Fi, the phone will attempt to route BIS data using Wi-Fi instead of the cell network. I assume WAP data is always routed using the cell network unless the phone is on a UMA connection.

    I always leave Data Services set to "Off When Roaming" to avoid international data charges. As soon as I get on Wi-Fi at a hotel or cafe, BIS connects using Wi-Fi and all the pent-up BB e-mail gets delivered. No international plan required.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    08-02-11 10:58 AM
  4. cutefrenchhouse's Avatar
    Thanks for your replies. Yes, I always buy the T-Mobile email add-on, so I'm covered for email, but the lack of a data plan is the killer. I think I may indeed take your advice re: turning off data services and just get on Wifi as needed. I was kind of hoping to have all-the-time access while in Paris -- for instance, it's useful to be able to get on Google Maps and such when you are walking around -- bit not if I have to pay a fortune for it!
    08-02-11 11:49 PM
  5. bberry3366's Avatar
    I just got off a chat session with a TMobile person that left me feeling he was clueless. I had a trip last year to Italy, bought the $19.95 add-on blackberry unlimited international email service, and only used the 9700 bold to check email; found dozens of tiny data charges that added up to about $70 a month or two later, which TMobile removed, telling me that they had failed to tell me to turn off my data roaming and my phone was checking for connections when it was on (I don't think I have any apps that sync...I have hardly any add-on apps on it at all.) So I have an upcoming trip to France and tried to confirm what to do to avoid extra charges. The tech told me that if I turn off data roaming (as previously told to do), then I won't get any emails even though I have paid for service. After pushing him over and over, he finally said that if I leave the phone on all the time and only use it to check email, I probably won't get other charges but can't be sure that their roaming partners in France won't add some on! Has any one had any recent experience on how to do this other than try to connect to WifI (and turn off data, only check emails when near WiFi) It makes the international blackberry email service for $19.95 a joke if you have to keep the phone off all the time to be sure that some data connection won't happen (my Italy charges never involved data...just tiny checking of cell towers that added up over time).
    08-31-11 02:08 PM
  6. lnichols's Avatar
    So they really check to see if the data is e-mail or web or BBM or google maps? With Sprint I pay $40 but get everything. Was thinking of switching to T-Mobile when I get back from Japan, but this may hamper that. I find Google maps to be a very powerful tool when traveling, and have been pushing up pics to facebook, quick web searches, etc.
    08-31-11 06:52 PM
  7. Mikethaler's Avatar
    So they really check to see if the data is e-mail or web or BBM or google maps? With Sprint I pay $40 but get everything. Was thinking of switching to T-Mobile when I get back from Japan, but this may hamper that. I find Google maps to be a very powerful tool when traveling, and have been pushing up pics to facebook, quick web searches, etc.
    I know Sprint has a very few phones they will give you to use overseas. What do you use?
    What kind of data plan does Sprint give you to use? I can't believe they have unlimited intl data for $40. Doesn't show on their web site.
    With BB, emails are processed thru RIM servers. Those are unlimited. All other data is charged at $15/mb. There are no intl. data plans on TM. Att used to have one, but i think that is gone, now.


    ...mike
    08-31-11 11:04 PM
  8. Mindenhall's Avatar
    It's pure insanity. Either T-Mobile's the wild west, or they're being deliberately opaque to generate roaming charges.

    I just got off the phone with Reps A and B. What they said:

    Rep A: If you get the BlackBerry International Data plan, you won't pay any extra for "BlackBerry" data, like BBM and email. (He kept saying those two.) Third-party apps will cause int'l roaming charges.

    I told him that was insane, because if I have some invisible process running (e.g., Google Sync), it'll run my bill up. He confirmed that.

    He also said to avoid those charges, disable data roaming. I inquired if that wouldn't also render the BB Int'l Plan useless, to which he said, "it would."

    Rep B: That's ridiculous. There would be no point to having the plan if it meant everything but BBM and email cost money. He said to turn off data roaming, and I said, "but wouldn't that kill it?" His reply: "No, the BlackBerry Int'l plan would still work. It doesn't go through data, it goes to the BlackBerry servers."

    Ahem.

    Oh yeah, Rep A said received texts are free, outgoing $0.35, incoming missed calls cost 1-minute each (at the local roaming rate), even if I set everything to forward straight to VM. Rep B said if you don't answer, you don't pay, simple as that.

    This debate has been going on for-literally-years (along with the int'l UMA questions that took a good 2 years to get definitive answers on, from other people, not T-Mobile), and they haven't gotten it clear. I don't want to attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity, but...man. They've outdone themselves.

    At least they're polite.

    Edit: Is it just a case of: BIS is free, TCP costs? Would enabling data roaming but disabling the APN settings work? I tried that, turned off wifi, and pretty much everything (Gmaps, Gmail, etc.) still worked.
    Last edited by Mindenhall; 09-01-11 at 12:55 AM.
    09-01-11 12:20 AM
  9. Mikethaler's Avatar
    IF you hard forward all calls to VM, which many (most?) of us intl. travelers do, you are NOT charged anything. IF someone leaves a msg., you will get the icon that says you have VM waiting (no charge). You can then wait to call when you are on wifi.
    Most phones have a menu setting for forwarding voice calls. The GSM code to send is: *21*+18056377243*11#. To turn off CF: #21#.

    As for UMA - Direct from TM's web site:


    Wi-Fi calling pioneers
    T-Mobile was the first major U.S provider to offer Wi-Fi calling. This unique business solution helps you save money on both domestic and international calling. With a T-Mobile Wi-Fi calling-enabled phone and a Wi-Fi network, you can save money by using less calling plan minutes. You could also save while traveling internationally because calls made over Wi-Fi are rated as originating in the US, regardless of where the caller is located. Wi-Fi calling can also provide coverage in difficult-to-serve areas no mobile provider reaches.
    09-01-11 01:30 AM
  10. lnichols's Avatar
    I know Sprint has a very few phones they will give you to use overseas. What do you use?
    What kind of data plan does Sprint give you to use? I can't believe they have unlimited intl data for $40. Doesn't show on their web site.
    With BB, emails are processed thru RIM servers. Those are unlimited. All other data is charged at $15/mb. There are no intl. data plans on TM. Att used to have one, but i think that is gone, now.


    ...mike
    I have a BB Tour. Works great oversees. Using it in Japan now. Sprint had a BB International plan up until last summer for $40 per month that you use to be able to turn on/off when you needed it. They discontinued it but when I took a trip last december I threw a fit with their CS because this plan was one of the things that kept me with Sprint. So they added back to my plan, with the condition that I can't turn it off and if I do I will lose it for good. I've never been billed for any data when overseas using this plan and that is using the e-mail, BBM, Google maps, Facebook, Web Browser, etc. AT&T and Verizon used to have similar offerings for Blackberry but killed them off, Sprint followed suit (yet another reason AT&T and Verizon have too much influence on the industry and should not be allowed to eliminate the competition via acquisition). I was hoping to switch over to T-Mobile for this feature as they are the only carrier with any other type of Blackberry International service.
    09-01-11 04:20 AM
  11. Mindenhall's Avatar
    Thanks. That's good info.

    Now, can anyone definitively clarify T-Mobile's BlackBerry Int'l plan?
    09-01-11 07:29 PM
  12. Mikethaler's Avatar
    Thanks. That's good info.

    Now, can anyone definitively clarify T-Mobile's BlackBerry Int'l plan?
    Yes. use it at least 3 times/yr. It is 19.99/mo pro rated for the time you are overseas. Call CS and ask them to turn it on the day before you intend to land (to play safe) and to turn it off the day after you are due to get back. (Or you can turn it off after you get back w. another call to CS)
    It covers ALL email, in and out. It includes attachments to the email. If you click on a link within the email - NOT included.
    That said, several people on another forum have claimed they can easily access certain sites by making the phone use RIM servers. That stuff is beyond me.
    You would need to go to the RIM site to see which countries have BB service. All 1st world countries do. We we in a couple of African countries a couple years ago that don't.
    The hardest part is making sure phone is not using data in the background.
    09-02-11 12:26 AM
  13. Mindenhall's Avatar
    The hardest part is making sure phone is not using data in the background.
    And there's the rub. Seems nobody has posted anything conclusive on that. The last thing I need is to realize some background task was using data I didn't consider, and find a $750 bill for 50 megs of data...
    09-02-11 02:59 AM
  14. lnichols's Avatar
    It's pure insanity. Either T-Mobile's the wild west, or they're being deliberately opaque to generate roaming charges.

    I just got off the phone with Reps A and B. What they said:

    Rep A: If you get the BlackBerry International Data plan, you won't pay any extra for "BlackBerry" data, like BBM and email. (He kept saying those two.) Third-party apps will cause int'l roaming charges.

    I told him that was insane, because if I have some invisible process running (e.g., Google Sync), it'll run my bill up. He confirmed that.

    He also said to avoid those charges, disable data roaming. I inquired if that wouldn't also render the BB Int'l Plan useless, to which he said, "it would."

    Rep B: That's ridiculous. There would be no point to having the plan if it meant everything but BBM and email cost money. He said to turn off data roaming, and I said, "but wouldn't that kill it?" His reply: "No, the BlackBerry Int'l plan would still work. It doesn't go through data, it goes to the BlackBerry servers."

    Ahem.

    Oh yeah, Rep A said received texts are free, outgoing $0.35, incoming missed calls cost 1-minute each (at the local roaming rate), even if I set everything to forward straight to VM. Rep B said if you don't answer, you don't pay, simple as that.

    This debate has been going on for-literally-years (along with the int'l UMA questions that took a good 2 years to get definitive answers on, from other people, not T-Mobile), and they haven't gotten it clear. I don't want to attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity, but...man. They've outdone themselves.

    At least they're polite.

    Edit: Is it just a case of: BIS is free, TCP costs? Would enabling data roaming but disabling the APN settings work? I tried that, turned off wifi, and pretty much everything (Gmaps, Gmail, etc.) still worked.
    Here is what gets me. I believe that all data from a Blackberry, no matter whether the app is a native Blackberry app or third party, proxies through the BIS and is encrypted between the handheld and the BIS. This is why I when I was in Beijing I was able to access the Internet and Facebook (both of which are restricted by the great Firewall of China). So the local carriers you are roaming on shouldn't be able to distinguish your traffic because it is all encrypted and inaccessible to them. T-mobile would have to watching your traffic after it has proxied through the BIS and distinguishing between e-mail and not e-mail which would be difficult for them and why most other carriers, at least when they had it, its an all encompassing deal.

    Has someone used Web, e-mail, BBM and some other apps with the T-Mobile Blackberry International e-mail plan? If so was the data broken out or did it cover all data? I can save about $80+ per month ($1000 for the year) by switching my family plan to T-mobile from Sprint, but would be worried about getting hit with a huge bill for the few times a year that I travel internationally for a few weeks at a time that could negate these savings while domestic.

    Also it says on the BB feature page on T-Mobile that all of the above services included web2go and BB International is above.
    Last edited by lnichols; 09-03-11 at 11:48 PM.
    09-03-11 11:40 PM
  15. Mikethaler's Avatar
    Has someone used Web, e-mail, BBM and some other apps with the T-Mobile Blackberry International e-mail plan? If so was the data broken out or did it cover all data? I can save about $80+ per month ($1000 for the year) by switching my family plan to T-mobile from Sprint, but would be worried about getting hit with a huge bill for the few times a year that I travel internationally for a few weeks at a time that could negate these savings while domestic.

    Also it says on the BB feature page on T-Mobile that all of the above services included web2go and BB International is above.
    You only get Email and attachments in email. Any links in email, web browsing, apps like Google Maps etc. are NOT included.
    That said, there have been some posts in the past on howardforums.com from users that say they can get some things to run thru RIM servers that avoids the usual massive data charges. I have never tried any of the "fixes".
    09-04-11 12:10 AM
  16. lnichols's Avatar
    You only get Email and attachments in email. Any links in email, web browsing, apps like Google Maps etc. are NOT included.
    That said, there have been some posts in the past on howardforums.com from users that say they can get some things to run thru RIM servers that avoids the usual massive data charges. I have never tried any of the "fixes".
    Web browsing is all through BIS and so is BBM. Oh well still clear as mud.
    09-04-11 03:10 AM
  17. akraus88's Avatar
    I work for a company called CelloMobile.com and they offer unlimited BB data SIMS.

    Go here CelloMobile.com
    09-06-11 06:40 PM
  18. Mikethaler's Avatar
    I work for a company called CelloMobile.com and they offer unlimited BB data SIMS.

    Go here CelloMobile.com
    Elaborate web site. No way to contact them for questions via email.
    Confusing statements. In one place it states unlimited BB email for $6.69/day. (T-Mobile charges 67 cents/day.) Another place it says "unlimited data world wide" and they say you can use that for tethering. I hate to be blunt - but I am sure you can't do unlimited web browsing tethered to your lap top for under $7/day "around the world".
    09-06-11 06:58 PM
  19. bberry3366's Avatar
    My experience - I posted earlier in this exchange about the confusing information from TMobile on data charges on international travel if you buy the blackberry international email add-on ($19.95) and only use the blackberry (9700) for email. I'm now back from 10 days in France. In light of a lot of charges I got on an earlier trip to Italy using only the email, this time I turned off data roaming (and my 9700) except a couple of times a day when I checked for email. When I turned off data roaming, no email would come thru (and hopefully no attempts of the 9700 to reach the internet). I did not use the 9700 for anything at all except periodic turning roaming on to read and send emails...yes, I did get data roaming charges to Orange (the french phone system I was connecting to). They amounted to a lot of tiny, tiny data charges that added up to $.37 for the first half of the trip (.0006 GB) (haven't gotten bill yet for last five days). This is totally minor, but annoying...if I hadn't been so super-carefully, it might have been more (Italy for ten days was about $70). TMobile told me that they "couldn't guarantee" that there would be no data charges because the roaming partner might impose some. I don't know who gets the $.37, but it appears that every time I turned data roaming on to check for email, I got some kind of tiny charge. Just a warning to others using TMobile in France..if you leave data roaming on all the time (as you probably do in states), the phone seems to make some kind of connection which someone will charge you for...
    09-26-11 08:24 PM
  20. Mikethaler's Avatar
    Something has changed in the last 6-12 months. For years never incurred one single bit/byte of data when just using email on the 19.95 plan. Then, this past, Apr., incurred a several micro charges a day like you describe - only ours were slightly bigger and added up to mid-double digits in dollars. They were removed w. no hassle.
    I have an app that is supposed to show me anything running that may incur data usage.
    The only thing I thot of afterwards is something like GPS settings that make "leak" data usage as it reports to Google where the phone is being used. It seems that if I leave "location setting enabled" it must be using data even though my app that is supposed to report any app that uses data - doesn't report that.
    09-26-11 09:00 PM
  21. DannyAves's Avatar
    My experience - I posted earlier in this exchange about the confusing information from TMobile on data charges on international travel if you buy the blackberry international email add-on ($19.95) and only use the blackberry (9700) for email. I'm now back from 10 days in France. In light of a lot of charges I got on an earlier trip to Italy using only the email, this time I turned off data roaming (and my 9700) except a couple of times a day when I checked for email. When I turned off data roaming, no email would come thru (and hopefully no attempts of the 9700 to reach the internet). I did not use the 9700 for anything at all except periodic turning roaming on to read and send emails...yes, I did get data roaming charges to Orange (the french phone system I was connecting to). They amounted to a lot of tiny, tiny data charges that added up to $.37 for the first half of the trip (.0006 GB) (haven't gotten bill yet for last five days). This is totally minor, but annoying...if I hadn't been so super-carefully, it might have been more (Italy for ten days was about $70). TMobile told me that they "couldn't guarantee" that there would be no data charges because the roaming partner might impose some. I don't know who gets the $.37, but it appears that every time I turned data roaming on to check for email, I got some kind of tiny charge. Just a warning to others using TMobile in France..if you leave data roaming on all the time (as you probably do in states), the phone seems to make some kind of connection which someone will charge you for...
    If Italy was $70 and possibly more for 10 days, plus $20 for international email, that means you have spent at least $90 and you have to turn off everything and lose the functionality of your phone why bother??

    Just get the XCom Global MiFi for $15 per day ($150 for 10 days) for unlimited 3G data throughout Europe and it can support up to 5 devices simultaneously.

    XCom Global - Unlimited International Mobile Broadband Rentals
    Mikethaler likes this.
    09-27-11 08:27 AM
  22. Mikethaler's Avatar
    Just get the XCom Global MiFi for $15 per day ($150 for 10 days) for unlimited 3G data throughout Europe and it can support up to 5 devices simultaneously.

    XCom Global - Unlimited International Mobile Broadband Rentals
    Have you used this product? If so, could you give a quick review? I see you are on T-M. All TM Berries and all newer Androids have wifi calling built in. Did or could you use this product for voice calling?
    09-27-11 10:00 AM
  23. DannyAves's Avatar
    Have you used this product? If so, could you give a quick review? I see you are on T-M. All TM Berries and all newer Androids have wifi calling built in. Did or could you use this product for voice calling?
    It is a good product, good reception and you can use UMA for calling and you will have full use of data, including things like Google maps. The battery only lasts about 4 hours or so, I would carry a spare but don't rent the extra from them just buy on eBay or Amazon, it works out cheaper.
    09-27-11 10:25 AM
  24. Mindenhall's Avatar
    Find a shop with a Wind logo in the window, buy a prepaid SIM card for 10 Euro, 4.50 of which will be for 1 month of BIS and data, it'll be active within 24 hours and will cost you a whole heck of a lot less than a kludgy MiFi (I've tried -- works but the battery life's a deal-breaker).

    Just make sure your phone's unlocked and get a local SIM. Best way to go, by far.
    09-28-11 11:31 PM
  25. bberry3366's Avatar
    Update on my Tmobile bill for 10 days in france -- see my earlier post. I just got a chance to review it closely to figure out how the $.37 got on. There were multiple entries for data service roaming charges (to Orange France) but all but one listed it as RIM Blackberry. I checked email about 3 times a day (about 30 entries) and although the data used (very small) was listed, there was no charge for anything that was listed as RIM blackberry. The $.37 cents was for one internet access. I have no knowledge of using the internet, but I think my 9700 may have done it during those brief windows when I had it on. I had location service turned off, and as far as I know, have only two apps on the phone that might have done something. I do fear that if I had not turned the phone off most of the time, it would have run up more of those internet charges with some rogue app checking for an update or something. Anyway, wanted to share my experience for those who want to lower risk of unknown data charges. I was on vacation and "technically" shouldn't have been checking email so this might not work for someone who is traveling on business and needs to leave the phone on all the time..
    09-29-11 03:15 PM
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