Internation Roaming Charges. Final Test!

[marcvalme]

I am about to travel to haiti on Charity and I want to end the discussion on International data charges with Tmobiles's unlimited international email plan. I have been reading through a dozen threads on different forums on this issue and the answers have been mixed.

Some never get charged at all, some do. Most recommened turning of the tcp/apn but I haven't seen any definitive test.

So I am leaving on the 22nd and I don't mind paying a few bucks roaming charges to be completely confident about roaming charges.

I have a bold 9900, and I want to go through a series of test on each day to get to the bottom of roaming charges. Can anyone make any recommendations?

I am going to leave my apn on, and use the web browser and google maps breifly. Then I am going to uncheck apn and use every app I have breifly. Can anyone think of any other test so we can put this mystery to bed?

[lobbyintx]

if you can get to a hotspot and turn on wifi, assuming the phone connects correctly, you will have free calls to the usa from haiti. otherwise, get a prepaid sim and use it to call locally. uma worked great for me on my recent trip to africa. used it in 3 diff countries. as far as international email, other posts have stated you get charged for data outside of reading an email.

[dmk11]

Just a warning, you might get charged roaming whether you have APN turned on or not.

I've traveled internationally many times while I'm with Tmobile - one of the reason why I chose Tmo is because of the BB Intl data plan of $20/mo and the ability to do UMA when I'm overseas.

The procedure that I always take when I go out of the country is to call them to turn on the BB Intl data plan and turn off TCP/APN server on my BB. When I did this in the past, I never get data roaming charges since the phone automatically prevent non BB server access while I'm not on WiFi.

This last trip (last month) was different. I immediately noticed data roaming charges on my online account activity. When I called them, they indeed confirm to me that I'm using data outside the BB email/server stuff being charged at $15/MB. BB Tech support agreed that turning off the TCP/APN should've prevented it, but could not explain the charges. One recommended to turn off Data Roaming completely, but that prevented me from getting my emails, which renders the BB Intl data plan useless.
They ended up having to turn off my "internet" while I'm using cell towers on their end of the server. I'm not exactly clear on what they did because I didn't ask for the official feature name and no one since that original tech person who turned it off know what he did - or able to turn it back on for that matter!
So yes, I still can't web browse or use "internet" when I'm using the cell towers even though I'm back in US now.

[marcvalme]

Thanks for the heads up, your experience adds to the confusion. And dims the chance of a risk free way to travel with your BB on Tmobile and still receive emails.

I was wondering if you can go into deeper details such as:

Where did you go?

What apps did you use?

Where you able to narraw down which apps use the data?

If I go to ipchicken.com (while home) from my browser it clearly shows that my ipaddress is that of a blackberry.net server, (whether or not the APN, is on or off). Shouldnt that mean that all browser data is going through BIS

When they shut down your "internet" were you still able to recieve emails/bbm/etc...

Originally Posted by dmk11

Just a warning, you might get charged roaming whether you have APN turned on or not.

I've traveled internationally many times while I'm with Tmobile - one of the reason why I chose Tmo is because of the BB Intl data plan of $20/mo and the ability to do UMA when I'm overseas.

The procedure that I always take when I go out of the country is to call them to turn on the BB Intl data plan and turn off TCP/APN server on my BB. When I did this in the past, I never get data roaming charges since the phone automatically prevent non BB server access while I'm not on WiFi.

This last trip (last month) was different. I immediately noticed data roaming charges on my online account activity. When I called them, they indeed confirm to me that I'm using data outside the BB email/server stuff being charged at $15/MB. BB Tech support agreed that turning off the TCP/APN should've prevented it, but could not explain the charges. One recommended to turn off Data Roaming completely, but that prevented me from getting my emails, which renders the BB Intl data plan useless.
They ended up having to turn off my "internet" while I'm using cell towers on their end of the server. I'm not exactly clear on what they did because I didn't ask for the official feature name and no one since that original tech person who turned it off know what he did - or able to turn it back on for that matter!
So yes, I still can't web browse or use "internet" when I'm using the cell towers even though I'm back in US now.

[Mikethaler]

The OP has a 9900. Unless he has a leaked (unofficial) 7.1OS, his phone doesn't have wifi calling.

He already said he is prepared for some high data roaming charges since he wants to use Google maps and some other apps.

He could avoid all this IF he only used data when on wifi. I assume the BB is like all older BB models and you can turn off data when roaming.
The problem most people have is that there are many items that run in the background. This won't be a problem for him since he'll disable the apn except for the time he is running maps and apps.
He didn't mention making use of the unlimted 67 cents/day option for email.

[marcvalme]

With respect friend I do desire any roaming charges, but I am willing to risk finding out if google maps will bring about roaming charges. If I disable the APN, I will not use it heavily just for a few minutes as a test.

I do have the unofficial OS with wifi calling

Well turning of data roaming defeats the purpose of staying connect with my BB. The tmobile international email plan is about stayin connected.

Technically it is only for email, but it allows all data that goes through blackberry. Its just hard to tell which apps data go through blackberry and which do not.

I just want to figure out conclusively what I can and cannot use.

Originally Posted by Mikethaler

The OP has a 9900. Unless he has a leaked (unofficial) 7.1OS, his phone doesn't have wifi calling.

He already said he is prepared for some high data roaming charges since he wants to use Google maps and some other apps.

He could avoid all this IF he only used data when on wifi. I assume the BB is like all older BB models and you can turn off data when roaming.
The problem most people have is that there are many items that run in the background. This won't be a problem for him since he'll disable the apn except for the time he is running maps and apps.
He didn't mention making use of the unlimted 67 cents/day option for email.

[Mikethaler]

It is tough. We have traveled extensively the past few years making use of UMA and the email pkg. We leave data roaming on so we can get email. The problem is trying to figure out what you have on the phone that may be slurping data in the background. I only found one app that tells you what apps may be open and capable of using data - but i'm not sure how accurate it is. It is called "Mobile Data Alerter" from something called "e-office". I found it here and couldn't find anything else that attempts to do that. It hasn't been updated in nearly 3 years.

[marcvalme]

UMA is a saving grace and I plan to use it extensively. But when you werent in a wifi area and checked your email were you consistantly charged with roaming data?

I'll have to look up that "mobile data alerter" it may not work for my phone since it has not been updated

[Mikethaler]

Since we activate the unlimited email option on TM for the time we are overseas, we never get charged for data related to email.
Yeah - they may not have released a version that works on OS7.

[dmk11]

Originally Posted by marcvalme

Thanks for the heads up, your experience adds to the confusion. And dims the chance of a risk free way to travel with your BB on Tmobile and still receive emails.

I was wondering if you can go into deeper details such as:

Where did you go?

What apps did you use?

Where you able to narraw down which apps use the data?

If I go to ipchicken.com (while home) from my browser it clearly shows that my ipaddress is that of a blackberry.net server, (whether or not the APN, is on or off). Shouldnt that mean that all browser data is going through BIS

When they shut down your "internet" were you still able to recieve emails/bbm/etc...

I went to Taiwan.
I use many apps, but I suspect Google Sync as the primary culprit. But I didn't really try to narrow it down.
Yes, when they shut down my "internet", I was still able to receive email/bbm/bb stuff. This is exactly what was happening on my previous trips where I turned off APN. Apparently it's not enough to turn off APN server now.
They must have changed something.

[Mikethaler]

Since the beginning days of UMA have been to about a dozen countries from Australia to Zambia. Haven't been overseas since last Apr./May when in Portugal and Spain.
That was the first time I ever incurred data charges. Something was obviously running in the background that, periodically, polled something in small bits/bytes and totaled $50+!!.
I didn't do anything diff. than on the many other trips. Made sure any data using app was off. Would check that daily more than once.
TM CS took off the charges w.o. any argument. I don't know what happened and our fall trip didn't happen. The CS person said something about something periodically slurping small amounts of data at all hours of the day and nite.
Can you disable Google sync? (If that what it suddenly is.)
I don't want to disable "data when roaming" because that would disable (I assume) my BB email.

[marcvalme]

First off, I envy what ever business your in that allows you to travel so much. Are you hiring!!

Secondly, when you say you werent doing anything different, what specifically were you using asides from Email?

Third, why do you need google sync? Blackberry's native email client will sync googles calender and contacts through BIS

Originally Posted by Mikethaler

Since the beginning days of UMA have been to about a dozen countries from Australia to Zambia. Haven't been overseas since last Apr./May when in Portugal and Spain.
That was the first time I ever incurred data charges. Something was obviously running in the background that, periodically, polled something in small bits/bytes and totaled $50+!!.
I didn't do anything diff. than on the many other trips. Made sure any data using app was off. Would check that daily more than once.
TM CS took off the charges w.o. any argument. I don't know what happened and our fall trip didn't happen. The CS person said something about something periodically slurping small amounts of data at all hours of the day and nite.
Can you disable Google sync? (If that what it suddenly is.)
I don't want to disable "data when roaming" because that would disable (I assume) my BB email.

[Mikethaler]

Originally Posted by marcvalme

First off, I envy what ever business your in that allows you to travel so much. Are you hiring!!

Secondly, when you say you werent doing anything different, what specifically were you using asides from Email?

Third, why do you need google sync? Blackberry's native email client will sync googles calender and contacts through BIS

I never have used G-sync. However, I thought that most smart phones, from what I have read, track your locations, in the background - and that must use data. I mistakenly thought that was related to G-sync.
I NEVER have used anything but email (except when on wifi when I disable cell tower ability). I did nothing diff. on this last trip. The fact that the small data usage/billings happened several times in the course of a 24 hr. day makes me think "something" was going on.

As for travel - we are semi-retired and try to take 2 intl. trips a year. My "work" is in one location in the U.S.

[marcvalme]

That is my fear, that the data being used cannot be stopped. I hope that it is some app that can be disabled, or some setting that can be changed. Just cant figure out why some get charged and some do not.

Apparently disabling the APN used to work, but now it does not.

As for the location question, there is a "Location Data" option that allows the phone to collect "anonymous" data that you can unchecked.

Interestingly enough, there are three options:
Enabled
Disabled
Disabled While Roaming

For the life of me I cannot figure out why default option would be "Enabled" rather the "Disabled while Roaming"



As for your livelihood, it is just as enviable that your enjoying a comfy semi retirement full of travel. I wake up every morning, working towards the day when I dont have to wake up every morning

[Mikethaler]

Originally Posted by marcvalme

That is my fear, that the data being used cannot be stopped. I hope that it is some app that can be disabled, or some setting that can be changed. Just cant figure out why some get charged and some do not.

Apparently disabling the APN used to work, but now it does not.

As for the location question, there is a "Location Data" option that allows the phone to collect "anonymous" data that you can unchecked.

Interestingly enough, there are three options:
Enabled
Disabled
Disabled While Roaming

For the life of me I cannot figure out why default option would be "Enabled" rather the "Disabled while Roaming"

On my BB9700 , under connections, under "data services" I can turn that on or off. Below that is "while roaming". I can turn that on or off.
Where do you find the anonymous location data option?

I now run OS6. Was running OS5 on last trip.