[Kraigster]

Hi. I'm traveling to Jamaica next week for vacation. I have the Storm

Am I going to be charge roaming charges or any extra fees for data, etc., if my Storm is on in Jamaica?

If so, how do I disconnect it so I don't get any emails?

I would rather keep my Storm on, just in case, but I don't want to incur any additional fees.

Thanks in advance.

Craig

[chasvs]

Hi. I'm traveling to Jamaica next week for vacation. I have the Storm

Am I going to be charge roaming charges or any extra fees for data, etc., if my Storm is on in Jamaica?

If so, how do I disconnect it so I don't get any emails?

I would rather keep my Storm on, just in case, but I don't want to incur any additional fees.

Thanks in advance.

Craig

I took my BB 8830 on (Verizon CDMA with a Global Sim Card like the Storm has) to Germany last year. The phone connected to the GSM network over there just fine. I left it on but did not make any calls, but I was able to receive and send e-mail using the BIS and did not get charged anything extra. Don't know for sure if that's going to happen with you, so to be sure ask Verizon about it. I did have their Global Access plan option, so that may have been why i didn't get charged anything for the data usage. Again, my experience, check with Verizon to make sure for your situation.

[Branta]

You should find an option somewhere in the menus to turn off data - either completely or 'while roaming'. I don't have Storm to guide you exactly, but on my Bold its Options/Mobile Network

Hoiwever, data roaming is usually not very costly if you're careful and only do messaging, avoid web browsing. The expensive stuff is voice calls so you might do better to keep the data going and reduce voice usage. You need to check details and plans with your service provider.

[NFLBlitze1]

Make sure to call verizon and tell them you are going overseas, because if you do so happen to get an emergency call, they will know that your in jamaica and you won't get raped with roaming charges, you'll get a decent rate per minute

[theswami#CB]

Lucky you, I just got back from Jamaica and used my Storm a ton while there. Since I needed the BB for professional and personal reasons I needed to put together a good package that was not going to cost an arm and a leg for my company or me.

1) Call VZW and get the phone unlocked.
2) If you want data (email and web) while you are there, call VZW a day or two before you leave and have the international data plan added ($64.99 per month). This should give you data access for only slightly more per day (monthly amount prorated) than your old plan. When you return to the U.S. revert back to your old plan.
3) VZW charges $1.99 per minute for voice. I connected with Digicel (more on that in a sec) and used one of their pre-paid SIM cards for approximately USD $16-$17 after tax (JA $1000) and got 1000 minutes to call the U.S. during 30 days.

Regarding Digicel, I had the best customer service experience I have ever had with a utility provider. I contacted Digicel via [email protected]. I sent an email indicating I would be traveling to Negril and asked a ton of questions. Over the course of a couple of days, Julia Mingoes ([email protected]) of Digicel essentially figured out what I needed to have done and made it happen.

1) Julia had a prepaid SIM delivered to my hotel waiting for me upon my arrival.
2) I wanted to a) be able to give people (work and family) in the U.S. a phone number (besides my hotel) and b) load the card with credit (called a top up) before I left town. Julia activated the card for me and gave me the phone number.
3) Before I left, I loaded the SIM via the web using my Visa card. (This can wait until you get to Jamaica but you need to make sure you have web access). There are other ways to load the card but via web seemed the best way for me.
4) Digicel has an "international plan" which allows you to pay JA $1000 (approx. USD $16-$17 after tax ) and get 1000 minutes to call the U.S. Once you get the credit on your account and get the SIM in your phone you have to activate the international plan by dialing *134# send.
5) When you need to use data you use the VZW SIM and when you need voice you use the Digicel SIM.

The voice part of setting this up was flawless however, on the data side, it took a good hour to get it working. Apparently, someone at VZW had to switch the account to GSM to get it to work. I have no clue why the phone does not figure that out on its own and just "work" without intervention.

Anyway, the data was VERY fast and the phone read Digicel (for voice and data despite the fact I used two different SIMs) and read "EDGE" when it was using data services.

The worst part about the situation besides taking an hour to set-up data was the fact I had to switch SIM cards, It takes the Storm a while too reboot after the battery pulls and I missed a bunch of calls when I was using the VZW SIM for email. Fortunately, the Digicel card includes voice mail so it was not too much of a problem.

YMMV, but this worked for me and I will report back if my billing for either service was crazy.