Filed under: iPhone
Insane international iPhone roaming charges
Okay here's something to keep in mind if you're planning on taking your iPhone overseas. Apparently, a boing boing reader decided to use his iPhone in roaming mode in the UK and Ireland, but didn't bother to figure out how the $0.005/KB rate would translate into real-world usage. Well two weeks of "sporadic AT&T EDGE network usage off and on mixed with wifi when available" came to $3000!After the story got legs on the 'net, AT&T apparently decided to waive the charges. It seems that AT&T offers an unlimited international data plan for Blackberry users, but not one for the iPhone. Nonetheless, there's a lesson here for international travelers. Keep to wifi when overseas if you don't want to get stuck with massive roaming charges.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ChrismUSAF said 7:49PM on 8-01-2007
Okay, this is in NO WAY "sporadic" use! I just got back from two weeks in spain, and with my sporadic use (going to airplane mode when I lose wifi), I sucked up half a megabyte, which at $0.005/KB is about $2.50. $3000 would mean 600,000 KB or 600 MB! Checking my usage over the life of my iPhone, I have only downloaded 166 MB and uploaded 17.8 MB, and I use it all the time.
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Paul said 8:12PM on 8-01-2007
He didn't check how much it would cost? What a douche. He deserved to pay that fee.
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josh said 8:21PM on 8-01-2007
The problem with the suggestion of "sticking to WiFi while abroad" is that I can't see an easy way of turning off EDGE roaming.
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Trent said 8:25PM on 8-01-2007
Actually AT&T does offer an international unlimited data plan, at least for Europe (Italy) I just returned and signed up for the data plan before leaving and it worked out perfect for ~$30.
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Steve Grenier said 8:34PM on 8-01-2007
Ouch poor guy.
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Trevor said 9:11PM on 8-01-2007
I was just in London on a business trip. I tried to activate the 1 international data plan that was available but i was told that i would have to keep it for a year ($24.99 X 12) !! because the normal plans 'were not ready yet' for the iphone - if i had any other phone, i would be able to do that. but soon, they woudl be available.
i moaned at the poor rep about how pointless it is to have this phone and no roaming data plan..but that didnt help.
i activated the iphone immediatly but cannot see my bill yet, so i am afraid - very afraid. hopefully i can get something done like this guy did.
the thing is, i dont know how to turn off 'just EDGE' alone.
in any case, maps saved me on many a street...i was conected to the O2 provider most of the time, and seemed to get slower than edge speeds - here in nyc i'm noticing the speeds are faster in comparison.
i want my full 3G and roaming (that i can cancel when i want to).
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Robert said 9:39PM on 8-01-2007
I just traveled to Italy and have not yet recieved my bill but I am sure I am going to get hit with huge data charges. I made ever effort to utilize the WiFi connection with my Airport Express when ever I was in my hotel room and I would avoid using any of the applications that reach out over the data network. What I have noticed is that when the phone is idle and you awake it to begin using some services it takes a bit before it reconnects to the WiFi. As a result I ended up using the GRPS network against my wishes. Blackberry offeres a feature where you can prevent the device from using the data networks while roaming, Apple really needs to consider doing the same.
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Donald said 9:55PM on 8-01-2007
I agree with the posting made by the previous poster. Most if not all other PDA type phones have a facility for turning off the network radio and turning on wi-fi exclusively. I made a trip to Bermuda two weeks ago, and did not activate my phone outside of the hotel which offered free wi-fi; but I was charged by AT&T $50 for accessing another network. Apple HAS got to do something to separate the two radios.
Had I known, I would have taken the sim card out. But, that really isn't a very practical option if all you want to do is use the wi-fi capabilities of the phone when you travel overseas.
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Scott Larmon said 10:21PM on 8-01-2007
I am a Canadian, and bought an iPhone. I happen to have a US driver's license and was able to get an AT&T account, after I happily paid a $500 deposit. However, being a "deposit" account, I cannot make any changes or add anything to my account for 90 days. That includes the international roaming. I am aware of the data rates, and am trying hard to keep my Canadian usage down (I travel frequently in the US), but it would seem that AT&T's policies are designed so that I will pay huge roaming rates for my first 90 days. I tried everything, even offering to pay a larger deposit to no end.
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Joe Hocker said 1:49AM on 8-02-2007
So, back to comment # 3, how do you shut off edge data access and still us the voice component of the phone?
I hope it's not a matter of tuning on wifi, because wifi is great but it seems to zap my battery life. I make it about a half day before needing to recharge when wifi is enabled.
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cynyc said 3:31AM on 8-02-2007
To "shut off" the radio you simply use the SIM PIN!
You need the PUK code to chose a personal SIM PIN the first time. The PUK code can be found by going to "Manage Your Account" or "my Wireless Account" on AT&T's homepage to log in. Clicking on the blue header PHONE/DEVICE will open up a page that will show the option "Unblock SIM card". Follow those instructions with the PUK code provided. (Use the keypad in "Phone".) This will unblock the SIM. (No, it won't UNLOCK it...)
You can now chose a 4 digit SIM PIN in "Settings/Phone".
When the SIM PIN option is turned on you will be prompted for it after each startup. Simply press "OK" instead of "Unlock". Voilà! No radio.
This will also prevent incoming calls, which by the way will cost you a minute of roaming charges if the phone rings abroad, even when you don't answer and the call goes to Voicemail. They will also charge you for the length of the message left, and of course Visual Voicemail won't work. So when you listen to the message, you get charged again.
The friendly AT&T person told me "that's why most people turn their phone off when abroad." Yeah, right.
With the SIM PIN solution above the iPhone can be on and function except for phone calls. To make those simply enter the PIN. But don't forget to turn the phone off and back on afterwards to lock the SIM again!
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cynyc said 3:58AM on 8-02-2007
P.S.
The international data roaming rate is $.0195/KB, not $0.005/KB!!!
So $3000 in charges are about 153MB...
I don't get that many emails, but on a typical day it might be around 800KB. That's $15, just to read, no replies...
WiFi is the only way!
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Levi said 6:04AM on 8-02-2007
I'm not surprised. An international SMS message costs me 20p (40UScents)... an SMS text can't be any bigger than .5KB. I know it's not the same thing, but it says the same: international roaming charges suck!
As for the comment by the user connected to O2 in the UK, and "EDGE" speeds being slow... O2 doesn't have an EDGE network (there's only one carrier that does and I can't remember if it's Orange or T-Mobile... I think it's the former); you must have been connected by good old fashioned General Packet Radio. Welcome to the UK: We like our technology old, and our prices high.
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JamesB said 7:36AM on 8-02-2007
With respect to Levi, the main reason that few UK networks offer EDGE is that 3G is ubiquitous (at least in cities) and much faster than EDGE. In fact, within a year or two HSDPA will be everywhere - it's already available to business users via a couple of networks. 1.8Mbps! This is about 9x the theoretical maximum capability of EDGE and about 20x the practical maximum. EDGE is dead in the water; there's simply no reason for UK operators to implement it.
But yes, the fact that there's no easy way to disable the over-the-air data service and rely on WiFi is a real oversight.
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AC13 said 10:19AM on 8-02-2007
Just take the sim card out. You cannot use the phone features, but everything else works just fine. If you don't use the phone, you cannot be charged for the international roaming fees.
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Lars said 5:15PM on 8-02-2007
"The European Commission says most mobile phone operators are complying with the regulation to cut mobile roaming charges by up to 70% in the EU."
[..]
"The caps followed a lengthy investigation into the market by the European Commission. It calculated that mobile phone firms made about 8.5bn euros ($11bn; £5.7bn) profit a year from roaming fees."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6928026.stm
Sometimes a little regulation to limit obscene profits isn't all that bad.
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John said 5:51PM on 8-02-2007
RE: taking out the SIM card--why bother? It's easier to just put the phone in airplane mode, which should accomplish the same thing, yes?
Despite loving my iphone, I've stopped recommending it to colleagues who like me do a fair amount of international work.
1. The AT&T cost structure singles out the iPhone and slams us with ridiculous international data rates. I'm actually equally angry at Apple for not hashing out this point when negotiating with AT&T over the iphone's initial cost plan. People who are willing and able to pay $600 for a phone probably do a reasonable amount of international travel. Come on people, this isn't rocket science.
2. Failing to get a reasonable deal for international data use, Apple sure as hell ought to have given users the option to toggle off EDGE data usage while still being able to make and receive calls. When we're overseas there's often a more pressing need to be able to make and receive calls. Again, not rocket science.
There were so many things Apple got right with the iPhone, but boy was this a daft and colossal oversight.
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Gina said 2:01PM on 8-03-2007
To get to the screen to enter your PUK number you have to try to lock the SIM card a few times. Eventually the dialog will pop up requesting your PUK number and then allowing you to assign a password. I was told to do a restore first and then try it. It worked great for me. Now I can relax in the Med, not worried about massive roaming charges.
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John said 5:25PM on 8-04-2007
First of all, your SIM pin is not limited to just four digits. I use eight digits, but you may be able to use more.
Secondly, there's no need for your PUK number. Just go to Phone Settings and set the SIM pin.
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John said 5:30PM on 8-04-2007
Oops, I may have been mistaken about not needing the PUK code. I seem to vaguely recall having to call AT&T in order to set my SIM pin the 1st time.
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