This area is set aside for off-topic discussion. Everything that's absolutely nothing to do with travel at all... But please, keep it polite! Forum netiquette rules still apply.
#857990 by easygoingeezer
21 Sep 2013, 12:55
Last year when I went to Orlando I switched off all my dataroaming stuff on my iphone, then logged on to the hotel wifi,
almost instantly I got a message from O2 telling me I was useing WiFi outside Europe and there would be a £40 charge.

How can I be sure to prevent this happening again, I thought external wifi providers were free. Looked at the O2 forum but it seems some people have had the same, some got refunds and other members simply don't believe its possible as if people are making it up.
#857992 by Sealink
21 Sep 2013, 13:22
That's appalling.

I tend to put my phone on Airplane Mode and switch on WiFi where available.
#857993 by gfonk
21 Sep 2013, 13:38
I used WIFI in Japan in coffee shops, hotels etc and didn't get any of these kinds of messages nor did I get a big bill
Strange
#857994 by easygoingeezer
21 Sep 2013, 13:48
Well I ended up paying the £40, did not want to do it this Oct though. Still can not fathom that I had disabled push etc and turned off roaming and yet o2 still managed to bill me.
#857995 by mitchja
21 Sep 2013, 14:18
O2 is (or certainly was) a nightmare for this. That was one of the reason why dumped them. Never had any roaming data leaks with EE (or other networks) whist abroad other than with O2. Every time I travelled when on O2, even with all cellular data turned off, they still managed to charge me :(!

This applies to all networks when roaming to avoid data roaming charges - Before you travel, turn off voicemail/visual voicemail (there is a short code you can dial from your handset on O2 to do this, can't remember though what is is now, for other networks you will have to speak to customer service to do this), make sure data roaming is off, cellular data is off, MMS is off and email push is also off.
#857997 by Jacki
21 Sep 2013, 15:49
I've not had any problems historically but based on this information I'm leaving my iPhone at home when I go to Oz and taking the work Blackberry. v( :0 v(
#857998 by HWVlover
21 Sep 2013, 16:13
Jacki wrote:I've not had any problems historically but based on this information I'm leaving my iPhone at home when I go to Oz and taking the work Blackberry. v( :0 v(


Jacki, I always take a not so smart phone for my UK sim, in case anyone needs me in a hurry. And the smartphone (unlocked...thank you Google) gets a local sim..data and calls..cost about 30AUD for 30 days. (Telstra and Amaysim do them).
#858000 by Jacki
21 Sep 2013, 16:53
HWVlover wrote:
Jacki wrote:I've not had any problems historically but based on this information I'm leaving my iPhone at home when I go to Oz and taking the work Blackberry. v( :0 v(


Jacki, I always take a not so smart phone for my UK sim, in case anyone needs me in a hurry. And the smartphone (unlocked...thank you Google) gets a local sim..data and calls..cost about 30AUD for 30 days. (Telstra and Amaysim do them).


Thanks for the advice but to be honest It's not such a big deal and gives me an excuse only to take one phone as friends and family have both my numbers. In the past we have also bought two local pay as you go phones at the airport offering free calls that exceed the cost of the phones. Unfortunately we arrive late in the evening this time and the shop will be closed!
#858022 by bricey83
21 Sep 2013, 22:07
I have just got back from the staes after a 12 night trip and today I got a text message saying I was £102 over my usual bill amount. I had data roaming switched off for the whole trip and only used the internet when connected to wifi.

I did wonder why Google Maps was still working though!
#858049 by Silver Fox
22 Sep 2013, 11:56
I have had my O2 phone on in the USA plenty with wifi activated and never got that message, never got charged, and would not pay it if I did. Free wifi is free wifi. Is this just targetting iphones? I would ditch them in a heartbeat if they even thought about doing that.

Are you sure you weren't getting that message because you were not connecting to free wifi over there ?
#858051 by easygoingeezer
22 Sep 2013, 12:05
Yes silver it was from Leows hotel wifi, everything else on my phone was off. Seem quite a few O2 iphone customers have had it happen, some amazingly have been charged at home on their own wifi. Have a look at O2 community chat.
#858052 by Silver Fox
22 Sep 2013, 12:22
Good grief. I don't doubt you. I don't have an iphone so cannot comment, but on my Android everything is turned off in terms of data and roaming when I travel. I have a dual SIM phone with a US calls/text only SIM enabled when I travel to the US. I turn the UK number on occasionally to see if I have any UK texts, but the wifi is pretty much on 24x7, for emails, Viber, etc. and never a sniff of a charge. I suspect that if data is on, even with roaming off, then that is causing the issue.
#858053 by Neil
22 Sep 2013, 12:46
We are both on O2 and never had a problem in the US with our iPhones. Just ensure data roaming is turned off and only connect to wifi and you shouldn't have a problem of extra charges, we never have.
#858055 by Luke12
22 Sep 2013, 13:07
I had the O2 issue on a trip a few years back - data roaming switched off and using wifi - got charged. O2 quick led refunded and since then, the issue has not occurred again.
#858079 by easygoingeezer
22 Sep 2013, 20:35
Neil wrote:We are both on O2 and never had a problem in the US with our iPhones. Just ensure data roaming is turned off and only connect to wifi and you shouldn't have a problem of extra charges, we never have.


Thats my point, i did have a problem and it cost me £40. I don't want same this time.
I might take my old IP4 without the sim and use wi-fi on that.
#858639 by slinky09
30 Sep 2013, 09:37
Thanks for the alert on this, I'll look out for any fees - however I travel to the US twice a month, and have for years, with my O2 iPhone and with cellular data turned off have never seen this happen. Although I rarely WiFi with my UK phone as I have a US iPhone too ... mind you that's on AT&T and they're a whole other story!
#858649 by catsilversword
30 Sep 2013, 14:56
easygoingeezer wrote:
Neil wrote:We are both on O2 and never had a problem in the US with our iPhones. Just ensure data roaming is turned off and only connect to wifi and you shouldn't have a problem of extra charges, we never have.


Thats my point, i did have a problem and it cost me £40. I don't want same this time.
I might take my old IP4 without the sim and use wi-fi on that.


How can you pick up wifi without a sim? Ohhhh, hang on, that's the same as using wifi on an iPad that doesn't run on a contract? Would a smart non-iPhone also pic up wifi without a sim????
#858651 by mitchja
30 Sep 2013, 15:43
Yes, any mobile handset that has WiFi capabilities will sill be able to access the internet on just WiFi with no SIM card inserted. It won't be able to send or receive calls though.

Many will still be able to send or receive messages, like iPhones with iMessage for example, as that also works when on just WiFi as well.

If you do need to make calls, use something like Skype for example. Not sure if everyone is aware but with Skype, you can dial Freephone numbers without needing any Skype credit i.e. It still works if you just have a free Skype account. I use my free Skype account to dial freephone numbers all the time on my iPhone (some mobile networks do block Skype when on 3G/4G though). Even works on tablets too.
#858653 by mitchja
30 Sep 2013, 17:43
Just don't hold your tablet/iPad up to your head to make a call with it as you may look a little silly, it's bad enough seeing people take photos with tablets never mind using them as a mobile phone :w :o)
#858676 by catsilversword
01 Oct 2013, 03:21
mitchja wrote:Just don't hold your tablet/iPad up to your head to make a call with it as you may look a little silly, it's bad enough seeing people take photos with tablets never mind using them as a mobile phone :w :o)


I'm so with you on that y)
#860267 by easygoingeezer
25 Oct 2013, 13:04
Just thought I would let you know that once again even after switching everything off as advised I got the "you are using wifi outside Europe" message and would be charged for Data up to £40.
Switched the phone off and used my old IP4 instead with no sim in.

O2 are little shysters but didn't get my money this time.
Virgin Atlantic

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