iPhone roaming charges - please help.

macman

Any wrote: »

That is actually quite rude. You were obviously born with all the knowledge in the world. Just make sure you measure the doorway before you go through, your head might get stuck.

I am aware of all the expensive roaming charges and I always check my Iphone's settings to "off".
However the last bank holiday weekend we went away and I forgot to do it before, I remembered and checked once we got there and it was "on" (even though I would never ever had any need to switch it on). I switched it off immediately. Thinking "well, I didn't need the net or used any apps anyway so I'll be O.K.".

I got charged £1.50 for data for those few hours before I remembered. Not going to argue with anyone over that, just will remember to ALWAYS check before.

But can anyone tell me why does the phone uses data if you are not using anything?

Before my old internet, which was dial up, never dialed up itself... unless I dialed up!!

Because it's constantly checking and updating. It will depend what apps you have installed. Dial up is 'on-demand'. A 3G data connection is 'always on', whether you are using the phone or not. Unless you switch it of of course.

grumbler

I am no expert, but I think it is the same for 2g, just slower. It depends on the phone software, not the signal used.

Any

macman wrote: »

Because it's constantly checking and updating. It will depend what apps you have installed. Dial up is 'on-demand'. A 3G data connection is 'always on', whether you are using the phone or not. Unless you switch it of of course.

I used dial up as example because that is what other user used...
When I go into my app store app only then it looks and gives me list of updates needed and I have to put password in to download all updates... So what exactly is it updating?

I would have never thought of that..

robt_2

All your push notifications are data for example.

Keepcalmandcarryon_2

It seems that all the mobile phone providers are as bad as each other. I'd been a Tesco mobile customer on a simple phone package for a while when I added a (not so) smartphone for my son. Sales guy never even hinted at the potential for these huge bills if you go even slightly over the monthly allowance but assured us a text would be sent straight away when the limit was getting close...what lies. They leave it a minimum of 5 hours after you have reached the limit before telling you during which time, the damage is done. I believe they use the 02 network which informs you straight away so why they can't I don't seem to be able to get an answer to.
The cynic in me says this is a money making scam by Tesco because of course, it isn't until you have a problem like this that you realise you have already 'been had' because Tesco Mobile use a method of payment collection called RECURRING TRANSFER - you think you've signed up for a direct debit, you call it a direct debit and Tesco don't correct you but basically you give them permission to take as much as they want from your bank account for as long as they want and there is nothing you can do about it. I've referred a complaint to the Ombudsman and requested that payment be withheld both to my bank and to Tesco pending resolution but the bank says there is nothing it can do and Tesco ignore you and take it anyway because they can! BE WARNED IF YOUR PAYMENT MANDATE DOESN'T SAY DIRECT DEBIT IT ISN'T! and unless money is no object, don't buy a smartphone - this is consumer rip off on a major scale. Quite why the telecoms industry is able to operate like this is beyond me. :mad:

grumbler

Well, on their site they say: "You would have set up a Direct Debit or continuous credit card payment when you opened your Pay monthly account with us."
Then they have the following FAQs:

• How can I change my continuous credit card details?
• How can I change my Direct Debit details?

This makes me thinking that the CPA refers to credit cards and DD refers to debit cards that is a norm. At least I expect to be given an opportunity for a debit card to chose between the CPA and DD. And the required details are obviously different:

• sort code + acc. number for DD
• 16-digit card number and exp. date for CPA

Guys_Dad

Keepcalmandcarryon wrote: »

The cynic in me says this is a money making scam by Tesco because of course, it isn't until you have a problem like this that you realise you have already 'been had' because Tesco Mobile use a method of payment collection called RECURRING TRANSFER - you think you've signed up for a direct debit, you call it a direct debit and Tesco don't correct you but basically you give them permission to take as much as they want from your bank account for as long as they want and there is nothing you can do about it. I've referred a complaint to the Ombudsman and requested that payment be withheld both to my bank and to Tesco pending resolution but the bank says there is nothing it can do and Tesco ignore you and take it anyway because they can! BE WARNED IF YOUR PAYMENT MANDATE DOESN'T SAY DIRECT DEBIT IT ISN'T! and unless money is no object, don't buy a smartphone - this is consumer rip off on a major scale. Quite why the telecoms industry is able to operate like this is beyond me. :mad:

You need to understand that when you are roaming, your home network doesn't know how much data you are using until the foreign network tells them. That can take some time, so any notification is likely to be in arrears.

You DO NOT want to put your account with TESCO in arrears otherwise, when they report all accounts monthly to Ecperia etc, yours will sho "in arrears". because it's factual.

Much better to take action after payment - Tesco are not going anywhere and it's much easier than trying to eradicate black marks from your credit record. (Yes I know it looks like things are weighted against the small guy - but they are. Accept it and use the system to get the result you want)

macman

Any wrote: »

I used dial up as example because that is what other user used...
When I go into my app store app only then it looks and gives me list of updates needed and I have to put password in to download all updates... So what exactly is it updating?

I would have never thought of that..

Think of your data connection as being like your broadband connection on your PC. When it's switched on and connected to the router, it's using data: it updates the antivirus, downloads any Windows and other program updates, polls your email server every few minutes etc...even if you are not actually using it at the time.

Any

macman wrote: »

Think of your data connection as being like your broadband connection on your PC. When it's switched on and connected to the router, it's using data: it updates the antivirus, downloads any Windows and other program updates, polls your email server every few minutes etc...even if you are not actually using it at the time.

Thank you. I am not an expert as you might have noticed, and that is why I wouldn't think of it.
My PC asks me every time whether it is allowed to download, update or change anything, even antivirus, so it is not doing any of these things while I am not looking, without my knowledge. So I would have never thought of it.

grumbler

Any wrote: »

My PC asks me every time whether it is allowed to download, update or change anything, even antivirus, so it is not doing any of these things while I am not looking, without my knowledge. So I would have never thought of it.

Does Windows ask you before downloading updates several times a week? And even if it does, how does it know that the new updates are available before asking you?