iPhone roaming charges - please help.

Any

macman wrote: »

Most smartphone owners would surely know that a data connection is always 'on', unless switched off. Little point in having such a phone otherwise.

???
How is that? It has internet when I want it, it has maps when I want it, it has fab apps etc..
I don't have the phone because it uses data when I am not using it, what kind of comment is that?? :rotfl:

Guys_Dad

Any wrote: »

Well done you then!!
I know that now too when you told me.

O.K., I already admited it - I don't know that much about computers!!
I know how to use them, expert over excel spreadsheets, but I do not know anything about Windows update!!

Edit: And that brings me to another point - even if I did know about Windows update connecting whenever it wants, if I take my laptop to caribean it is not going to connect itself to foreign network and spend 800 quit on my behalf, so I am not sure that I would put 2 and 2 together even then!!

Any - you are a very experienced MSE member. Did you read Martin's article? http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2010/04/complaints-over-erroneous-iphone-data-roaming-charges

Particularly about certain apps running in background and, of course, the various network charges.

Just assume that, if a smartphone is on, there may be a danger of it hitting the local web if you ever connect overseas.

grumbler

macman wrote: »

Most smartphone owners would surely know that a data connection is always 'on', unless switched off. Little point in having such a phone otherwise.

Most, but not all. Little point? Make/receive calls, send/receive texts, play games (ofline), take photos, listen music. watch video, use internet for browsing/downloading (and satnav) - when you need it.

If the connection is 'on' this doesn't necessarily mean that data exchange has to take place.
Traditional mobile connection is always 'on' too. The phones send information to the network and receive it, but you are not charged for this.

If you don't know and have not installed any exotic apps, there is no reasons to assume that you are getting charged for doing nothing.

macman

Any wrote: »

???
How is that? It has internet when I want it, it has maps when I want it, it has fab apps etc..
I don't have the phone because it uses data when I am not using it, what kind of comment is that?? :rotfl:

If you want the features of a smartphone then you need to accept that it will use some data to maintain/update those apps even when you are not using them all the time. If not you'll have to switch data on and off as required.

Any

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Any - you are a very experienced MSE member. Did you read Martin's article? http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2010/04/complaints-over-erroneous-iphone-data-roaming-charges

Particularly about certain apps running in background and, of course, the various network charges.

Just assume that, if a smartphone is on, there may be a danger of it hitting the local web if you ever connect overseas.

Yes, I did, before it was updated and that is why I always switch data off just to make sure I don't get charged.
But at the time it was mainly for fear that it will use up some data if I start up an app or email and before it registers wifi (you know, some wifis abroad work, but don't really... it shows as connected to them but net is not running) so it would use roaming instead.

I do know now, and that is exactly what I am saying - it is not that clear cut, as to say you must know as PC works the same or you must know coz you pay extra for calls too (because neither is really relevant - this is a phone, not PC and for calls you only pay when you use them).

Also when you switch the data on it say "it might be expensive", not "it will use data and therefore will cost you, even if you are not using internet"

I do think there should be higher awareness.

2sides2everystory

robt wrote: »

I already explained why, but you decided not to quote that part of my post.

Users are at fault. Not the phones.

Gawd robt, you sound like a City IT Tech guy after a bad day

Seriously, you can't measure the propensity of the UK customer base to understand all this stuff just because you do or I do. We are nowhere near typical users. It is typical users who are not receiving sufficient protections against nightmare experiences which they deserve via

• proper error-handling in the iPhone Apps,
• a more intuitive iphone operating system/user interface in respect of data roaming control,
• access to data roaming controls via the online account management on their network's website, nor potentially via
• more error handling via text messaging when unusual roaming expense is being incurred

As I implied earlier, you can hardly blame me for floating the suggestion that the absence of some or all of this stuff is indicative of a deliberate attempt to wrongfoot customers.

drbesty

The easy answer is to leave your fancy smartphone at home and take a cheap phone instead, you can probably do without Facebook and Youtube for a week

robt_2

2sides2everystory wrote: »

Gawd robt, you sound like a City IT Tech guy after a bad day

Seriously, you can't measure the propensity of the UK customer base to understand all this stuff just because you do or I do. We are nowhere near typical users. It is typical users who are not receiving sufficient protections against nightmare experiences which they deserve via

• proper error-handling in the iPhone Apps,
• a more intuitive iphone operating system/user interface in respect of data roaming control,
• access to data roaming controls via the online account management on their network's website, nor potentially via
• more error handling via text messaging when unusual roaming expense is being incurred

As I implied earlier, you can hardly blame me for floating the suggestion that the absence of some or all of this stuff is indicative of a deliberate attempt to wrongfoot customers.

The iPhone has data turned off by default. If you turn it on it warns you that data roaming can be very expensive. Please tell me how this is an iPhone problem and not a user problem.

Sounds like you are just iPhone bashing to me.

Cash-Strapped.T32

drbesty wrote: »

you can probably do without Facebook and Youtube for a week

I would argue that this is a positively healthy state of affairs but what do I know I'm just a humble computer geek..?

2sides2everystory

robt wrote: »

The iPhone has data turned off by default. If you turn it on it warns you that data roaming can be very expensive. Please tell me how this is an iPhone problem and not a user problem.

Sounds like you are just iPhone bashing to me.

Oh come on Robert, that's about as useful as a warning of danger of death on a cigarette packet - it is a message directed in passing at someone who's already made a decision to buy an immensely powerful and complex data communication device. They don't just buy them as ornaments. They buy them cos they do stuff, largely on the internet. How they do stuff is about as well understood as what goes on under a car bonnet.

Yes I am Apple bashing - clearly they know about this problem but have they done anything to cause the networks and application designers to reduce the impact? No - because profit to the networks primarily is the key to profit to Apple.

In case you hadn't noticed, Apple's rise to becoming the most successful mobile phone manufacturer ever coincides with an absolutely exponentila crescendo in mobile internet bandwidth and speed. Apple has a responsibility to see that the whole product that reaches the customer does not contain traps for the unwary.

Currently the product does still contain such traps, and Apple is a bad citizen until it throws its weight behind fixing things.

And I am not abashed to say so

Let's at least get some of this into perspective - I am pretty certain I was once able for a time on one of my early model Nokia Communicators to get ISDN (pretty decent speed) data roaming bandwidth for free or at least that it was based quite cheaply simply upon minutes connected, not on quantity of data received or transmitted. All we have witnessed in the last ten years is the industry having acted as a cartel and saying hang on now, what are people beginning to use most so what can we start charging them through the nose for next for a few years before the regulators tell us to go easy?

Years and years ago, the Post Office i.e. the UK national-owned telephone company before it became British Telecom/BT used to manage a public packet switched data network service known only to a few pointy heads as PSS (Packet Switched System or Stream) from which I think General Packet Radio Service was developed/emerged more (generally) in the ether. From pure memory I think originally something called an X.25 protocol was utilised to effect messaging across it and taxpayer funded companies like Ferranti developed it. I believe in those countries that had such networks it was like common land for those that knew it was there and how to access it and had the equipment to do so i.e. it was completely free to graze your animals on it.

Recognise the initials ?

Not free now, is it? No longer a government controlled concept, is it? Why do we think that is? Oh yeah, someone sold it, somehow tempting private companies to take on shedloads of debt to pay for it, and ever since then, some heavy book balancing has been occurring at the cost of us punters whilst governments turn blind eyes.