'Mobile data' switch on iphone and ipad? Is wifi data usage really free?

rjs200

Hi all

Going to HK, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore for 3 weeks in January.

The advice in the article is to switch off your data roaming *before* you leave UK- and to use wifi rather than 3g where at all possible overseas.

A couple of questions:

1) on my iPhone and iPad (I intend to take both) as well as a 'data roaming' switch there is also a 'mobile data' switch. Should I switch that off as well?

2) If I access internet and update apps via wifi with 3g switched off will I be charged against my sim-account or is *all* data usage via wifi effectively 'free'?

I can't locate an answer to these two questions in the main site article on 'roaming'.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Hammyman

Yes wifi is free unless the provider of the wifi charges for it and that usually requires you to register to use that particular access point.

rjs200

Thanks for info- yep using free generic spots and free BTFon via my wired internet account,

Richard_T_

if you realy want to avioid bill shock, you can either take out your sim card, or get a pay as you go sim in the UK, and set it up so that you can top up abroad.
some networks offer data roaming options on their UK pay as you go sim cards.

another option is to get a local sim card with data pre loaded.

As for keeping in touch, use an old non data phone, or a cheap phone with your current sim card, and your smartphone with the local sim/payg sim/wifi only (no sim) abroad.
if you have an i phone you can get a sim adaptor that will allow you to use a micro sim in a normal sim slot.

rjs200

Are you saying that even if (a) I keep iPhone on wifi mode aside from texts (where I'd need to switch on 3g temporarily) (b) I'd switched off 'data roaming' and 'mobile data' before I left UK (c) I'd switched app and mail fetch from 'push' to 'manual': I could still get a "bill shock" ?? Crikey ! How is that possible?

Richard_T_

just aquick turn on and off shouldnt use much, although its possible, and highly likely that somewhere something will connect and use data, even for a short amount of time, the costs for this will probably be in the couple of pounds region, not the hundreds/thousands that you see on here.
the best option to be realy sure would be to use an old non smart phone for texts and calls, and get a pay as you sim for your smartphone.
cheaper still if you can make use of wifi, reply to texts via e-mail, for example if you get a text from bob, instead of replying via text, reply via e-mail, that is if your on wifi, or you can obtain a local pre paid (payg) sim.

rjs200

" local pre paid (payg) sim."

Is there a website listing of these or is it a case of me googling for the particular cities I am going to- any suggestions much appreciated.

Cheers.

Chorlie

When I went to America (with my iPhone) I turned off Cellular Data.

I always have Data Roaming off, never needed in the UK (or see why I would). I think I also turned off Enable 3G.

I turned on WiFi and used that all the time (since there was WiFi where I stayed) and downloaded Apps, used Skype / Truphone to make calls etc.

johnnyreggae

rjs200 wrote: »

free BTFon via my wired internet account,

You might want to double check this as I'm fairly sure its only free in the UK

essexman77

rjs200 wrote: »

" local pre paid (payg) sim."

Is there a website listing of these or is it a case of me googling for the particular cities I am going to- any suggestions much appreciated.

Cheers.

You can google Thailand but I normley find Ebay cheapest becasue you can buy direct from country not through third party

Just type Thailand sim into ebay you will find lots to choose from dont forget it can take 28 days delivery time from Thailand

one of the sims following prices 2p to call uk and 75p a day unlimted data so looks like paygo data and callls on local sim are dirt cheap

Data Plans: There are daily and monthly data packages which are activated by dialling *9000 from the handset. Speed is EDGE, GPRS, and selected packages include Wi-Fi.

• 39 Baht gets 1 day Unlimited EDGE/GPRS
• 49 Baht gets 1 day Unlimited EDGE/GPRS plus 1Mb Wi-Fi for 3 hours
• 599 Baht gets 1 month Unlimited EDGE/GPRS
• 799 Baht gets 1 month Unlimited EDGE/GPRS/Wi-F

Richard_T_

johnnyreggae wrote: »

You might want to double check this as I'm fairly sure its only free in the UK

The fon network is world wide, take a look at the location map here http://maps.fon.com/