Holiday usage of Blackberry with Orange

comeandgo

Hello I have just read another horror story regarding roaming mobiles and the bills they can leave you with. Both myself and my husband are rather dim regarding use of blackberry abroad. What do you learned people do regarding your blackberries abroad. I did notice orange were doing monthly deals for higher usage, at the moment we are on the dolphin rate.
We are spending 8 weeks abroad and visiting Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. I had originally thought of shutting off the facility for getting emails and only put it on in areas of free internet but now I dont think thats doing anything to help is it?

visidigi

Switch off data with Orange before you go, then use local wifi to retrieve and send mail, browse etc.

macman

Yes of course it will help, you'll pay nothing if you use local free wi-fi services.

Herongull

Consider replacing your contract sim with a PAYG sim for the duration of the holiday. Don't actually use the PAYG sim (except in emergencies). Set the voicemail on your contract mobile number to tell callers to text your PAYG sim number. (Receiving calls abroad is expensive but texts are free to receive.)

This way you can avoid bills for thousands of pounds if you phone is lost or stolen abroad and also the risk that data is accidentally switched on. (Telling orange to switch off the service should work, but what if they don't implement your request?)

comeandgo

Thanks for your helpful replies. Herongull, will I be able to use a PAYG sim card with a phone that is a monthly charge with Orange?

Herongull

As long as your phone is unlocked, you should be able to use a PAYG sim from another network in it.

Even if the phone is not unlocked, I can't see any reason why you can't put an orange PAYG sim in it.

in_the_Cotswolds

Unlike many smartphones which are data hungry Blackberry compress their data. You still need to be careful though.