MSE News: iPhone users still hit by surprise data roaming charges

gjchester

Pedro7-11 wrote: »

The issue here lies with apple and O2 to resolve.

..

When travel as frequently as I do, I don't want to switch off: location services, notifications, 3G, change mail settings etc each and every time and then have to turn the, all back on again each time I return home. That's ludicrous.

So why is this an Apple or O2 issue. The phone is working as its designed to.

The settings are there you just don't want to change them.

sillygoose

gjchester wrote: »

So why is this an Apple or O2 issue. The phone is working as its designed to.

The settings are there you just don't want to change them.

Because a disable roaming setting should be just that! nice and simple. There is no logic in Apple allowing apps to override a user set, potentially expensive setting. A simple OS update to make the setting bullet proof to all except the user switching it would end the problems forever.

visidigi

I just turn off mobile data - iOS6.01 and it turns off roaming automatically.

I have never been overcharged for anything, even using wifi all the time while away, no issue at all and I travel quite a fair amount...

grumbler

visidigi wrote: »

I just turn off mobile data - iOS6.01 and it turns off roaming automatically.

Of course it does. What does a separate on/off switch for data roaming exist for then? To confuse people and to make them paying unexpected and unpredictable charges?

Rusty!

Of course turning mobile data off turns data roaming off automatically, data roaming can't function if data is turned off.

gjchester

sillygoose wrote: »

Because a disable roaming setting should be just that! nice and simple. There is no logic in Apple allowing apps to override a user set, potentially expensive setting. A simple OS update to make the setting bullet proof to all except the user switching it would end the problems forever.

But there are two settings to enable this, Flight mode to disable everything and Disable data roaming which does that. Both do what they say otherwise we'd have a lot more posts of complaint. I've roamed abroad with my iPhone 4 and 5 with no issues, with these settings on, and got no charges.

What's not helped is the linked article even says the user has not taken the latest upgrades, so if there was an issue not upgrading to the latest OS version and remaining on one with a potential fault will not help.

grumbler

What does 'Flight mode' have to do with the topic? Are you suggesting to switch the entire mains supply off in a house instead of switching light off in one room? This is a very reliable way of doing this, but not the most sensible if there are switches in every room.

And unfortunately, reportedly switching data roaming off doesn't always do what is supposed to do. The fact that you roamed with no issues doesn't prove that the problem didn't exist.

And if the problem doesn't exist after some latest updates, this doesn't prove that it didn't exist before the updates. Not all people are lucky to travel only after Apple release all updates for their originally faulty OS.

Earthworm

Call your network, ask them to disable both roaming and data for the time you are away... Ask them for an SMS or an email confirming this and you are sorted. Also I personally always rely on turning data off rather than roaming when abroad I still like to be able to make the odd call.

If you can get confirmation that you have rang your network and asked to bar international data use then even if you are billed for mobile data charges you have a pretty solid reason for having all charges refunded.

simax

I'm on T-Mobile so my phone won't access data abroad until I buy a bolt on, which is good, however on O2 and Voda when I used them in the past, I just turned data roaming off on the iPhones and it was OK.

gjchester

grumbler wrote: »

What does 'Flight mode' have to do with the topic? Are you suggesting to switch the entire mains supply off in a house instead of switching light off in one room? This is a very reliable way of doing this, but not the most sensible if there are switches in every room.

Flight mode turns everything off. Your right its not the most sensible way but it ensures charges are not run up.

grumbler wrote: »

And unfortunately, reportedly switching data roaming off doesn't always do what is supposed to do. The fact that you roamed with no issues doesn't prove that the problem didn't exist.

And if the problem doesn't exist after some latest updates, this doesn't prove that it didn't exist before the updates. Not all people are lucky to travel only after Apple release all updates for their originally faulty OS.

Your right you cannot prove a negative, however there's nothing inherently fault about the OS, what's wrong is how the apps are coded. Android Apps are know to break Google's conventions and have malware or bad code, Apple apps are no different, some will have faults.

Apple have released an upgraded OS and three updates to it since Guy wrote the report but he chooses not to take them as he wants to keep Google Maps. That's his choice, but you can't make a case to berate a company for a fix they may have already produced for the majority of phones it's just the end user choosing not to install it.

I DON'T think the network and Apple are blameless, but if this was really widespread it would be far bigger news than the occasional issue, it seems to be predominantly O2 than any other network.