when do we switch off bbm services?

balletshoes

i apologise in advance if this is a really really stupid question.

My DD has a blackberry on payg, i pay for a booster for her to use unlimited bbm services. Next month we are taking the Eurostar to France. At what point in the journey do I need to change the settings on her phone so that she isn't charged for bbm in France? I guess it would be before we go through the Channel Tunnel?

She'll have some credit on it for calls and texts if necessary, and I'm aware how much they will cost for France, but I obviously don't want her to have to pay for bbm services as that will eat into her credit.

macman

Before you start roaming onto the French networks.

Harald

Just disable option to use mobile network data transmission when using roaming.

in_the_Cotswolds

Call the network before you go and see if they do an add on. I know O2 used to. I can't remember what the cost was but it was much less than ordinary data.

Im_just_careful

I didn't find free WiFi that common in France last time I went although the hotel provided it which mostly sufficed.


If data roaming is switched off before the tunnel you should be OK. Then if you find WiFi the various data based functions should spring into life.

peachyprice

Check with your network first, but we've found on Tesco, o2 and Giffgaff that if you pay for BBM service it still works overseas without using any of your network data and without any extra charges.

We've taken Tesco and Giffgaff PAYG phones abroad, many times, with no credit, just the goodybag on Giffgaff and just the paid for BBM service on Tesco and BBM has still worked.

On the o2 contract phone there has been no charge at all for using BBM overseas.

It's because it comes out of the BB service data that you've paid your £2-3 for, which isn't geographical, hence there's no such thing as BBM roaming, not your network data roaming.

But like I said, check with your own network because I can only vouch for those three.

balletshoes

thanks very much all -

peachy did you have to change any of your settings for taking the bb abroad ie disable data roaming etc? i'll be honest i don't like the bb, i find it much more difficult to find the settings i'd easily find on android or even apple phones.

my phone, and my OH's iphone, have data roaming off all the time on our phones, do i just do the same with DD's to avoid internet roaming, but still allowing her access to bbm if it works abroad?

Im_just_careful

There are 2 parts to the "classic" Blackberry. The BIS (AKA BBM) service and the network connectivity.

The BIS will work anywhere in the world that a data connection can be made.


The network connectivity is likely to incur a roaming charge abroad unless the network chooses to bundle roaming costs with the BIS charge.


There will be no need to change settings unless you change the SIM in the phone (I wouldn't recommend that for a short trip).

peachyprice

balletshoes wrote: »

thanks very much all -

peachy did you have to change any of your settings for taking the bb abroad ie disable data roaming etc? i'll be honest i don't like the bb, i find it much more difficult to find the settings i'd easily find on android or even apple phones.

my phone, and my OH's iphone, have data roaming off all the time on our phones, do i just do the same with DD's to avoid internet roaming, but still allowing her access to bbm if it works abroad?

No, I just left everything as is. With the PAYG phones as there was no credit, only goodybags and BIS they could't make or receive calls or texts or connect to the internet, only BIS.

If there's no credit on her phone just BB and it's PAYG, even if roaming is on it can't run up any charges because there's nothing there to pay with.

With the o2 contract I have a Europe package anyway so that is always data roaming on.

So it really depends on whether she's PAYG or contract.

My son took an iphone last holiday with the same Giffgaff sim as my daughter but couldn't connect to anything because his minutes, text and data just don't work overseas.