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Need a way to turn off EDGE!

J

julric01

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 6, 2004
74
0
I went to Germany for a weekend in July (work for an Airline, travel cheap) - anyhow - I only pulled up 1 website twice - had to check some flight info - $40!

It's insane what they are charging for roaming data. It's about $20 per mb. For those prices, it's cheaper to call and pay the .99 cents per minute.

Problem is you really need a way to turn off EDGE just like you can turn off WiFi. Every other phone I've had allows you to turn off the data portion. I don't have my e-mail pushed, I don't have it check automatically - but even if you only wanted to use it on WiFi, when you go to the web - many times it starts pulling via EDGE or it will lose the WiFi connection and start with EDGE before you can stop it.

I'm amazed that they are getting away with these rates - insane!
 
badtzmaru said:
Can you take out the SIM card? would that work?
Click to expand...

Well, yes, that would turn off EDGE, but it would also turn off voice calls, too, effectively leaving you without a phone. I think the OP wants to preserve the voice aspect of the phone, the costs for which are more controllable.
 
So let me get this straight...

You want to be able to turn off edge because you want to be able to get calls, but not use data? However, you intentionally used data anyway, when you didnt "have" to. So can you explain why you want to be able to turn it off, when you apparently were going to activate it anyways?

Doesnt make sense man.
 
bbplayer5 said:
So let me get this straight...

You want to be able to turn off edge because you want to be able to get calls, but not use data? However, you intentionally used data anyway, when you didnt "have" to. So can you explain why you want to be able to turn it off, when you apparently were going to activate it anyways?

Doesnt make sense man.
Click to expand...

I think the OP didn't realize the cost and would like to avoid the issue again. He would prefer to be able to use the wi-fi when within reach, but at the very least would like to retain phone use in the future. More of a "Now we know!" moment. He's won half the battle.
 
Simple really...

bbplayer5 said:
So let me get this straight...

You want to be able to turn off edge because you want to be able to get calls, but not use data? However, you intentionally used data anyway, when you didnt "have" to. So can you explain why you want to be able to turn it off, when you apparently were going to activate it anyways?

Doesnt make sense man.
Click to expand...


It's not that hard to understand, but maybe I made it so...

I would like to have my iPhone with me - use it for the occasional Voice Call I may get while abroad or for emergencies. Yes, it's .99 per min, expensive, but not insane.

I would also like to be able to use Wifi, if I'm by a hot spot - may towns and villages in Europe have free Wifi - or you may be at a cafe. I don't want to accidentaly use EDGE or go to a Website, have it lose Wifi and flip to EDGE and be in constant fear of using EDGE.

I have a 4 year old Sony Ericsson that I can turn on and off the GPRS data - and it's a cheap a** phone, I would like to do the same with the iPhone.

Yes, I knew it would be pricey to use Data - yes I will pay the bill - I had just got the phone a week before and I don't think at that point we (most of the iPhone community) realized how expensive data was - .02 per kb yes, but do you know exactly how big each page is that you pull up? Is there a counter that clicks off so you can see your $$ add up? No matter how you slice it, $20 per MB is crazy! I now know that you have to count on each page being about 1 MB - hence $20.

They have much cheaper plans for Blackberry roaming.

Does that make more sense?
 
julric01 said:
Yes, I knew it would be pricey to use Data - yes I will pay the bill -
Click to expand...

Thank you for starting a thread just to inform others. I applaud your "responsibility".

I'm sick of all the threads by the self-proclaimed-stupid thinking they shouldn't have to pay their bill due to...um...stupidity.

I agree that either AT&T or Apple need to come up with a way to turn off Edge or have a more acceptable roaming data plan - like the Blackberry plan.
 
beate said:
Thank you for starting a thread just to inform others. I applaud your "responsibility".

I'm sick of all the threads by the self-proclaimed-stupid thinking they shouldn't have to pay their bill due to...um...stupidity.

I agree that either AT&T or Apple need to come up with a way to turn off Edge or have a more acceptable roaming data plan - like the Blackberry plan.
Click to expand...

+1
 
Take out your sim card and stick it into an old/previous cell phone just to make calls.
Use your Iphone to browse thru Wifi spots.
Thats what I did when travelled.
I dont think theres a way to disable edge.
 
Canuck4 said:
Take out your sim card and stick it into an old/previous cell phone just to make calls.
Use your Iphone to browse thru Wifi spots.
Thats what I did when travelled.
I dont think theres a way to disable edge.
Click to expand...

I am currently on a trip to india, on my way back to the states tomorrow. i had bought a local sim card for voice calls and used it in an old phone. I did not turn on roaming on the iphone since i knew about the insanely high prices. i cant wait to get back to using the iphone again after using two cheaper (pronounced crappy) phones in the past month.
 
Canuck4 said:
Take out your sim card and stick it into an old/previous cell phone just to make calls.
Use your Iphone to browse thru Wifi spots.
Thats what I did when travelled.
I dont think theres a way to disable edge.
Click to expand...


Great advice. It's almost like having a laptop (iPhone that can't make calls, but can wifi) and a cheap cell.
 
/signed

There does need to be a way to turn off data.
For something that is suppose to be so user friendly I am suprised it doesn't.
I would like a setting for no data or text while roaming.
 
Open mobile terminal, issue a ifconfig if1 down. This will disable edge IP connectivity. Ofcourse the phone may try to reaquire when moving between cell locations.
 
konfoo said:
Open mobile terminal, issue a ifconfig if1 down. This will disable edge IP connectivity. Ofcourse the phone may try to reaquire when moving between cell locations.
Click to expand...

How do you get access to the mobile terminal on the iPhone? Do you have to install some unofficial terminal hack? Can you get terminal access directly on the iPhone? Or do you need to do it through your computer?
 
You can call AT&T and ask them to suspect Edge service. When you are back in the US, call them to turn it back on.
 
BWhaler said:
You can call AT&T and ask them to suspect Edge service. When you are back in the US, call them to turn it back on.
Click to expand...

I never knew you could do this, I am leaving tomorrow on a cruise and I know cruise ships have their own antennas, and charge insane rates. Can anyone else confirm doing this before I call att.

If anything I still have my BB pearl to take.
 
ecks618 said:
I never knew you could do this, I am leaving tomorrow on a cruise and I know cruise ships have their own antennas, and charge insane rates. Can anyone else confirm doing this before I call att.
Click to expand...

Other forums have mentioned this as well... temporarily suspending EDGE service.

They also pointed out that you have to be VERY particular to the ATT rep that you just want to suspend for a week or whatever. Otherwise some have had their data service dropped accidentally.

You still, of course, pay for the suspended time.
 
skubish said:
There does need to be a way to turn off data.
For something that is suppose to be so user friendly I am suprised it doesn't.
I would like a setting for no data or text while roaming.
Click to expand...

Yes, you'd think they'd have included more user control. Especially since other phones have had that kind of control for a while.

Here's a snapshot of a Windows Mobile comm manager screen (pardon the colors... not my screen). Many WM phones even have a dedicated button to call up this screen. You simply touch each item to toggle it on/off.

2c7630f18e.jpg
 
I just spoke with an AT&T international customer service rep about how to deal with data in Europe. He basically said that AT&T can disable the GPRS data service on the phone and then reenable it when I return. While talking with him I also found this web site How To: Turn off GPRS/EDGE data access on the iPhone - save money by disabling data transfers, which gave details similar to what I was told.

It would be simpler to do it myself on the phone, but I'll take this instead of paying for the dribble of EDGE/GPRS traffic that others claim is always happening (I think for the visual voicemail feature), or worrying about accidently pulling up youtube or safari.
 
Canuck4 said:
Take out your sim card and stick it into an old/previous cell phone just to make calls.
Use your Iphone to browse thru Wifi spots.
Thats what I did when travelled.
I dont think theres a way to disable edge.
Click to expand...

Yup, just did this for a trip to Canada. Worked like a charm!

There really should be a way to disable Edge via a setting on the phone (instead of having to call AT&T).
 
I just spent 10 days in Canada and was just careful not to use anything that would use Edge for data. No stock checking, weather checking, or internet UNLESS I saw that I had the WiFi symbol at the top. I also set my email to check email manually and would get my email when I had the WiFi symbol. Not a problem at all... used the phone the entire time and actually found many wifi areas including the campgrounds we were at.
 
summitwynds said:
I just spent 10 days in Canada and was just careful not to use anything that would use Edge for data. No stock checking, weather checking, or internet UNLESS I saw that I had the WiFi symbol at the top. I also set my email to check email manually and would get my email when I had the WiFi symbol. Not a problem at all... used the phone the entire time and actually found many wifi areas including the campgrounds we were at.
Click to expand...

I've heard reports that the visual voicemail file it sends to your phone can show up on the bill since its technically data and treats it as such.
 
aphexii said:
I've heard reports that the visual voicemail file it sends to your phone can show up on the bill since its technically data and treats it as such.
Click to expand...

I changed my message telling people I was out of the country and would not be returning calls until I got home. I also gave my daughter's phone # (who wasnt with us) and said if it was urgent to call her and she would call us. I then did not check (listen to) any messages that were left until I got back into the states.

I did use my phone to make calls while in Canada for both calling home and calling places in Canada. I did use the phone alot to find places (campgrounds, restaurants), taxis etc and it came in real handy, but I was EXTREMELY cautious not to use any features that required data unless I had wi-fi.
 
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