Warning: 02 Data Roaming - Includes WiFi!!

[jambodoug]

Just off the phone to 02 and it seems that even although you turn off data roaming on the phone, you can still be charged for data if using the WiFi (even if it is a free WiFi connection in a foreign country)!

Thought I should share this, as my normal assumption is that it won't affect the GSM network provider...

Anybody have any experience of being charged for this?

 

[bustermac]

I am on o2 and went to Bulgaria in Jan and had the data roaming off, used the free wifi in hotel and wasn't charged. Sounds like they don't know what they are talking about!

 

[Applespider]

Rubbish - where you might come unstuck is if you have an account with a provider that has access points around the world but no equivalent roaming agreement. So if you had a tmobile hotspot account that automatically connected in another country, you might get charged for it instead of it being in your UK minutes for that account.

But since I don't think the Cloud have overseas points, there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[jambodoug]

I am on o2 and went to Bulgaria in Jan and had the data roaming off, used the free wifi in hotel and wasn't charged. Sounds like they don't know what they are talking about!

I agree that is really worrying - it may be that the data roaming part was still left on hence the charge.

Can't for the life of me see how data upload/download over a WiFi connection has anything to do with O2! Anyone else care to elaborate or reason why O2 see this as data roaming?

 

[Genghis Khan]

well...from a technical point of view

O2 didn't supply the wifi feature on the phone, they didn't supply the wifi where you were, and they didn't supply the website.......so on what grounds can they charge you? they haven't provided any service

 

[dazcox5181]

O2 are talking outta their backsides (as usual).

Unless you connect to a chargable wifi hotspot - and you'd probably have to log on so not likely to happen by accident -then theres no way they can charge you. If you used EDGE whilst roaming expect to pay through the nose for it.

 

[jambodoug]

well...from a technical point of view

O2 didn't supply the wifi feature on the phone, they didn't supply the wifi where you were, and they didn't supply the website.......so on what grounds can they charge you? they haven't provided any service

That's my point exactly..

I've sent an email to O2 to get them to clarify this, but got a garbled answer which was of course no help at all...

 

[Applespider]

Are you being deliberately obtuse?

Everyone who has replied has said you have nothing to worry about, including one who has used the wifi function on his iPhone while abroad and not been charged.

O2 aren't going to tell you that wifi is always free while abroad since not all networks are free and you may have to pay to use one. But, so long as you're using a free network, you'll not be charged.

 

[jambodoug]

Are you being deliberately obtuse?

Everyone who has replied has said you have nothing to worry about, including one who has used the wifi function on his iPhone while abroad and not been charged.

O2 aren't going to tell you that wifi is always free while abroad since not all networks are free and you may have to pay to use one. But, so long as you're using a free network, you'll not be charged.

Not being obtuse at all...just looking for overall experiences, thats all. Is that OK with you?

 

[ajpegg]

I have taken my iPhone to the States twice and not been charged for anything other than data over the cell network.

However simply switching off data roaming cripples the usefulness of the device and is a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

I recently wrote about this on my blog...

There have been a lot of scare stories about huge surprise bills caused by data roaming when out of the country, so I was understandably nervous while abroad last week. I tried switching data roaming off to begin with but this paralyses the device when I really wanted to use it.

It is the constant background checking that racks up the large bills, so the best idea is really simple…

* Switch on data roaming
* In ‘Mail Settings’ switch Auto-check to ‘manual’
* In ‘Usage’ click ‘Reset Statistics’

In this way you can check your e-mail while in a wi-fi area, and only when you choose otherwise. Remember that accessing a website or using Maps will incur charges, but these are all under your control. The usage statistics will allow you to monitor the potential cost, currently £7 per megabyte, but coming down later in the year I understand.

In the week I was working away, I used about 5 megabytes, around £35, and that can’t be bad for a week on business.
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