Global Data Roaming Off, do texts overrule without a warning?

Forums › One NZ (including Farmside) › Global Data Roaming Off, do texts overrule without a warning?

geek4me

843 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 78

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#225750 4-Dec-2017 12:58

Was in Australia last month and had Global Roaming Off on my Vodafone phone. Received a text and replied to it. This incurred the $5 roaming fee plus 17c for the text. Is the $5 roaming fee charged for sending or receiving a text message even when data roaming is off? Shouldn't a warning be given first before the text is sent?

I know it's no big amount but when data roaming is off no text should be able to be sent or are texts an exception and only phone calls and data are blocked?

Oh no, not another end of the world prediction

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2153
Inactive user

#1912637 4-Dec-2017 13:05

Pretty sure you will find Data Roaming is for data and not SMS or voice.
In the case that it is separate, The charges you have incurred would be correct

geek4me

843 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 78

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1912655 4-Dec-2017 13:39

Coil:

Pretty sure you will find Data Roaming is for data and not SMS or voice.
In the case that it is separate, The charges you have incurred would be correct

I didn't realise that only data is blocked, my misunderstanding. Out of interest is there a way to block phone and texts as well as data? If not, a warning that a $5 roaming fee for texts will be charged when a user has roaming data switched off would be helpful.

Oh no, not another end of the world prediction

MikeHales

615 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 213

Trusted

#1912656 4-Dec-2017 13:43

Simply turn off the phone, or remove the SIM and use Wi-Fi for apps etc.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1912672 4-Dec-2017 14:17

Any use will trigger the $5 and you then get free use until the end of the same day.

As mentioned above disabling roaming only blocks data, it does not block voice or SMS. If you don't want to incur charges you either need to turn your phone off or send all voice calls to voicemail and not reply to a SMS.

geek4me

843 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 78

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1912683 4-Dec-2017 14:32

Thanks, I appreciate this information. I understand now how it works. Pity one cannot disable all roaming charges without having to turn the phone off which disables wifi as well.

Oh no, not another end of the world prediction

littlehead

222 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 102

#1912690 4-Dec-2017 14:48

On a lot of phones you can turn on Airplane mode, and then separately turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth back on while keeping Airplane mode on. This disables the cellular radio, so no roaming costs, while enabling Wi-Fi.

This is what I do when I travel as I run a prepay phone, and roaming costs are extremely prohibitive on prepay. Also as a side effect, you get more battery life on your phone.

Geekzone

Want to support Geekzone and browse the site without the ads? Subscribe to Geekzone now (monthly, annual and lifetime options).

rugrat

3142 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 945

Lifetime subscriber

#1912692 4-Dec-2017 14:51

geek4me: Thanks, I appreciate this information. I understand now how it works. Pity one cannot disable all roaming charges without having to turn the phone off which disables wifi as well.

What about airplane mode?

It turns off wifi when turned on on iPhone, but then can turn wifi back on while phone is in airoplane mode.
Don't know if same on Android.

Linux

12188 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 8480

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1912693 4-Dec-2017 14:52

rugrat:
geek4me: Thanks, I appreciate this information. I understand now how it works. Pity one cannot disable all roaming charges without having to turn the phone off which disables wifi as well.

What about airplane mode?

It turns off wifi when turned on on iPhone, but then can turn wifi back on while phone is in airoplane mode.
Don't know if same on Android.

Yes same with Android

Linux

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1912694 4-Dec-2017 14:53

On all phones you turn airplane mode on and then reenable WiFi and/or Bluetooth.

The disadvantage of airline mode is you won't get incoming SMS messages if they could be important.

geek4me

843 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 78

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1912753 4-Dec-2017 16:07

Great, I'll turn on Airplane Mode when I get on the plane, Wifi and Bluetooth on when I arrive overseas then turn Airplane Mode back off when I get back home. Appreciate the answers given, they have been very helpful, thanks.

Oh no, not another end of the world prediction