Looking for help with Iphone on an international trip

[tink fan]

We are going to London next week and I have an Iphone with ATT.

I have never taken a phone on an international trip and am nervous that I might accidently rack up lots of unintentional charges from the data, phone. One of the teachers at school said he had a $400 charge because of a radio app that was still pulling data.

I've looked at ATT's website and am confused about the options. I wont need to make phone calls there unless it is an emergency, but want to be able to access the data applications (like email, etc) when I'm in a place with wifi. Is there a way that I can turn off my data plan? What do I need to be concerned about with my phone. (Please be pretty descriptive-I wont know what "roaming" means.)

Thanks for any help!

 

[HayGan]

Do this before you get on the plane in the States.

Go into settings, choose general, choose network, switch cellular data from on to off.

Also make sure that roaming in that same menu is set to Voice Only.

Hope that helps

 

[Marionnette]

We are going to London next week and I have an Iphone with ATT.

I have never taken a phone on an international trip and am nervous that I might accidently rack up lots of unintentional charges from the data, phone. One of the teachers at school said he had a $400 charge because of a radio app that was still pulling data.

I've looked at ATT's website and am confused about the options. I wont need to make phone calls there unless it is an emergency, but want to be able to access the data applications (like email, etc) when I'm in a place with wifi. Is there a way that I can turn off my data plan? What do I need to be concerned about with my phone. (Please be pretty descriptive-I wont know what "roaming" means.)

Thanks for any help!

First, activate international calling on your phone. Get the plan that costs you $0 per month but has a higher per-minute cost. It's cheaper in the long run unless you expect to make/receive a lot of cellphone calls.

Once you get on the plane, go into Settings and then General. Choose Network and turn off Data Roaming. I also turn off the Cellular Data, which forces the phone to use only WiFi for email, web browsing and push notifications. No WiFi access will mean that you can't check your email or browse the web but it also means that you won't incur international roaming charges for using your 3G to do those things.

You will also want to limit the amount of texting that you do. It costs you nothing to receive texts when you travel internationally but AT&T will charge you 50 cents for each text that you send unless you purchase an international texting plan.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have taken my iPhone on many international trips. You have several options. If you do not want to make any calls, keep your phone in airplane mode. Then you cannot receive or make calls. You can use wi-fi with your phone even in airplane mode; just go to wi-fi and turn it on. Here is a link explaining this:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1355

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/en_US/pdf/Travel-Tips.pdf

You can use wi-fi to check your email or use the web without incurring any charges (unless you have to pay for wi-fi at your hotel). There are many free wi-fi spots in London. You do not need to turn off your current data plan.

In addition to turning off Data Roaming, go into settings-->Mail, Contacts, Calendars and turn off Fetch New Data and select Fetch-->manually.

If you're really paranoid, you can simply remove your SIM card (put it in a safe place). You can still use wi-fi, but you can't make calls or receive texts.

If you have fulfilled your initial contract for your iPhone, you can call AT&T and ask them to unlock your iPhone. Then when you get to London, you can buy a UK SIM card, swap it with your current SIM card, and make cheaper calls. You will have a UK number. I believe that I saw SIM cards for sale in vending machines after exiting passport control at Heathrow a few weeks ago. Or you can call AT&T (611) and make sure international roaming is turned on if you want your phone available for calls. You will not need a data plan.

 

[Green Tea]

If you only want the data to work in WIFI, just put the phone in airplane mode and leave it there. You can access wifi when available, and can iMessage with people at home when on wifi, but you will not be able to use the phone, and you will not have data service aside from the wifi areas.

If you take it out of Airplane Mode, then all your messages would load and you would be charged.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I have no clue about the phone but just wondered if you are going to be at any of the Olympic events? My boys so wanted to go but we just could not make it happen.