[Ramsy]

Went to Taiwan recently, used data services on various GPRS networks and was charged $60 extra dollars for the 10 days or so I was there. Ironically, the year before, I roamed on the same networks in Taiwan and used my Blackberry to access the internet as usual and was never charged an extra cent.

[entrada]

Ramsy - had you signed up for Tmobile's $19.99/month unlimited international e-mail plan before you left the US?

[gringuito]

Worked like a charm! I signed up for the plan and spent two weeks in egypt. Had a gprs connection wherever I went, even from the top of Mt. Sinai! Very impressive for $10! When I signed up they even had an option for automatic removal, all I had to do was tell them the date I needed it off. When I got back, I called in to check and it had been removed from my plan.

[Ramsy]

Originally Posted by entrada

Ramsy - had you signed up for Tmobile's $19.99/month unlimited international e-mail plan before you left the US?

No, I had not. I actually went to my T-Mobile's site before I left to see if there were any new services I could select regarding international data usage. I do not recall seeing the unlimited international e-mail plan, but I cannot be positive now. However, reading the description, it looks like the plan is for e-mail only and not for general internet browsing. When I am traveling international, I use the browser as much as my e-mail, so I will be curious to see if this $19.99/month additional service includes browser data. Next time I go, I will definitely sign up for this service and see if it stops the additional charges.

[gringuito]

The 19.99 unlimited international plan worked for all data for me. I tethered up with my laptop daily to send photos of my trip back home (small resized photos!)

[JOutlaw]

i emailed them the other day and got a reply that said that they do charge $15 per mb!!!!! kind of a rip off!!!!!

[YMark]

Originally Posted by JOutlaw

i emailed them the other day and got a reply that said that they do charge $15 per mb!!!!! kind of a rip off!!!!!

It seems that a lot of people get different answers to this question, depending on what service rep replies. I've actually used the data plan in Mexico, paying for the international data plan. The $20 was for unlimited data and email. I was only gone a week and they pro-rated it. I was charged all of $5 for the week and I used email and the internet a whole lot.

Other people on this thread have posted the same.

[svdorian99]

Originally Posted by Globetrotterdoug

I posted a question on 9/7 and did an experiment on 10/9-12 in the Netherlands--a place I've always been charged for data.

1. I assigned up for a BB int'l plan on 9/9.
2. Went to the Netherlands on 10/9 with a Treo 650.
3. On 10/9, I used the Treo for e-mail only with the wap.voicestream.com apn.
4. On 10/10, I used the Treo for browsing with the the wap.voicestream.com apn.
5. On 10/11, I used the Treo for e-mail only with the internet2.voicestream.com apn.
6. On 10/12, I used the Treo for browsing with the internet2.voicestream.com apn.

On my Tmo bill, I was charged for data for 10/11 and 10/12 leading me to conclude that the billing system uses the apn as a determinant of what qualifies as BB e-mail only.

P.S. In calling, Tmo, they credited those charges.

Bottom line: use the wap.voicestream.com apn if you're using a Treo.

I plan to repeat this above experiment next month:

Change to the basic T-mobile BB plan, voice barred.
Add the unlimited BB email international roaming.
Only use the wap server on my sim.
Go to Amsterdam and use the data features on my Treo 650.

My question is: How do I know if I am being charged for data by the meg without waiting a month for the bill? Is there a way to track the data charges (if any) in real time or with a day or so delay?

One thing is certain - tmo wants to charge for any data other than email on a blackberry, that's policy. But their inability to differentiate data from email has or still is preventing them from doing so in most countries. In fact it was a tmo pda specialist who suggested that I switch to a BB with the intl plan to surf the web using the device as a modem. His advice was repeated by a supervisor in the same department. But the official line is still $15/meg. With my usage this could mean a 4 figure suprise on my phone bill.

So the question is, how to track the data charges??

[burriqui2001]

Well...It's really confusing to see this issue, since I'm currently using T-Mo BIS with a BB plan for international data (Only email) and I've been out of the US since December 20th, 2006 and had 5 billing cycles and still no charges for web browsing. I've even used the device as a modem...very heavy use and no additional charges have been presented in my bill.

I did call the CSR when I left the US and they explain, 4 different versions:

1- Yes there is an additional charge of US$15.00 per MB.
2- No it's free if you added the $19.99 to your plan.
3- Some countries we do and some we don't.
4- It's based on the carrier you use.

In the end I decided to use it and hope to get away with it. So far no additional charges!

P.S. I'm un the Dominican Republic using Orange as the GSM carrier.

[thatsadpanda]

Quick explanation.

19.99 bb intt email only covers email
how ever most intl carriers cant separate the email from the browsing so you wont be charged
BUT if you are, theres nothing tmobile can do about it, thier stance is $15 per 1mb for web browsing even with the 19.99 bb EMAIL feature

Without the feature you can get email and web browse, it should be $15 per 1mb. However its a broken system and a good amount of the time users are not changred.

In some rare cases users are unable to get any data w/o the bb intl feature, even when gsm/gprs roaming is enabled on the service.

My advice add the 19.99 and hope you dont get hit for web browsing. Best way to avoid a heart-attack-enducing bill.

[gringuito]

Just a side note, after I got the last half of my bill, I saw that I was billed for two calls labeled as "Voicemail retrieval" for $2 each. Obviously I didn't make those calls (considering I was asleep at the time they were supposedly made). But when I called, they said that if anyone calls you, even if you don't pick up, you get billed for each call. I spent over an hour on the phone with the rep and then the supervisor with no avail, they couldn't offer any other solution other than make sure noone calls you while you're out of the country.

So have any of you seen this sort of behavior?

[WWD]

Was the phone on?

[WWD]

FROM TMOBILE WEBSITE:

Will calls and voicemail I receive from home cost extra?
Both incoming and outgoing calls are billed at the international roaming rate for the country you're in. Voicemail is also billed at the same rate. You can have your voicemail forwarded to a home phone number or even a hotel room, if that is more convenient for you. For more details, call Customer Care at 1-800-937-8997.

[gringuito]

Yes, the phone was on.

That's interesting about having voicemail forwarded, the reps didn't even mention that solution. They wanted me to switch my plan over to a blackberry only plan (which would disrupt the family plan I'm currently on).

But, from your note, it looks like I could have had voicemail forwarded to a home phone number, and then I wouldn't have been billed for the voicemail messages left while I was out of the country?