AT+T - always another way to get you

[snousle]

Jeebus, what a bunch of money grubbers. While in New Zealand, I knew that AT+T roaming charges were exceptionally high, so I was exquisitely careful to not answer or place any phone calls, and set data roaming to "off". So what do I find when I get home but about $15 in "roaming charges" on my bill?

Turns out that if someone just dials your number while overseas, you get charged, even if you don't answer the call. One of the incoming unanswered calls was five bucks! I asked an AT+T representative how I'm supposed to be in control of this without simply turning the phone off entirely. As it turns out - I did not know this - you can turn on "airplane mode" and then go to the WiFi settings and turn wifi on without turning on cell service. Not what I would call intuitive.

Anyway, they credited the $15 to my account. I care less about getting the money back than I do about preventing them from having it. Bastards.

Comments

[kevynjacobs.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I discovered the same with AT&T & Rogers when visiting Vancouver a few years back... if my phone even rang just once, if I didn't answer, I still got hit with International roaming charges.

[bigjohnsf.livejournal.com]

This is actually a "problem" with GSM and not unique to AT&T, and there are complaints of it even happening in some cases even when the phone is switched off.

My understanding: Once your phone has registered with a network in another country, the call will be routed there and then forwarded back to your voicemail server in California.

In some cases, even when your phone is switched off, your home network will continue to route the call through the provider that last claimed your phone. This may continue until your phone reappears in the United States.

The solution is to stop your phone from forwarding to voicemail while you are abroad -- in which case your callers hear, "The Mobile Number you are calling is not available at this time." This seems to be what most of my friends do.

Remarkably, I've only traveled abroad once since getting a US GSM phone. All my phones are unlocked... I used the Dutch prepaid SIM I have maintained since July 2000 in Holland and while moving around, and when I got off the train in Denmark linuxcub handed me a Danish prepaid SIM. I would call back from a landline to change the message on my AT&T phone with the current number in Europe -- which I also posted to Facebook and LiveJournal.

[adminbear.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the warning. I'm more and more beginning to wish I'd never let the desire for something pretty and shiny get to me.

[ursine1.livejournal.com]

I haven't had any problem with those roaming charges using my Spanish-based GSM phone on AT&T in the US. I even received an SMS from by bank when I used my Spanish VISA card in California warning me of a possible fraudulent purchase and that didn't show up. Of course when I do make a call in the US, it's expensive.

Chuck

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

AT&T and T-Mobile are getting married. After the wedding there will be no reception.

(thank you)