iMessages whilst abroad

[Anonymous]

3 weeks ago I was on a ferry travelling from UK to Netherlands, before departing I switched off data roaming. However when I received my bill I got the following charges (both + vat);

International Data Norway - £4.483

O2 Travel - £1.66

Rather confused as to why I received these charges when I had data roaming turned off so I rang customer services and they explained that the ferry used a Norwegian satellite when between UK and Netherlands (despite the UK and Netherlands always being the closes bodies of land) and that despite having Data Roaming turned off that iMessage can still use data. On checking my phone I received 1 iMessage whilst asleep which triggered the International Data charge and another in the morning which triggered to O2 Travel daily charge.

So what exactly is the point of switching off Data Roaming if iMessages can still use data? Odd that I can't send or receive iMessages without a 3G signal and yet I can send and receive them whilst abroad with data turned off completely????

Anyway, I was informed that my challenge to these costs would be looked into and I would receive a response in 5 working days...12 working days later and still nothing from O2

[Anonymous]

Hi

IMessage will only work with data or WiFi so to receive or send them your phone must have been activated...

Its mobile data that needs to be turned off in your phones settings not just the data roaming toggle so only WiFi works. The iPhone auto switches from WiFi to data when it goes to sleep. 

[MI5]

To be safe, in any circumstances you need data fully off. Some phones will over-ride the roaming data settings for some reason, although that has never made any sense to me.
O2 travel when in Europe is now much better so I tend not to turn off data when abroad now but previously data was fully off and WiFi enabled for data services only.
We, as customers, are unable to comment on your account charges but can only advise you chase CS on 202 (don't use live chat) and see if they have completed their investigation.
Politely asking for a goodwill gesture works most of the time

[Anonymous]

Hi bandofbrothers, data roaming should switch of data (and that is what O2 have always advised) so if that is switched off then my phone should not use any data otherwise what is the point of that option if it does nothing?

The CS rep confirmed that iMessage can over-ride data roaming and a search on the web has confirmed that this can happen but only on O2 for some strange reason

[Anonymous]

Hi.

Hope your OK.

This is why when I'm advising a person I always recommend toggling off Mobile Data in the iphones settings.

[Anonymous]

A brief explanation I found.


Cellular data means any data that passes to your phone no matter what network you are on (even your own carrier), so if it's off even while on your network you won't get data services.

While Data Roaming means that when the phone detects you are in a network that is not the original carrier network (w/ your regular carrier sim card in the phone), the phone knows is in another network and will not permit you to pass data since it know's you are outside of your carrier's limits if you have it OFF.

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:

While Data Roaming means that when the phone detects you are in a network that is not the original carrier network (w/ your regular carrier sim card in the phone), the phone knows is in another network and will not permit you to pass data since it know's you are outside of your carrier's limits if you have it OFF.

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O2 have said it will pass data when roaming according to the OP's post above.

We all understand how it should work but this is not answering why it failed to work - Only O2 can can answer that one.

@Toby can you get an official explanation from O2 why data roaming off doesn't turn off data roaming?

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous 

Did you speak to the online chat system or via 202 ref the info supplied ?

[MI5]

In the first post the word "rang" is used so that would imply a phone call, would it not?

[Anonymous]

via 202