O2 Travel charges when Roaming is off

[prototype89]

I've seen a few threads with a similar theme but wanted to add my experiences as well.
My roaming is off on my android phone and it has always been this way but I was hit with three O2 Travel charges when I checked my bill after coming back from vacation.

I was also charged for answering a call which I was sure I hadn't. O2 gave me the time and date of the call and my call records showed that specific call and it showed it was unanswered.

O2 have told me that roaming data charges and O2 Travel charges can still be triggered even when roaming is set to off, now whether that's true or not, this has clearly happened in this instance.

It's pretty frustrating as O2 haven't provided any explanation beyond the above but ultimately if the roaming off feature doesn't prevent data charges, that's a pretty frightening prospect.

Has anyone been able to work out why this may be happening?

[Cleoriff]

If you are outside of the EU and have left Voicemail on then you will be charged, even if the VM goes unanswered. O2 will connect to the foreign network (which is classed as a call.)

We always advise turning VM  off when outside of the EU area.

[Enlli]

From the description sounds like calls that have tried to connect and gone to answerphone. You will be charged for the return leg back to the UK.

It's been that way since the inception of roaming.

Turn Voicemail off BEFORE leaving the UK.

Did you have All roaming turned off or just data roaming, they are different?

[prototype89]

Just data roaming so that will explain the voicemail charge, that's fine. 

Any explanation about the other 3 O2 Travel charges? O2 systems show no calls, text or data usage during the entire period.

[jonsie]

You need to turn off mobile data compleetely to avoid charges

Apps updating in the background trigger the daily charge

[gmarkj]

As do background "handshakes" for certain apps (WhatsApp, iMessage, etc)

[prototype89]

Hi Jonsie, 

My sim has dual sims and I was using a foreign sim with pretty much unlimited data so I can't turn off the mobile data function. The o2 esim is still active but there's a menu option in the S24 Ultra that allows you to choose which sim you prefer the phone to use and I always had this set to the foreign sim for calls, texts and data.

Regarding your comment about background apps updating, doesn't the data roaming set to off stop this from happening with the o2 sim when abroad? Eek!

[prototype89]

Hi, thanks for responding, I get the handshakes but I had assumed that with data roaming set to off this could only happen when a wifi or local data connection is established and not with an O2 Sim card as that would make the data roaming off option redundant, no?

[madasaf1sh]

@prototype89 

Check the permissions on the apps, and also check that you dont have switch mobile data if signal is low is off, as if the phone loses for example GibTel but has signal on Movistar (o2 roaming), the app that has permission to use background data / use roaming data when data is off, will use Movistar and thus charge you. As you have both settings set to on... 

The way I tell my users is to turn off their personal or work sims in the settings on the phone..

[jonsie]

You should have an option to switch off the O2 sim completely on the Samsung phone

I have a dual sim Samsung and in sim settings I switch the O2 sim off and use a Thai sim in the other

I have never had any roaming charges at all on trips lasting 2 or 3 months