Going On Holiday .. How Do I Avoid Big Bills? - Galaxy S I9000 General

Hey guys. I am off on holiday for two weeks...
In terms of data usage we all know roaming is not a good idea unless you have deep pockets or find a suitable data roaming package...
I have asked t-mobile uk about data charges and they said I got buy a small 200mb bundle for £40... (not sure which package to take if any)..
what do I turn off to avoid roaming charges?
many thanks, look forward to your reply

My phone by default doesn't allowing roaming on the data connection (edge/3g). There's an option that you have to specifically turn on to allow it.

change the SIM card when you arrive locally to where ever you are going, and then you can use local rates.
that is the idea of having a GSM unlocked phone

Related

PPP over Cellular

Since some companies charge insane amounts for GRPS and not minutes, is it possible to work around this by using dialup PPP over the cellular (not GRPS) modem in the connections area?
YES, BUT I THINK DEPENDING ON WHICH SERVICE U USE; THEY WILL STILL CHARGE U FOR THE AMOUNTS OF DATA TRAVELING BAK N FORTH
The various carriers in Australia (except Virgin, which don't support any data at all yet) all charge data calls over GSM as standard peak/off peak calls, just like voice.
So to answer your question, here in Oz I'll often switch back to Analogue CSD line type and dial into my office via our RAS server (ie. use the GSM line) if I plan to browse / download large content, because the peak call works out cheaper than would downloading the data via GPRS (albeit significantly slower!).
8)
Thanks for the responses
Here's what I've decided to do (USA). I am keeping my AT&T GSM plan for use with voice only. Don't let them scam you into buying a data plan. T-Mobile offers an unlimited internet plan at about 50% of what AT&T and Cingular offer. Once mobileplace lets me know if they have planned for a better dual sim solution than the ghost or cutting, I will switch between sims based on my needs at the time.
CSD Connection Is Beautiful!
JUICEe said:
YES, BUT I THINK DEPENDING ON WHICH SERVICE U USE; THEY WILL STILL CHARGE U FOR THE AMOUNTS OF DATA TRAVELING BAK N FORTH
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I presume otherwise, i.e. most service providers charge air time as if it were a voice call. This is the case with T-Mobile US at least. Nights and weekends are free data time - nice! 9kbps is not too bad to surf the net without graphics.
I posted detailed set-up in thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=4723

UK T Mobile phone in Orlando - GSM OK??

I have a UK T Mobile Vario, and am taking it with me on my Orlando holiday in a couple of weeks time. I am really wanting to use it to send / receive quick emails.
The plan is to connect to my email, pull down the mail headers and then disconnect. With the mail items I want to read, I go back online and pull the full message down.
I want to drop quick mail messages to friends and family back home, and give certain updates to people on items I have been asked to buy, make sure they are OK with prices etc etc.
There appears to be various mobile cariers in Florida, and am not sure which my phone will connect to when I turn it on, but I know how to manually select a network.
The question is this, the villa is in the Indian Ridge development in Kissimmee, so should I select a specific carrier to get data features, or will any of the available ones allow it?
Vario is Triband so USA is not a problem.
You may be better ringing Tmobile UK and asking them which carrier is cheaper for roaming data in the area you will be travelling to. If you add international option to your account before you go ?3quid or thereabouts, you can get cheaper roaming. It may be cheaper buying a sim in the US and connecting on the local sim.
Maybe our American forum users could suggest the cheapest PAYG options. including data.
I had no coverage problems with tmobile around Orlando earlier this year.
If all else fails, most of the hotels in the area seem to have free, open WiFi
and plenty of parking ;-)
i lived in orlando with t-mobile, and never had any problems with coverage

HD2 Data questions?

I ordered a HD2, And am on AT&T. Wouldnt mind killing my 30$ data plan, is there any way to stop it from connecting, and can AT&T tell I have a smart phone?
GamerMYJ said:
I ordered a HD2, And am on AT&T. Wouldnt mind killing my 30$ data plan, is there any way to stop it from connecting, and can AT&T tell I have a smart phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to answer your question first, yes you can cancel your data plan and stop the HD2 from connecting to ATT data (by not setting up your device during your first setup, or you can just delete the media net settings after setup is complete. i.e. selected AT&T as your network during the first boot up).
AT&T would not recognize your device, as it is not listed in theit IMEI bank under AT&T's system. (you can just tell the representative that you have an old flip phone, if they ever call you to get the imei of your phone since it is not going to appear in their system or at the time that you cancel your data service, as i am sure they will ask you why are you terminating the iphone plan). so make sure you have an old cingular or At&t phone that you can give out the IMEI when you made the call. (This will also benefit you in the future, if you ever decided to get a medianet unlimited for $15.00 which is the perfect data plan for HD2 under AT&T since your HD2 (assuming that it is a T8585 or a Tmobile brand phone and HSDPA or 3G will not be supported.)
Im sorry but i just don't see the use of having a device such as the HD2 without using the data. Im sure that you are aware that HD2's features such as weather, maps, facebook, etc.. require's an internet connection right??? so if you decided to cancel your plan, you can only be connected thru Wifi or if ever you permit, AT&T pay per use is extremely expensive.
1Cent = 1KB
opening yahoo.com webpage = assuming 1,024KB = 1MB = $1.00
so think about it really good if i were you.
cheers
I think one problem is that the T-mo HD2's are showing up as Blackberries so they are going to force the $30 data plan regardless. I'm 100% positive they think I have a blackberry but I'm hoping that someone can tell me that they don't enforce the $30 plan in this instance?

Can you disable data, and use a voice plan only?

Greetings All,
After some disagreement with Bell, I've tried to find some truth regarding smart phone plans and the OMNIA II. The Bell representatives stated the Omnia II will only work with a smartphone plans (which conveniently start at $50 Ouch!)
Supposedly if I outright buy the phone (full price) I won't be forced into a contract. Assuming I'm contract free... can I subscribe to a cheaper monthly voice plan only?
The goal is to use the phone as a WM 6.5 PDA and surf only when in the vicinity of WIFI (home and office etc). For the few phone calls I make (which avg 4-5 a month - yes I hate talking on a cell phone), a simple voice plan with basic text messaging should suffice?
The issues surrounding this are:
A. Has this been done successfully before - is anyone doing it now???
B. When a WIFI hotspot isn't available, will the browser fail or will it secretly connect to the cellular network and ding me with data charges?
C. Having no prior experience with a GPS enabled cell phone - this "A-GPS" needs the data package to work? Or can I use it with a voice plan only?
D. I've heard stories of smartphones constantly talking to the cellular network, is this an issue? or is there a way to disable the data connections forcing it to use WIFI only?
E. Would any of this warrent unlocking the phone? Bell stated it comes locked with a Bell SIM card (its on their HSPA+ network).
Again, the goal is to use it as a suped' up PDA, surf only on WIFI and subscribe to a bare bones phone package for that occasional call I might make.
Suggestions? Comments? Advice?
KevinStraight said:
Greetings All,
After some disagreement with Bell, I've tried to find some truth regarding smart phone plans and the OMNIA II. The Bell representatives stated the Omnia II will only work with a smartphone plans (which conveniently start at $50 Ouch!)
Supposedly if I outright buy the phone (full price) I won't be forced into a contract. Assuming I'm contract free... can I subscribe to a cheaper monthly voice plan only?
The goal is to use the phone as a WM 6.5 PDA and surf only when in the vicinity of WIFI (home and office etc). For the few phone calls I make (which avg 4-5 a month - yes I hate talking on a cell phone), a simple voice plan with basic text messaging should suffice?
The issues surrounding this are:
A. Has this been done successfully before - is anyone doing it now???
B. When a WIFI hotspot isn't available, will the browser fail or will it secretly connect to the cellular network and ding me with data charges?
C. Having no prior experience with a GPS enabled cell phone - this "A-GPS" needs the data package to work? Or can I use it with a voice plan only?
D. I've heard stories of smartphones constantly talking to the cellular network, is this an issue? or is there a way to disable the data connections forcing it to use WIFI only?
E. Would any of this warrent unlocking the phone? Bell stated it comes locked with a Bell SIM card (its on their HSPA+ network).
Again, the goal is to use it as a suped' up PDA, surf only on WIFI and subscribe to a bare bones phone package for that occasional call I might make.
Suggestions? Comments? Advice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Re: Disabling GPRS - try NoData from Modaco - its a freeware, just google for it and disable all your data plans.
O2 will work with just voice plan
A. Omnia 2 will work with just a voice plan, I used mine in the Cook Islands last week with just a voice plan SIM.
B.The problem is that Bell offers data with the phone setting so you would have to make sure you disable the data, not just with Opera or the GPS, or you will incur data charges and they will roll up quickly. Most likely they offer the bundle (I have it and fine it a very reasonable plan for my phone use) because people regularly use data by mistake.
C. GPS Worked just fine. I couldn't use google maps but no problem, there's only one real road
D. As long as you are not using push email or any application that accesses the internet automatically you should not incur charges.
E.You don't have to unlock the phone unless you want to go with a different provider than Bell.
Are you set on having an Omnia 2? Perhaps a better option would be to purchase an unlocked Omnia 2 and a pay as you go SIM from a provider that does not have data.
Good luck.
post deleted
That rep was full of ****. Buy the phone outright, and call Bell and ask them to disable the data for you so you never have to second guess or accidentally use data on your phone. Be careful, you must disable data on every sim card you decide to use.
KevinStraight said:
Greetings All,
After some disagreement with Bell, I've tried to find some truth regarding smart phone plans and the OMNIA II. The Bell representatives stated the Omnia II will only work with a smartphone plans (which conveniently start at $50 Ouch!)
Supposedly if I outright buy the phone (full price) I won't be forced into a contract. Assuming I'm contract free... can I subscribe to a cheaper monthly voice plan only?
The goal is to use the phone as a WM 6.5 PDA and surf only when in the vicinity of WIFI (home and office etc). For the few phone calls I make (which avg 4-5 a month - yes I hate talking on a cell phone), a simple voice plan with basic text messaging should suffice?
The issues surrounding this are:
A. Has this been done successfully before - is anyone doing it now???
B. When a WIFI hotspot isn't available, will the browser fail or will it secretly connect to the cellular network and ding me with data charges?
C. Having no prior experience with a GPS enabled cell phone - this "A-GPS" needs the data package to work? Or can I use it with a voice plan only?
D. I've heard stories of smartphones constantly talking to the cellular network, is this an issue? or is there a way to disable the data connections forcing it to use WIFI only?
E. Would any of this warrent unlocking the phone? Bell stated it comes locked with a Bell SIM card (its on their HSPA+ network).
Again, the goal is to use it as a suped' up PDA, surf only on WIFI and subscribe to a bare bones phone package for that occasional call I might make.
Suggestions? Comments? Advice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just signed a three year contract with Bell, a few weeks ago i was surfing on their site and like you said , impossible to get a Omnia 2 without a data plan, last week i went back on, and I dont know if its a bug, but you can order one with a regular voice plan, i took the 30$ plan ( cheapest) got the phone by mail , free.
If i click on my connections on top you can disable all data, and only use wifi. If it does want to use data it warns you before activating it.
Hope this helps

Advice on international roaming

Hello All,
I'm with TMOUS and obviously have the HD2 and I'm going to be roaming in the UK & Spain in the near future so first off, I'm wondering what is the quickest and easiest way to disable the data on the phone. My plan is to either switch the data on infrequently or only when on a wifi connection.
Next, has anyone got any advice on any TMOUS product for roaming? Pre-Paid data or something like that? Anyone from the UK tell me if there is anything like a pay as you go phone/data plan available in the UK that would be more cost effective?
Same thing goes for Spain or would the same UK pay as you go sim be cheaper than US roaming?
Thanks all in advance for any pointers.
if you want to use the UK prepaid phone service, you would need to unlock your phone if you haven't already so you can use another cellphone provider's sim card. Im not sure how to completely disable the data connection other than tapping on the top menu bar, tapping on the phone signal bar, then going to the bottom and tapping on the data connection to toggle it on and off.
mobi said:
Hello All,
I'm with TMOUS and obviously have the HD2 and I'm going to be roaming in the UK & Spain in the near future so first off, I'm wondering what is the quickest and easiest way to disable the data on the phone. My plan is to either switch the data on infrequently or only when on a wifi connection.
Next, has anyone got any advice on any TMOUS product for roaming? Pre-Paid data or something like that? Anyone from the UK tell me if there is anything like a pay as you go phone/data plan available in the UK that would be more cost effective?
Same thing goes for Spain or would the same UK pay as you go sim be cheaper than US roaming?
Thanks all in advance for any pointers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got back from France and the UK and the phone (stock ROM) never once connected to data unless I responded yes to the roaming warning. When I did agree I was however surprised that it was able to connect to 3G when T-Mobile USA said that it cannot.

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