Roaming with Visual Voice Mail?

G

gadgeTT

New Member
Bronze
Jul 1, 2007
57
0
0
Austin, TX
www.twikiland.org
Hi All,

I've had no luck getting answers from AT&T or Apple on this one, so perhaps someone here knows the answer.

When roaming on GSM networks outside of the USA, I know that my voice minutes and data minutes are charged at the roaming rates as available. As I understand, the way the "visual voicemail" (VVM) feature works is that when someone leaves you a message, it's stored on the AT&T servers as usual, but is then transmitted as a data file to your iPhone for offline playback. Once transferred to the iPhone, the phone can be in "Airplane mode" and still play back the message because it's merely a file stored on the local device.

Therefore, if someone calls me from the USA while I'm traveling internationally, and I don't answer the all, they will roll to voicemail. If they leave me a voicemail message while I'm traveling, how am I billed for the cals which I don't answer and which roll to voice mail while I'm traveling?

1. Am I billed for the "airtime" (voice) for the caller to merely leave a voice mail even if I don't listen to it?
2. If the area has data services available, am I billed for the data transmission to receive the VVM file, so I'm billed even if I don't answer the call?
3. If the area doesn't have data service but does have voice services, am I only billed airtime (voice minutes) if I call in to listen to the message?

One AT&T rep tried convincing me that if I'm traveling, someone calls and I don't answer it, I still pay airtime minutes just for the caller to leave me a message even if I don't call in to retrieve the message at all. That sounds wong to me.

Anyone?

Thanks!
 
S

stewsan

New Member
Bronze
Jul 26, 2007
35
0
0
gadgeTT said:
Hi All,

I've had no luck getting answers from AT&T or Apple on this one, so perhaps someone here knows the answer.

When roaming on GSM networks outside of the USA, I know that my voice minutes and data minutes are charged at the roaming rates as available. As I understand, the way the "visual voicemail" (VVM) feature works is that when someone leaves you a message, it's stored on the AT&T servers as usual, but is then transmitted as a data file to your iPhone for offline playback. Once transferred to the iPhone, the phone can be in "Airplane mode" and still play back the message because it's merely a file stored on the local device.

Therefore, if someone calls me from the USA while I'm traveling internationally, and I don't answer the all, they will roll to voicemail. If they leave me a voicemail message while I'm traveling, how am I billed for the cals which I don't answer and which roll to voice mail while I'm traveling?

1. Am I billed for the "airtime" (voice) for the caller to merely leave a voice mail even if I don't listen to it?
2. If the area has data services available, am I billed for the data transmission to receive the VVM file, so I'm billed even if I don't answer the call?
3. If the area doesn't have data service but does have voice services, am I only billed airtime (voice minutes) if I call in to listen to the message?

One AT&T rep tried convincing me that if I'm traveling, someone calls and I don't answer it, I still pay airtime minutes just for the caller to leave me a message even if I don't call in to retrieve the message at all. That sounds wong to me.

Anyone?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
From my experience, once the phone registers overseas you get billed for every call whether you answer or not. Until you get back to the USA and the phone logs on there.

If the phone rings and you don't answer it and let it go to voice mail, you pay double.

If you turn on your phone overseas, let it register, and then turn it off. You will pay for every call made to that phone, until you get back to the USA.

Visual voice mail uses edge, so you're paying a small amount for that.

I know that sounds unfair and it is but unless things have changed in the last month that is what happens. I turned my phone on in Australia just to see if it would work and turned it off. I ended up paying for 60+ calls before I got back to the states and got registered with cingular/att. They all went to my voice mail.
 
S

SkyyBoy

Member
Bronze
Jul 4, 2007
131
0
16
Hawaii
to avoid roaming charges, set your phone to "unconditional call forwarding" that way, your phone will NOT ring while you are roaming (calls go STRAIGHT to voicemail). to do that, follow these instructions:
# On your phone, dial *#62# and click Send.
# Phone number will be displayed.
# Write down the number (including +1)
# Dial **21*+1xxxyyyzzzz*11# and hit Send. +1xxxyyyzzzz is the number you wrote down previously
# Dial *#21# to verify that the new settings are active.
# When no longer desired, dial ##002# to reset back to normal.

I did that on my last trip to Europe and it worked fine. I did sign up for the 50MB Int'l iPhone data plan. However, I did not notice any voicemail data being recorded for my account while I was gone.
Because the calls do not attempt to "find" your phone on the foreign network, there are no roaming charges.
 
L

lucybbear

New Member
Feb 21, 2009
1
0
0
Hi My daughter is traveling to france and germany next week. we did a test drive on the unconditional call forwarding, but our iPhone alerts us to a new voice mail. Is this because we are in our network? when roaming in europe will she still get a voice mail alert?

She will have the following:
Time and Date
set automatically = off
Calendars
New Invitation Alerts = OFF
Time Zone Support = OFF
Airplane Mode = ON
Push = OFF
Fetch = Manual
Enable 3g = Off
Data Roaming = Off
VPN = OFF
Locations services = off

We are paranoid of getting a huge roaming bill! Any input is appreciated
Kate
 
D

djmattera

New Member
Jul 20, 2009
1
0
0
I have traveled quite frequently with both my iPhone and Bberry, and have learned the HARD way about running up both Roaming minutes and Data....

Here is what i suggest:

1) When traveling Internationally, FORWARD ALL CALLS TO VM! - You get charged for your phone to "ring" in foreign countries because you are using their system. Letting it ring and go to VM costs you money, and if you get a LOT of calls, it can turn into a LOT of money.
2) Sign up for one of AT&T's International Data Plans.... as you will check VM through Data, it can add up quickly.
3) Subcribe to Skype or some other service that will allow you to make VOIP calls... you can call land lines for $0.15 p/m versus $1.50 per minute... You can also set it up so that it shows up on caller ID with your own phone number.

I have no idea on how to stop Text Messages coming through, but they can be pricey as well.
 
Q

Quake97

New Member
Silver
Jul 10, 2007
522
0
0
Philly Burbs
Incoming text messages in foreign countries are counted in your text messaging plan. So, you don't have to worry about those.

Joe
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom