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Old 06-30-2006, 03:13 AM   #1
Wrenchtraveller
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Beware the roaming charges.

Eight weeks back I took Amtrak from Seattle to San Diego, then bussed out to Yuma to drive my folks home because my Dad had to have a pacemaker put in and was not allowed to drive for awhile.

Anyway, my cell plan is with Rogers and I did talk to the wife a lot on my cell phone and I got spanked with 500 bucks of roaming charges.
This is highway robbery but the cell phone providers have a licence to steal and they do. I am sure it works both ways so anybody using a cell phone out of their own country, beware the roaming charges.
 
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Old 06-30-2006, 04:22 AM   #2
Wifeofdano
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OMG !! I'm not sure what to say except OMG !! The cell phone companies seem to be like mother nature - can't do much about it. Something like that is SO not in the budget. At least now you know and cared enough to share with others.
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Old 06-30-2006, 05:20 AM   #3
adelmoll
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Don, Les and Julie go back anf forth from Canada and have found a way to have service but I sure don't know what it is. Maybe they will be along to help,

Helen
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Old 06-30-2006, 05:37 AM   #4
OntMont
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Bell Canada's "Digital North America" plan works seamlessly between the US and Canada for voice. (You do get charged for roaming if you use it for data though). It works on the Sprint network in the US. It is a flat rate plan anywhere in North America, no Long Distance, no Roaming.

I think most of the major cell phone providers have a similar plan, but you do need to make sure that you have such a plan, or you will get dinged for roaming. We only activate the plan when we are travelling in the US. Occasionally while travelling near the border in Ontario, a US tower will pick up our phone, and then we get a roaming charge without even leaving home. Need to set your phone for "Home Only" to prevent that from happening.
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Old 06-30-2006, 09:05 AM   #5
dsprik
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We were also told to watch for the flash "roam" icon on your phone. With the two cell companies that I was with, they both had the same system. If you have a "National" plan, as long as that icon is flashing you're safe (no mater whether it says "ROAM" or not). If it stays "ON" steady - you're ROAMING, and you're going to get dinged big time.
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Old 06-30-2006, 02:12 PM   #6
markwick
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Info from a retired telephone guy. - if you do not have a nationwide plan and keep your cel phone on while traveling you will get dinged for a roaming chrge every time you pass through a new area or an area with a different carrier. If you are not waiting for a phone call while traveling - turn your cel phone off and only turn it on when at your destination, then you will only be charged for roaming whenever you turn it on in a new location
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Old 07-01-2006, 03:13 AM   #7
Wrenchtraveller
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Thanks for all the good advice and Markwick, my phone was on all the time so that is probably what happened. It was an expensive lesson but I should have known better. When I retire and we start spending our winters down south I will get a national plan for sure.
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Old 07-01-2006, 05:07 AM   #8
richfaa
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We have the Cingular nationwide plan and we can get a package for Canada and Mexico .59 cents a Min for calling from Canada/ mexico and .19 cents a min when calling from USA TO Canada/Mexico..We normally do not use the cell when in Canada execpt for emergencies.They also have worldwide roaming rates..mosr companies do...
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Old 07-17-2006, 03:06 PM   #9
borfaloo
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Hi all.

I have worked in the wireless arena for the last 10 years and here is my 2 cents on roaming charges and wireless data.

Roaming= moving from your providers network onto another providers network (You have Sprint and pick up on PoDunk cellular). The company that you are roaming with(PoDunk)have an 'agreement' with your provider (Sprint). The roaming company charge you and Sprint for the ability to make a call on their network. YOU ARE NOT charged for picking up (registering) on their network unless you make or receive a call. This includes calling your voicemail as it is actually stored on a voicemail server back at your provider.

As stated correctly by a few folks your rate plan will either cover roaming or it will not ( more often than not roaming is covered these days) You should also be aware that roaming is NOT long distance. It is in addition to long distance.

In my experience wireless data does not incur much of a charge roaming wise unless you use your phone as a dial up modem in which case it is pretty much a standard phone call.

I liked the Nextel Wireless broadband product (those of you in NC may have heard about it) it was a very fast and stable product. Part of that technology has been adapted by Sprint in their wireless data model. Qualcomm have just bought a company called Flarion that I had worked with a couple of years ago. When they bring out their offering for Verizon I would advise checking that out.

Sean

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