USA Roaming

[Tats22]

I am planning a visit to the USA and have a pay monthly contract.

I will have a separate phone with a USA Sim for calls and data / internet in the USA.

The only thing I will need my UK phone with it's Vodafone Sim is to be able to receive security texts from my Bank and Credit Card companies and make calls to them if necessary.

I understand I will have to pay the daily roaming charge if I use my phone for sending or receiving calls / texts.

I will have mobile data turned off - so, do I still get charged if there are no calls and texts on a specific day - i.e. the phone is not used?

[AnnS]

If you refer to this link Roaming Charge Checker , you will only be charged when roaming is detected, when you make a call or send a text.  I you don't use the phone for an outgoing activity you won't be charged.

As far as your OTP is concerned, make sure your Bank uses +44 and not just the 0.

Turn off your data roaming as well as mobile data.

[Tats22]

Hello

Many thanks for this speedy reply - I am not very tech savvy so please be patient with this follow up.

1.  I have looked at the Roaming Charge Checker and can now see where is says that it is free to receive standard rate calls and texts - all understood - this was good news

2.Thanks for the point on data roaming which is good advice and I have understood

3. So only query - not sure how I make sure Bank uses +44 when sending me OTP texts as I have no control over this (or when I reply to a Bank text asking if a transaction is genuine) - does this relate to making calls to the Bank?

[japitts]

---

@Tats22 wrote:

3. So only query - not sure how I make sure Bank uses +44 when sending me OTP texts as I have no control over this.

---

Absolutely right you don't. Receiving texts is free globally, regardless of whether the sender has used +44 or 0 to send them.

I suspect if you asked any bank this point, they'd give you a very strange look - and rightly so.

[japitts]

---

@AnnS wrote:

As far as your OTP is concerned, make sure your Bank uses +44 and not just the 0.

---

Receiving texts is always free globally. The recipient has no control over how that message is sent, and indeed the +44 or 0 choice is irrelevant.

[AnnS]

---

@japitts wrote:

---

@AnnS wrote:

As far as your OTP is concerned, make sure your Bank uses +44 and not just the 0.

---

Receiving texts is always free globally. The recipient has no control over how that message is sent, and indeed the +44 or 0 choice is irrelevant.

---

I am perfectly aware receiving text overseas is free globally and don't need to be corrected, that information is readily available on the charge check link.  +44 is the UK country code.

[japitts]

---

@AnnS wrote:

---

@japitts wrote:

---

@AnnS wrote:

As far as your OTP is concerned, make sure your Bank uses +44 and not just the 0.

---

Receiving texts is always free globally. The recipient has no control over how that message is sent, and indeed the +44 or 0 choice is irrelevant.

---

I am perfectly aware receiving text overseas is free globally and don't need to be corrected, that information is readily available on the charge check link.  +44 is the UK country code.

---

You asked the OP to check the sender of a text message was using a particular code to send to them. One basic principle of mobile telephony is that people contacting a mobile user do so in exactly the same way regardless of their location. The mobile network routes calls & texts to them.

The logical extension of your suggestion, is that people should dial a particular mobile number differently, in order to reach them whilst abroad. This is nonsense.

+44 is simply a universal code to make outbound dialling to the UK reliable whilst you are roaming, and allow for local variations to not be an issue. I make no apology for the valid advice in my previous post.

[AnnS]

This wasn't advise, your intention was to criticise my posting.  My help to the OP was valid, I advised him there was no charge for receiving only for outgoing.

Thanks for your advise, being diplomatic springs to mind.

[japitts]

---

@AnnS wrote:

My help to the OP was valid, I advised him there was no charge for receiving only for outgoing.

---

The advice I was correcting, was where you suggested to "make sure your Bank uses +44 and not just the 0" - that was invalid and remains so.

The logical extension of your suggestion, is that people should dial a particular mobile number differently, in order to reach them whilst abroad.

Being accurate in advice on web forums is equally important, especially on subjects where users are easily confused.

[Tats22]

Thanks for this

I have been thinking (dangerous) and there is a 1% little niggling doubt in my mind so please bear with me. 

The wording of the first 2 bullet points on the Roaming Charge Checker are as follows:

• A day starts from the time when roaming is detected and lasts for 24 hours. For example, if roaming is detected at 10am, the daily roaming fee would be valid until 10am the next day.
• It's always free to receive standard rate calls and texts

I just want to make sure that "It's always free to receive standard rate calls and texts" means that a receipt of a call or text does not trigger the days roaming charge (as opposed to there being no charge for receipt apart from the activity triggering the roaming charge).

I know you may be thinking "this is what I said in my original reply" but I just want to make sure I am reading this right.

Thanks again