how to adjust iphone (using ATT) to minimize charges during cruise

[snorkelman]

I plan on using texts as a means for people to contact me if I need to check email or call home. I understand from another post that text messages are $0.50 per text to send on AT&T and Verizon. No data, no WiFi needed.

 

I have a question about that ^^^

 

I have AT&T. How do I send/receive texts on my iphone without unwittingly incurring massive roaming charges at sea?

 

I don't want to get charged for receiving massive amounts of emails just to check if I have any texts.

 

I had been planning on turning on airplane mode after we set sail.

 

I always leave "data roaming" off anyway, but I also was planning on (after we set sail) switching "cellular data" off.

 

Will that allow me to see if I have received any texts, without incurring any other charges?

 

Do most of you manually check somehow texts while at sea or do you just leave it turned on somehow?

 

Thanks in advance for the technical help.

 

P.s. I will plan on using facetime when I have access to free wifi. I believe that I can still accomplish that with the "cellular data" turned off, right?

[Clarea]

I would also turn off cellular data. Even though cellular data should not be used if you have data roaming off, I'd rather be safe.

 

Note that without cellular data, you will only be able to use SMS texts.

 

This means no texts with photos, videos, group messaging, iMessage, etc. On my phone, when I have cellular data off, if someone sends me an MMS message (like a text with a photo), I get no indication whatsoever. So be sure to educate everyone on the limits.

 

Note also that you can make and receive voice calls in this mode. If your phone rings from an incoming call, you will get charged a minimum of $2.49. You may want to set your phone number to automatically go to voice mail.

Edited September 18, 2015 by clarea

[ryano]

I plan on using texts as a means for people to contact me if I need to check email or call home. I understand from another post that text messages are $0.50 per text to send on AT&T and Verizon. No data, no WiFi needed.

 

I have a question about that ^^^

 

I have AT&T. How do I send/receive texts on my iphone without unwittingly incurring massive roaming charges at sea?

 

I don't want to get charged for receiving massive amounts of emails just to check if I have any texts.

 

I had been planning on turning on airplane mode after we set sail.

 

I always leave "data roaming" off anyway, but I also was planning on (after we set sail) switching "cellular data" off.

 

Will that allow me to see if I have received any texts, without incurring any other charges?

 

Do most of you manually check somehow texts while at sea or do you just leave it turned on somehow? T

 

 

Thanks in advance for the technical help.

 

P.s. I will plan on using facetime when I have access to free wifi. I believe that I can still accomplish that with the "cellular data" turned off, right?

 

 

If you turn your Iphone on airplane mode you will not be able to receive any texts other than IMessages and thats only IF and when you are connected to wifi. On Iphone when you cut off Cellular Data you can only send SMS texts if you are connected to wifi.

 

Turning your phones Data Roaming off will take care of all your worries of racking up a large bill. Then you will be on the Ships tower and pay the .50 cents per text sent. I also believe there is a .05 cent text received fee as well.

 

Cellular data on your iPhone and iPad (Cellular Model) is used for data communication in cellular networks. It doesn't affect your ability to make or receive phone calls or use Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet.

 

Turn off cellular data

You can temporarily turn off cellular data to prevent apps from using the cellular network to send or receive data. Here's what happens when you turn off cellular data:

You won't see the cellular data icons in the status bar (for example, LTE or 3G).

You won't be able to send or receive MMS messages. You can still send and receive SMS and iMessages (text or multimedia) when connected to a Wi-Fi network.

You won't be able to retrieve or listen to new Visual Voicemail messages.

You won't be able to use Personal Hotspot.

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201299

Edited September 18, 2015 by ryano

[JessyCruises]

I leave my phone on airplane with just wifi on, but if you want to be able to receive texts, turn your cellular data completely off. I have heard horror stories of people who left it on & had data roaming turned off but it still connected while they were in the Caribbean and they got a huge bill. And make sure people are not sending you iMessages and that they are sending the texts as SMS or you will not get them until you are either connected to wifi or are no longer roaming

Edited September 18, 2015 by Canadian Disney Mom

[snorkelman]

Thanks all for the help so far.

 

So if I turn off cellular data and a friend tries to send me a text, usually if they also have att it is in blue and gray, but I know that sometimes if the text fails you can send it a different way and it is green. Is that what you are talking about with the difference between SMS (green) vs. Imessage (blue) ?

 

...

Note that without cellular data, you ... can make and receive voice calls in this mode. If your phone rings from an incoming call, you will get charged a minimum of $2.49. You may want to set your phone number to automatically go to voice mail.

 

I am confused about that^^ Do you get charged the two fifty just because someone called or only if you answer? I am completely fine turning off the phone aspect. I occasionally get automated calls such as from a pharmacy telling me a prescription is ready to be picked up. I can recognize such numbers and would simply choose to not answer unless I felt it was a call I was willing to pay for.

[Clarea]

... I am confused about that^^ Do you get charged the two fifty just because someone called or only if you answer? I am completely fine turning off the phone aspect. I occasionally get automated calls such as from a pharmacy telling me a prescription is ready to be picked up. I can recognize such numbers and would simply choose to not answer unless I felt it was a call I was willing to pay for.

I have been charged the $2.49 for calls that I did not answer. In fact, I got charged several minutes (at $2.49 per minute) for calls that I did not answer where the caller left a long voice mail. That's why I mentioned setting the phone to automatically go to voice mail.

[snorkelman]

I have been charged the $2.49 for calls that I did not answer. In fact, I got charged several minutes (at $2.49 per minute) for calls that I did not answer where the caller left a long voice mail. That's why I mentioned setting the phone to automatically go to voice mail.

 

 

Thank you, but how would setting it to automatically go to VM help if you git charged for a long VM? Perhaps I am just too dense to get it. Thanks for your patience.

[setsail]

I have been charged the $2.49 for calls that I did not answer. In fact, I got charged several minutes (at $2.49 per minute) for calls that I did not answer where the caller left a long voice mail. That's why I mentioned setting the phone to automatically go to voice mail.

 

Don't all calls go directly to VM if the phone is turned off? Or, just turn your phone off if not using

[ryano]

Thanks all for the help so far.

 

So if I turn off cellular data and a friend tries to send me a text, usually if they also have att it is in blue and gray, but I know that sometimes if the text fails you can send it a different way and it is green. Is that what you are talking about with the difference between SMS (green) vs. Imessage (blue) ?

 

 

.

 

If someone with an Iphone texts you it will generally come as a Imessage(blue). If anyone else texts you it will be an SMS(green) no matter what network they use.

 

Apple says that Iphones will not be able to send or receive any kind of SMS texts or IMessages while cellular data is turned off UNLESS you are connected to wifi :) Personally I have never tried it though.

 

I always just put my Iphone in airplane mode and use it for a camera and alarm clock :) If you arent going to do that, just remember to always always keep Data Roaming turned OFF.

Edited September 18, 2015 by ryano

[Clarea]

Thank you, but how would setting it to automatically go to VM help if you git charged for a long VM? Perhaps I am just too dense to get it. Thanks for your patience.

That's just the way AT&T works. My guess is that when you tell the phone system to go directly to voice mail, it does not try to reach your phone at all, so does not have to use the cellular satellite system.

[Clarea]

... Apple says that Iphones will not be able to send or receive any kind of SMS texts or IMessages while cellular data is turned off UNLESS you are connected to wifi...

This is not true on my iPhone, but I have an older IOS version.

 

Also, this is easily checked at home, before the cruise.

[JessyCruises]

I used to do customer service for AT&T wireless around 2002 and I am almost positive at that time you were not charged roaming or LD unless you answered. You should call AT&T to see what their current policy is

Edited September 18, 2015 by Canadian Disney Mom

[JessyCruises]

Apple says that Iphones will not be able to send or receive any kind of SMS texts or IMessages while cellular data is turned off UNLESS you are connected to wifi :) Personally I have never tried it though.

.

 

 

Definitely not true. I turn my cellular data off if I am about to go over my data plan and I can definitely send SMS text msgs when not on wifi. I have an iPhone 5 with the most recent OS. I have had iPhones since the 3 and it has always been the same

[Clarea]

I used to do customer service for AT&T wireless around 2002 and I am almost positive at that time you were not charged roaming or LD unless you answered. You should call AT&T to see what their current policy is

I agree, it's best to call AT&T. I do know that at one time the rules for roaming were different for the Cellular at Sea connection.

[setsail]

Don't all calls go directly to VM if the phone is turned off? Or, just turn your phone off if not using

 

When your device is on:

•Calls that you do not answer that are routed to the AT&T voicemail system will be charged as an international roaming incoming call to your device.

•In addition, the foreign carrier's routing of that call to the AT&T voicemail system may generate an outgoing call charge from your device's location to the U.S.

•These charges apply even if the caller disconnects from the voicemail system without leaving a message.

If your device is turned off or in flight mode and the wireless network is off: •When someone tries to call you, the call will go directly to your personal voicemail greeting.

•Since the network does not try to deliver the call to you in a foreign country, there are no international roaming charges.

 

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/faq.jsp?locale=es_US

Edited September 18, 2015 by setsail

[bluebeard39]

Call AT&T because they have plans now for all the different cruise lines. I just did this in May and had no problems at all. They also have plans if you really need it for texts and calls.

[lovesthebeach2]

I plan on using texts as a means for people to contact me if I need to check email or call home. I understand from another post that text messages are $0.50 per text to send on AT&T and Verizon. No data, no WiFi needed.

 

I have a question about that ^^^

 

I have AT&T. How do I send/receive texts on my iphone without unwittingly incurring massive roaming charges at sea?

 

I don't want to get charged for receiving massive amounts of emails just to check if I have any texts.

 

I had been planning on turning on airplane mode after we set sail.

 

I always leave "data roaming" off anyway, but I also was planning on (after we set sail) switching "cellular data" off.

 

Will that allow me to see if I have received any texts, without incurring any other charges?

 

Do most of you manually check somehow texts while at sea or do you just leave it turned on somehow?

 

Thanks in advance for the technical help.

 

P.s. I will plan on using facetime when I have access to free wifi. I believe that I can still accomplish that with the "cellular data" turned off, right?

 

Keep in mind that you also use FaceTime audio while on Wifi to call anyone that has an iPhone. You don't have to use video if you just need to talk.

[Clarea]

Keep in mind that you also use FaceTime audio while on Wifi to call anyone that has an iPhone. You don't have to use video if you just need to talk.

I believe the OP wanted to avoid buying a WiFi package.

[snorkelman]

Keep in mind that you also use FaceTime audio while on Wifi to call anyone that has an iPhone. You don't have to use video if you just need to talk.

 

yes, and I believe that option may be used in the event we get a poor wifi connection because I understand facetime audio uses less bandwidth.

 

 

FWIW I took someone's advice above and did a test right now. I turned cellular data off and sent a text just fine, but I had access to wifi. Then I turned off wifi and tried to send a text to another iphone and it did not go through until the second I turned on wifi again

[snorkelman]

I believe the OP wanted to avoid buying a WiFi package.

 

yes, but as a diamond member I know that I will have some free wifi on the ship and I will also probably have some at a port or two.

[Clarea]

... Then I turned off wifi and tried to send a text to another iphone and it did not go through until the second I turned on wifi again

Make sure you are sending by SMS, not iMessage. I believe you can set this on a contact by contact basis.

[ryano]

Definitely not true. I turn my cellular data off if I am about to go over my data plan and I can definitely send SMS text msgs when not on wifi. I have an iPhone 5 with the most recent OS. I have had iPhones since the 3 and it has always been the same

 

Im just going on what is posted directly on Apples website. I dont use my Iphone on ships for anything but a camera, alarm clock and flash light :)

[bouhunter]

If someone with an Iphone texts you it will generally come as a Imessage(blue). If anyone else texts you it will be an SMS(green) no matter what network they use.

 

Apple says that Iphones will not be able to send or receive any kind of SMS texts or IMessages while cellular data is turned off UNLESS you are connected to wifi :) Personally I have never tried it though.

 

I always just put my Iphone in airplane mode and use it for a camera and alarm clock :) If you arent going to do that, just remember to always always keep Data Roaming turned OFF.

 

That's us, keeps it nice and simple. I've never once felt like I missed texting or phone calls :)

Edited September 18, 2015 by bouhunter

[lovesthebeach2]

yes, but as a diamond member I know that I will have some free wifi on the ship and I will also probably have some at a port or two.

 

We always find free wifi and it doesn't hurt to ask a crew member where they get wifi in ports.

 

We now have the Simple Choice plan from T Mobile that gives us free data and texts in >120 countries, so we haven't had this issue to need to find wifi.

[Clarea]

... We now have the Simple Choice plan from T Mobile that gives us free data and texts in >120 countries, so we haven't had this issue to need to find wifi.

I was thinking of switching to T-Mobile. Do you know if the Simple Choice plan also includes Cellular at Sea?