The Better Business Bureau received more than 27,000 complaints against the cellphone industry in 2010, some of which were from customers who were unaware that their data was still in use as they traveled outside of their coverage area or outside of the United States.
One particular customer was charged more than $1,200 when his cellphone auto-received his emails daily during a one-week stay in Jamaica.
A friend who regularly travels from Boise to China was billed $350 for 10 days of email while in Shanghai. Now, he keeps the phone in airplane mode to prevent additional charges.
Cellphone users are surfing the web, receiving emails and watching movies on their smartphones from just about anywhere. But when traveling abroad, many people fail to recognize that their data plan is constantly in use even when they think their phone isn’t. The Better Business Bureau recommends you either turn off your phone or make the necessary data arrangements with your cellphone provider to avoid thousands of dollars in data charges while traveling abroad.
Roaming is the term that describes a wireless phone’s ability to make and receive calls outside the home calling area under your service plan. When your phone is roaming, there should be an indicator on the screen. But on occasion, your handset will not display a roaming indicator, even though it is in a roaming area. Before traveling abroad or out of your coverage area, it’s important to be proactive and contact your provider for specific details regarding their individual data and roaming plan.
Here are a few money-saving cellphone tips from the BBB:
Turn off your phone. If you don’t need your phone and don’t plan on using it while traveling abroad, turn it off. Some travelers opt for renting or buying international cellphones. Many rental plans offer service that works in several countries and may provide free incoming calls.
Contact your cellphone provider. Many cellphone users know not to make calls or send text messages while out of their coverage area or abroad, but many fail to realize that their data are in use even when they don’t think it is. For the occasional traveler who doesn’t talk on the phone that frequently, it may be worth looking into an international add-on plan. Your cellphone carrier can provide specific tips that cater to the roaming needs of your individual cellphone and data plan.
Invest in a prepaid SIM card. For the frequent, chatty travelers, or longterm travelers, this may be the best way to cut costs. With access to a local phone number, you’ll be able to make phone calls at the country’s local rate.
Always check with BBB before choosing an international service provider. Many companies offer SIM cards that can be purchased and can include free incoming calls originating from anywhere in the world.
Dale Dixon is president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau, a not-for-profit organization serving Southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon. Reach him at 342-4649 or ddixon@boise.bbb.org.
