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Roaming off and texting

Nat
I've been here awhile

Hi,
If this is in the wrong category please move it 🙂

Where to start.
Super unhappy with Rogers at the moment. Chat and calling resolved nothing. Hoping to get some answers here.
I traveled to Europe 2 weeks ago for 2.5 weeks. Because I find the roaming charges outrageous, I turned off roaming and mobile data and only used wifi.
(I turned roaming on for 2 days from the 18 days I was gone and got a text on those days. I also randomly got a text on April 14. Unsure how as i didn't even travel between 2 countries)

Anyways...came home...few days later got my bill. I was charged for all 18 days. (Yes, do the math, not pretty, hence why I'm so upset)
When calling with them I was told I did text and that qualifies as roaming (which I only did on wifi)
Now my question if I have roaming turned off...why am I not being charged regular/international charges? (With the few texts I send is still cheaper then $15,- a day) Because I can't find anything about opting out of Roam like Home.

Sorry for the rant, but after being a customer for over 10 years, this was not a nice welcome back from vacation bill at all. And so far Rogers couldn't do anything?

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

***Edited Labels***

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Re: Roaming off and texting

Pauly
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

Turning off Roaming and turning off DATA Roaming are 2 separate things in the eyes of your provider.

Your provider can tell if your in another country even if you turn off Data roaming because you will be connected to another cell provider even if u dont use your phone.

 

Now in theory if you do NOT use your phone to make calls or Text  but are roaming on another providers network, then you are usually okay.  but if  you said you sent a text message with your wifi on,  well text messages normally are sent thru the CELLULAR network so if u send one and your in another country, the phone will most likely use the CELLULAR network of that country to deliver the message.   Now wifi calling is another story you technically can send a text message  with wifi on and cellular network completely off if you are using wifi calling, however if they detect your in another country first thru cellular romaing then yeah they will bill you even if u turn air plane mode on.   my  advice, dont connect to another cell network when travelling unless u absolutely need to. keep airplane mode on, use third party messaging apps like whats app or meta messenger

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Re: Roaming off and texting

57
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

See the following Tips on Roaming:

 

https://www.rogers.com/support/mobility/other-roaming-options-and-tips-while-travelling

 

At the bottom you will see that you need to switch the phone to airplane mode to avoid roaming charges.  This is because, if you don't, your phone will utilize the nearby cell towers to get updates for your phone apps, for e-mails, texts, notifications, etc.

 

Roaming.png

The only other option to avoid roaming charges (and be charged by time/feature used) is to remove roaming from your package.  Turning roaming off doesn't do the trick. It's important to understand roaming before you leave so that you can avoid roaming charges.

Re: Roaming off and texting

Pauly
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

Turning off Roaming and turning off DATA Roaming are 2 separate things in the eyes of your provider.

Your provider can tell if your in another country even if you turn off Data roaming because you will be connected to another cell provider even if u dont use your phone.

 

Now in theory if you do NOT use your phone to make calls or Text  but are roaming on another providers network, then you are usually okay.  but if  you said you sent a text message with your wifi on,  well text messages normally are sent thru the CELLULAR network so if u send one and your in another country, the phone will most likely use the CELLULAR network of that country to deliver the message.   Now wifi calling is another story you technically can send a text message  with wifi on and cellular network completely off if you are using wifi calling, however if they detect your in another country first thru cellular romaing then yeah they will bill you even if u turn air plane mode on.   my  advice, dont connect to another cell network when travelling unless u absolutely need to. keep airplane mode on, use third party messaging apps like whats app or meta messenger

Re: Roaming off and texting

Miklos
I've been here awhile

I had the same problem, turned off roaming and data on my phone on my last trip to US.  How is it that I still got charged for this roam like home plan.  The only thing I did was look at a text Rogers sent me when we landed at the airport.

 

This is a trap, apparently you can have everything turned off on your phone and if you leave your sim card in the phone you cannot turn Rogers off wherever you are.  So the only real way is to remove the sim card when travelling.

Re: Roaming off and texting

Miklos
I've been here awhile

Good advice, but based on the predatory nature of Rogers to follow you with text messages when you have everything disabled on your phone.  The only sure way not to get charged is to remove SIM card when travelling outside country.

 

I got charged because I looked at one of their text when in US with everything disabled.  This is the trap , you can be charged even if you don't use it intentionally.

 

And in Europe SIM cards are fairly cheap, last time in Italy we paid just around $30 for a whole month.

Re: Roaming off and texting

Pauly
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

on rogers website they say the only way your charged for roam like home is to turn on data while abroad, reading a text should not trigger it

Re: Roaming off and texting

57
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@Pauly wrote:

on rogers website they say the only way your charged for roam like home is to turn on data while abroad, reading a text should not trigger it


Link please?  In my recent post, link below on the topic, you will see that the only surefire ways to eliminate roaming charges are outlined:

 

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Account-Support/Roam-Like-Home-Charges/m-p/508536/highlight/tr...

 

If you were to receive all your texts via WiFi, like using What's App or iMessage, then there would be no charges, but this cannot be guaranteed if you receive a text via the Cell network which can happen easily.

 

For example, I don't even have any data on my Pre-Paid phone, but I can get charged for texts if I receive them at times while not connected to WiFi.

 

Re: Roaming off and texting

Pauly
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

https://www.rogers.com/business/support/wireless/roam-like-home

 

About Roam Like Home

 

What is Roam Like HomeTM?

Roam Like Home lets you use your phone plan’s data, talk and text like you do at home in over 185+ destinations around the world for a daily fee ($12/day in the U.S., $15/day in other eligible destinations).

How it works

  • You’re only charged on a calendar days you use your device (make/receive a call, send a text, calling your voicemail, use data), and you’ll only be charged for a maximum of 20 days per monthly bill, after which time you can keep using Roam Like Home until the end of your bill period free of change.

 

 

Sending a Text should not trigger it according to this link I quoted, no where does it say.  The network can tell if you sent a text. Chances are, people getting charged by turning ON cellular data roaming, and their apps are running in the background like email, google play store, face book, whatsapp, etc.. If you are getting charged, then you are triggering it somehow another way.  Best to turn off your cellular network completely and go into Air Plain Mode or take out your SIM Card

Re: Roaming off and texting

57
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@Pauly : That appears to be a business link.  In the links and posts that I have provided, the initiation of roaming charges are fairly clearly identified and the methods to preclude being charged are also clearly identified (Airplane Mode, and/or removing Roaming option from your plan, and/or SIM out, and/or Phone off.

Re: Roaming off and texting

Pauly
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

what difference does it make if its a business link? im sure theres a similar link on the residential page, do i have time to scour the net looking for it? nope.

 

The Cellphone Switch that controls the roaming is not high level it is not connected to billing sytstem it  does not check or care if you are business plan or residential, so it should not matter. either way, my wife brought her phone in another country and had DATA ROAMING OFF, but still received text message, but she did not make or receive any calls and guess what? she was not charged.  im only saying this cus some people are not knowlegeable how to turn on air plane mode or take out the sim when travelling, nor should they, theyre not rocket scientists but if they follow the rules layd out clearly they will be good.  just dont SEND a text when your roaming, my wife used whatsup to send me messages so it worked in the end

Re: Roaming off and texting

57
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@Pauly wrote:

... im sure theres a similar link on the residential page, do i have time to scour the net looking for it? nope.


Not much work required. A simple click of any of the links I provided in previous posts would do the trick.

 

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Account-Support/Roaming-off-and-texting/m-p/507363/highlight/t...

 

PS. Whenever people visit another country, people need to do their research including:

 

- Passports

- Visas

- Other paperwork like ArriveCan (no longer necessary)

- Vaccinations for various diseases

- Driver's License information (International?)

- Travel, Health Insurance

- Phone plans optimization including:  possible foreign SIM, etc, including Roaming, which Rogers has lots of information on.

 

If people don't do their due diligence, then they will reap those "rewards".

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