Cards blocked while overseas

[Cynicor]

I mainly use SMS but will answer most call, if only briefly. Long enough to discern the caller if inknown, if known I will SMS and ask to skype/FB/SMS etc.
SMS is relatively cheap, or not expensive enough to blow the budget. If I stay in even a $200/night hotel for a week, I can't really complain about a $45 higher phone bill. Even that would be 10 SMS a day!

 

[equus]

My Australian number is "Call Forwarded" to my office number prior to boarding/phone off for take off. Just a quick swipe in settings on my iPhone.

Mine is just call forwarded direct to Voicemail. Get the notification, and can pick it up from whichever phone and call back. Can use Skype, local number, or roaming, depending on inclination.

 

[Archphoto]

Like JohnK I travel with 2 phones. Currently the main one is my TH number (I'm based there so makes sense) with the second used as my AU number.

If I travel OS the TH SIM gets replaced with the new country's. The TH number gets forwarded to my PA, only because you can't forward to an OS number (darn it!!!) - it's the same with Vodafone.

As long as you don't use your AU number roaming in Japan, it's all good - the prices there are *ridiculous*!!!!! (Even for SMS.) Got caught out big-time there, maybe 5 calls over 3 months (lucky if they were 5 minutes max), but the roaming SMS costs nearly killed me.

 

[Cynicor]

Like JohnK I travel with 2 phones. Currently the main one is my TH number (I'm based there so makes sense) with the second used as my AU number.

If I travel OS the TH SIM gets replaced with the new country's. The TH number gets forwarded to my PA, only because you can't forward to an OS number (darn it!!!) - it's the same with Vodafone.

As long as you don't use your AU number roaming in Japan, it's all good - the prices there are *ridiculous*!!!!! (Even for SMS.) Got caught out big-time there, maybe 5 calls over 3 months (lucky if they were 5 minutes max), but the roaming SMS costs nearly killed me.

Who are you with? SMS cost is unchanged for most of the world with Telstra (75c) and only 50c for Optus, which is the normal level for their roaming.

Receiving calls is also cheaper than normal there, but making them to AI is relatively expensive.

Maybe you need a better roaming provider, or you just SMSd more than you realised!

 

[QF WP]

It's been a long time since I had acard declined when travelling overseas - I've always made the call to all my CC's and advised them details of dates, place and even expected stores/places where I expect large transactions (Note - I even told them about Mrs QF WP's Tiffanys' DXB expected purchase - thankfully went through)

I have trouble with one card regularly declining here in Australia - Macquarie. Thankfully I spend little through them.

 

[Pushka]

My Australian number is "Call Forwarded" to my office number prior to boarding/phone off for take off. Just a quick swipe in settings on my iPhone.

My office knows my number for where I am going or email the office as soon as I buy my SIM when I land so they can call me or give it to anyone who does.

Which setting is that? Sounds like a good idea.

 

[mushez]

Which setting is that? Sounds like a good idea.

Settings->Phone->Call Forwarding

It is carrier specific, but both Optus and now Telstra allow it, even my current China SIM allows it, but have found Telecom in NZ it is not active, or maybe because I am prepaid in NZ.

Calls are with Telstra free, and when with Optus just standard calling rates applied, but with my plans it was never a huge cost for the 12 people or so who call me a week to my cell in AU.