Using iPhone when overseas.

[trippin_the_rift]

I've found turning 'data roaming' off disables anything to do with data (a good thing). IT will disable any push notifications and MMS.

The only catch is, if you find a wifi spot, you'll need to activate data roaming on your phone to use the wifi. Just remember to turn data roaming off again *BEFORE* you leave the hotspot, otherwise a flurry of emails, push notifications and emails can come in. Can be an expensive lesson

 

[tuppaware]

Can be an expensive lesson

A had a friend send 5mbs of 'Motivational Posters' to an email address, I had turned on Data roaming, then checked my calendar BAM.. I had downloaded email in 60 seconds at a total cost of 2c a kilobyte...

Phone companies need to be shot.

 

[mannej]

I have never activated data roaming, and still been able to use wifi without any dramas

 

[drewbles]

As others have mentioned, disabling the data roaming (which is the default setting, you have to enable it if you want it) works fine.

I'm in the situation where i've had to use my iPhone overseas on many occasions. Usually it's with one of our SIM cards (the ones we sell) and I have to enable the "enable data whilst roaming" option (and in my case enter a special APN as it's a non-iPhone carrier SIM).

Data = expensive, even from us. We also make next to nothing on data. Carriers simply rip everyone off, be it a direct customer, or a roaming partner like us.

If you're able to, just leave the 'connect to wifi' option selected, and when you're in-range of a free wi-fi signal, use that as needed. That does not impact on the roaming data option.

 

[drewbles]

A had a friend send 5mbs of 'Motivational Posters' to an email address, I had turned on Data roaming, then checked my calendar BAM.. I had downloaded email in 60 seconds at a total cost of 2c a kilobyte...

Phone companies need to be shot.

Are you sure you didn't have mail enabled and then close it when you unlocked the phone? I've never once had the calendar option download my email (I use the calendar option several times a day, and I have no push enabled).

 

[drewbles]

I've found turning 'data roaming' off disables anything to do with data (a good thing). IT will disable any push notifications and MMS.

The only catch is, if you find a wifi spot, you'll need to activate data roaming on your phone to use the wifi. Just remember to turn data roaming off again *BEFORE* you leave the hotspot, otherwise a flurry of emails, push notifications and emails can come in. Can be an expensive lesson

Nup. Just leave the wifi option on. Settings -> wifi. Data Roaming is in Settings -> General -> Network. Two separate things

 

[drewbles]

Interesting thread as I am back in the USA in a couple of months with an iPhone and have made a note of the various setting changes. However, I not intend to use roaming (Optus) and will buy a prepaid phone/sim at one of the department stores..great value and US$50 all up for phone/sim usually lasts me the three weeks I am there. I will need my iPhone for contact addresses etc

Problem with that is there's still no data. No US carrier has a pre-paid data solution these days (AT&T do but not for iPhones).

If you're after a cheap pre-paid SIM that works on AT&T and T-Mobile, drop me a line (I work for a company that does global roaming SIM cards - I am not in sales, i'm one of the Techs, ask serfty )

 

[chanteuse]

Like many others - I had vodafone switch off 3G before I got on the plane. Works a treat. No data charges but can use wifi everywhere.

 

[drewbles]

Oh and if anyone ever has problems with this stuff drop me a line. It's my day job I'm a Network Engineer at a place that does pre-paid global roaming mobiles, so tend to come across a lot of strange problems all over the world, including handset and strange network peculiarities. Am always happy to help out if people have issues.

 

[straitman]

Nup. Just leave the wifi option on. Settings -> wifi. Data Roaming is in Settings -> General -> Network. Two separate things

.... and for those that do not believe drewbles I have tried it this morning and can assure you that what he says is correct.

With data roaming off my phone is still connected to wifi at home but disconnects (ie no data roaming) when I go out of range. If I turn data roaming back on it all works again where ever I am.

 

[drewbles]

.... and for those that do not believe drewbles I have tried it this morning and can assure you that what he says is correct.

With data roaming off my phone is still connected to wifi at home but disconnects (ie no data roaming) when I go out of range. If I turn data roaming back on it all works again where ever I am.

Oh and there is no reason to turn off 3G really. If the phone doesn't see/isn't able to connect to any 850/2100mHz HSDPA network, they'll simply fall back to 800/900/1800/1900mHz GSM networks. 3G has no connection with the availability, or lack there of, of roaming data. It's just that people seem to associate 3G with data more. 3G is just the technology, like GSM is really 2G and its data component is GPRS. 3G is UMTS, and the data component is known as HSDPA.

Welcome to the industry of acronyms

 

[straitman]

Welcome to the industry of acronyms

Maybe it should read 'Welcome to another industry of acronyms:!:'

 

[holdenvxman]

That's a bummer, I'll grab a gophone with a handset incase I run into this problem. I have seen it done with a 2g iPhone, but alas not with a 3gs. I wonder why it doesn't work? I mean theoreticaly if the phones unlocked there shouldn't be a reason why it wouldn't work, did you ask AT&T? It's not to do with the difference in mz band? (I didn't think apple made handsets that only work on certain mz bands...)

I did ask AT&T instore, they said that there sims are only comptable with the iphones that they sell even though the phone is unlocked.
I don't know if he knew what he was talking about, was not adding up in my head but its possible

 

[tuppaware]

Are you sure you didn't have mail enabled and then close it when you unlocked the phone? I've never once had the calendar option download my email (I use the calendar option several times a day, and I have no push enabled).

I dunno, Maybe the problem lies with my exchange account calendar .. Or i forgot to turn off push..

I got a 'you know your bill is going to be huge' phone call from optus 3 am when I was in london last year. When I got back I 'negotiated ' a $300 discount for being a long time user.. and pleaded innocence .

 

[drewbles]

I did ask AT&T instore, they said that there sims are only comptable with the iphones that they sell even though the phone is unlocked.
I don't know if he knew what he was talking about, was not adding up in my head but its possible

Not likely they knew what they were on about. iPhone will happily take any SIM/USIM for 2G/3G networks. The Contracted iPhones they sell have standard 3G USIM's in them that work in most handsets. The pre-paid ones also work in the iPhone (Have tried it myself several times whilst in the USA using the GO SIM cards - no data of course).

 

[tuppaware]

I did ask AT&T instore, they said that there sims are only comptable with the iphones that they sell even though the phone is unlocked.
I don't know if he knew what he was talking about, was not adding up in my head but its possible

I ended up jail braking mine and taking an extra step as you needed to load settings relevant to that company.

 

[drewbles]

I ended up jail braking mine and taking an extra step as you needed to load settings relevant to that company.

Jail breaking will not help you. If you insert a SIM into the iPhone that does not have an approved carrier profile for the SIM (ie, a foreign carrier SIM) you will have the cellular data settings unlocked for you. You can also install provisioning profiles, via a web page, that'll change your APN and other things as well.

The .ipcc file contains all carrier-specific settings. Most of these can be done with provisioning profiles. Jail Breaking really isn't going to do much in this case, and can actually hurt the situation. I've seen jailbroken phones (and "unlocked", but that's a different story) that are a real mess and won't work properly on other SIM cards. Unlocking is actually modifying the baseband of the radio, which is always risky. Jailbreaking is just allowing you to install things onto the phone and modify files. Unless you want to play with non-iTunes store apps (via Cydia or otherwise), Jailbreaking is not really useful.

 

[jamesatfish]

Oh and there is no reason to turn off 3G really. If the phone doesn't see/isn't able to connect to any 850/2100mHz HSDPA network, they'll simply fall back to 800/900/1800/1900mHz GSM networks

There is one reason - battery life. Even with data roaming disabled, if the 3G radios are left enabled then they'll still drain battery life more than if the iPhone is left to connect purely over GSM. If you're not getting the data speed benefits of the 3G network, you might as well turn off the 3G radios and get some extra battery life whilst you're travelling.

 

[uzza]

I did ask AT&T instore, they said that there sims are only comptable with the iphones that they sell even though the phone is unlocked.
I don't know if he knew what he was talking about, was not adding up in my head but its possible

Bugger

Looks like I'm going to end up with one of those $20 refurbished nokia gophones

 

[djfuzz]

I've tried SIMs from the three major Australian carriers overseas, and the only one that ever seems to 'magically' use data with roaming turned off is Telstra. They also seem to inflate (more marginally these days) the total bandwidth used, compared to that which is measured on the phone itself (not sure about Voda, but Optus at least used to be pretty close to the mark).

I don't know how it's even possible for this data roaming 'leak' to occur only on Telstra, but these days I either keep my phone on Airplane mode (with WiFi switched on) when I'm not using the phone function, or simply get a local SIM. Not so helpful if you need to receive calls on your Australian number, but that's a calculated risk you have to take.

Slight OT, but FWIW in the US I've not had a problem using an AT&T GoPhone SIM with the $20 / 100MB MEdia Net data pack. I know they recently changed their 'policy' so you couldn't use these packs with a non-AT&T iPhone (bit silly really), but I believe there is a workaround (drewbles can correct me if I'm wrong / miss anything):

• Buy a GoPhone SIM at a convenience store, or at worst an AT&T store (and do not mention that you have an iPhone)
• Buy some recharge credit (if you want data, get more than $20 - I believe you get bonuses / better rates at $30/$50 recharges)
• Activate your SIM on the phone or online, then register your SIM on AT&T's website (without giving them your phone's IMEI code if they ask) and add the data pack
• Use this program (Unlockit - APN Changer for your iPhone) to change the iPhone's APN to the one AT&T uses for GoPhone, so you can actually use the data

It seems like a lot, but it's actually pretty straightforward, and the payoff of being able to use your iPhone unhindered is definitely worth it.