Use of phone out of the country

I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the plan
that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a minutes
charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month we will be on a
one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the following questions:

1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone service,
so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply get our voice
mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is that a correct
assumption?

2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from the US
make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).

3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from the
US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I ignore or
reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I be charged for
that call if a person leaves a message?

4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message while
in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were making a call
back to the States?

---

› See More: Use of phone out of the country

Rick wrote:

> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the plan
> that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a minutes
> charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month we will be on a
> one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the following questions:
>
> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone service,
> so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply get our voice
> mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is that a correct
> assumption?
>
> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from the US
> make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>
> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from the
> US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I ignore or
> reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I be charged for
> that call if a person leaves a message?
>
> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message while
> in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were making a call
> back to the States?

These are questions you should be asking Cingular! It is unlikely that
you would get a signal on your phone in Jamaica or Cozumel and you
can't check your messages if you don't have a signal.

sue

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Tue, 07 Mar 2006
19:14:48 GMT, "Rick" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the plan
>that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a minutes
>charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month we will be on a
>one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the following questions:
>
>1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone service,
>so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply get our voice
>mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is that a correct
>assumption?

Probably. It would be possible for the cruise ship to have onboard cellular,
but I think it unlikely. Check with the cruise line to be sure.

>2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from the US
>make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).

Yes, if you've asked Customer Care to enable International Roaming.

>3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from the
>US, what is the approximate charge per minute?.

I think you can get the International Roaming rates on the Cingular website.
You'll find that it's pretty expensive.

>What happens if I ignore or
>reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I be charged for
>that call if a person leaves a message?

You aren't charged for calls that go to voicemail.

>4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message while
>in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were making a call
>back to the States?

Yes.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Tue, 07 Mar 2006 14:21:25 -0500, Sue and
Kevin Mullen <[email protected]> wrote:

>> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from the US
>> make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).

You'll need a quad band phone (e.g., Motorola V557) for best results when
roaming out of the USA. While some Caribbean networks support 1900 (one of
the two bands used by Cingular), others are 900/1800.

>> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from the
>> US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I ignore or
>> reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I be charged for
>> that call if a person leaves a message?
>>
>> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message while
>> in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were making a call
>> back to the States?

>These are questions you should be asking Cingular! It is unlikely that
>you would get a signal on your phone in Jamaica or Cozumel and you
>can't check your messages if you don't have a signal.

Jamaica actually has good GSM (900/1800/1900) coverage:
<http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_jm.shtml>
Cozumel likewise has good GSM (1900) coverage:
<http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_map.pl?z=1&x=2&y=1&cc=mx&net=rm>
<http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_map.pl?z=1&x=2&y=1&cc=mx&net=pc>

More information on GSM international roaming coverage:
<http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/>

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

We cruise often and have 1st hand experience with this.

WARNING!! This can be VERY expensive. Cingular now offers service on
some cruise ships at about $5 per minute! Here's a kicker: If you turn
on your phone in a foreign country (including the ship if it has
service) it will stay registered in that country (or ship) till midnight
even if you turn the phone off again. Now, if someone calls your number
it will be sent to the foreign carrier and when it's not answered be
sent back to voicemail. You WILL be charged for a 1 minute call to the
foreign country and another one minute call back to voicemail. So, it
will cost you $2 to $10 just to receive a voicemail! To prevent this DO
NOT TURN ON YOUR PHONE while the Cingular or TMo SIM is in it. Customer
Service does not do a good job of explaining this when you ask before
you go. However, they become quite good at explaining it when they are
defending the charges AFTER the trip!

Better solution: Remove the SIM and pop in a prepaid one that you buy in
the foreign country (your phone must be unlocked - Cingular will give
you the unlock code). Use it to call and check your VM and return calls
on your own terms. Another option: Change your VM message to advise
callers that you will not be checking messages and to please send an
email to you (give the address). Then, onboard the ship or while in port
check your emails. For POP3 accounts you can use www.mail2web.com to
check your coporate accounts easily and for free.

Onboard the ship, internet access rates will vary from 35 to 50 cents a
minute and some cabin categories (suites typically) get it free on some
lines. Some ships have hotspots for wifi equipped laptops too (extra
cost and not part of free service!). However, when you get into port
you'll find internet shops everywhere that offer access for as little as
$2 for a half hour.

Worried about being contacted if the house burns down or a kid gets
sick? Give the ship's phone number to whoever's looking after things.
It'll be worth the $10 a minute if there's a true emergency.




> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the
> plan that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay
> a minutes charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next
> month we will be on a one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have
> the following questions:
> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone
> service, so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply
> get our voice mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is
> that a correct assumption?
>
> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from
> the US make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>
> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is
> from the US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What
> happens if I ignore or reject the call and it rolls over to my voice
> mail? Will I be charged for that call if a person leaves a message?
>
> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message
> while in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were
> making a call back to the States?

"Rick" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the
> plan that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a
> minutes charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month
> we will be on a one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the
> following questions:
>
> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone
> service, so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply
> get our voice mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is
> that a correct assumption?
>
> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from
> the US make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>
> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from
> the US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I
> ignore or reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I
> be charged for that call if a person leaves a message?
>
> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message
> while in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were
> making a call back to the States?
>
>

Cingular has roaming agreemtns for the places that you seek. Our luck
inthe Caribbean has been spotty. My daughters ATT phone wouldn't pick up
the local network but mine would (both phones quad band so go figure)
The calls are very expensive enter international roaming in the search
bar at Cingular for a list of rates. Cell phones out of the country are
truly for emergencies or for well funded expense accounts. and yes any
voice mail call is like making a call to the states. Calls should make
it to you, for you to call home hold down the 0 untill it turns to a +
then add 1 etc.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Hi

"Joseph Coulter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Rick" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the
>> plan that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a
>> minutes charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month
>> we will be on a one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the
>> following questions:
>>
>> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone
>> service, so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply
>> get our voice mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is
>> that a correct assumption?
>>
>> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from
>> the US make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>>
>> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from
>> the US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I
>> ignore or reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I
>> be charged for that call if a person leaves a message?
>>
>> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message
>> while in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were
>> making a call back to the States?
>>
>>
>
> Cingular has roaming agreemtns for the places that you seek. Our luck
> inthe Caribbean has been spotty. My daughters ATT phone wouldn't pick up
> the local network but mine would (both phones quad band so go figure)
> The calls are very expensive enter international roaming in the search
> bar at Cingular for a list of rates. Cell phones out of the country are
> truly for emergencies or for well funded expense accounts. and yes any
> voice mail call is like making a call to the states. Calls should make
> it to you, for you to call home hold down the 0 untill it turns to a +
> then add 1 etc.
>
> --
> Joseph Coulter
> Cruises and Vacations
> http://www.josephcoulter.com/
>

The best bet is if you are going to be outside the country, is have an
unlocked quad band phone, buy a SIM in the country you are in, and gives you
a local no. In Europe you don't pay for incoming calls, and the SIM with 20
Euro calling time was $30.00

PMM

"BruceR" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
We cruise often and have 1st hand experience with this.

WARNING!! This can be VERY expensive. Cingular now offers service on
some cruise ships at about $5 per minute! snip...........

In fact the rates onboard if you have Cingular are $1.60 - $2.40 depending
on plan.
Here is a link to the 20 ships currently offering service onboard provided
by Cingular

http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/travelguide/coverage/cruise_ships_rates.jsp?PIDL=IRSD|IRWT


> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the
> plan that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay
> a minutes charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next
> month we will be on a one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have
> the following questions:
> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone
> service, so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply
> get our voice mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is
> that a correct assumption?
>
> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from
> the US make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>
> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is
> from the US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What
> happens if I ignore or reject the call and it rolls over to my voice
> mail? Will I be charged for that call if a person leaves a message?
>
> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message
> while in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were
> making a call back to the States?

Rick wrote:
> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the plan
> that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a minutes
> charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month we will be on a
> one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the following questions:
>
> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone service,
> so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply get our voice
> mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is that a correct
> assumption?
>
> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from the US
> make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>
> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from the
> US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I ignore or
> reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I be charged for
> that call if a person leaves a message?
>
> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message while
> in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were making a call
> back to the States?
>
>
We used our cell phone on a cruise 2 years ago. I was absolutely shocked
at the bill. Save yourself some grief and get a calling card.

If I am understanding the information correctly on the Cingular website, you
will be charged for roaming if an incoming call goes to voicemail - even if
no message is left. It's in the fine print.

"Rick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the plan
> that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a minutes
> charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month we will be on
a
> one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the following questions:
>
> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone
service,
> so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply get our voice
> mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is that a correct
> assumption?
>
> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from the US
> make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>
> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from the
> US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I ignore
or
> reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I be charged for
> that call if a person leaves a message?
>
> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message
while
> in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were making a
call
> back to the States?
>
>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

I'm guessing that charge can be avoided by forwarding all incoming calls to
voicemail (so there's no ringing on roaming). Then the only charge would be
for checking voicemail, which can be done with a discount calling card.
Anyone know for sure?

In <[email protected]> on Wed, 8 Mar 2006 07:28:41
-0800, "M.Paul" <[email protected]> wrote:

>If I am understanding the information correctly on the Cingular website, you
>will be charged for roaming if an incoming call goes to voicemail - even if
>no message is left. It's in the fine print.
>
>"Rick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on the plan
>> that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we don't pay a minutes
>> charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per month. Next month we will be on
>a
>> one week cruise to the Caribbean, and I have the following questions:
>>
>> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone
>service,
>> so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will simply get our voice
>> mail and we will not be charged for those calls. Is that a correct
>> assumption?
>>
>> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from the US
>> make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>>
>> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is from the
>> US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What happens if I ignore
>or
>> reject the call and it rolls over to my voice mail? Will I be charged for
>> that call if a person leaves a message?
>>
>> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail message
>while
>> in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as though I were making a
>call
>> back to the States?
>>
>>
>

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

I know that's true for TMo. If you forward instantly no charge but if
you let it ring first you pay roaming out to ring and another roaming in
to VM for a minumum charge of two very expensive minutes.


> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> I'm guessing that charge can be avoided by forwarding all incoming
> calls to voicemail (so there's no ringing on roaming). Then the only
> charge would be for checking voicemail, which can be done with a
> discount calling card. Anyone know for sure?
>
> In <[email protected]> on Wed, 8 Mar 2006
> 07:28:41 -0800, "M.Paul" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> If I am understanding the information correctly on the Cingular
>> website, you will be charged for roaming if an incoming call goes to
>> voicemail - even if no message is left. It's in the fine print.
>>
>> "Rick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> I have Cingular wireless coverage on the family plan. We are on
>>> the plan that allows the four of us to pool our minutes and we
>>> don't pay a minutes charge unless we go over 1000 minutes per
>>> month. Next month we will be on a one week cruise to the
>>> Caribbean, and I have the following questions:
>>>
>>> 1). I realize that when we are on the ship, we will not have phone
>>> service, so I presume that anyone calling us at that time will
>>> simply get our voice mail and we will not be charged for those
>>> calls. Is that a correct assumption?
>>>
>>> 2) Once we are in port, say in Jamaica or Cozumel, will calls from
>>> the US make it to my phone? I have a Samsung x427m (GPRS).
>>>
>>> 3) If I answer the phone from Jamaica or Cozumel and the call is
>>> from the US, what is the approximate charge per minute?. What
>>> happens if I ignore or reject the call and it rolls over to my
>>> voice mail? Will I be charged for that call if a person leaves a
>>> message?
>>>
>>> 4) Finally, if I call my voice mail to retrieve a voice mail
>>> message while in Cozumel or Jamaica, will I be charged just as
>>> though I were making a call back to the States?

DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE, and I repeat, DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE. The
best you will get is a really bad connection and a very very large phone
bill. Only use a phone if absolutely necessary. You will be on a cruise, it
will be easy to not think of using the phone.

I would also use an international calling card plan that works in other
countries, like www.onesuite, when you are docked. I use OneSuite when I am
overseas and have not run into any problems or extra service fees.
CT

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Tue, 07 Mar 2006
19:14:48 GMT, "Rick" <[email protected]> wrote:

>1). I realize that when we are on the ship, ...

If you want to stay in touch when at sea, consider renting an Iridium
satellite phone. Prepaid cards can bring the air time down to about
$1/minute, which may well be cheaper than any other option.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

John Navas wrote:
>
> If you want to stay in touch when at sea, consider renting an Iridium
> satellite phone. Prepaid cards can bring the air time down to about
> $1/minute, which may well be cheaper than any other option.

My husband rented an Iridium satellite phone for a two-week cruise in
the Caribbean. To say he was deeply disappointed is an understatement.
When we were at sea, we would go up on the top deck, point the antenna
at the sky and get NOTHING. No connection. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

On Antigua, we had marginally better results. We found one spot on the
dock where we could actually make a phone call, but the sound quality
was so poor that my husband terminated the call quite rapidly.

One day on that cruise, we happened to eat lunch with two other couples.
The husbands were both still working and both had brought satellite
phones along with them, too. Their experience was identical to ours. If
you can't get a clear shot at the satellite in the middle of the
Caribbean, where can you get a clear shot?

We've had equally disappointing experiences with rented international
cell phones with the appropriate SIM card. Our best results staying in
touch by phone have been in Italy because we bought an Italian phone.
Generally, we stay in touch via the internet either in internet cafes or
in the internet room of a cruise ship.

Karen Selwyn