milepig

The question is specifically related to On-waves, a Cruise Ship cell network that connects when you're out of port (or more accurately, outside normal cell service range). The service isn't included in the T-Mobile Simple Choice plan and is ghastly expensive. I accidentally left it on once, and burned through like $500 in data charges before I got the T-mob warning. They forgave it once, but I've burnt that bridge.

So the question is, I just want to disable my phone from ever connecting to the On-waves carrier, and I can't find a way to disallow a specific carrier forever. I can choose a carrier by turning off automatic, but that's the opposite of what I want, I want the phone to never, ever connect to this specific carrier. I also don't want to disable data since I'd rather the phone connected to every available carrier other than On-waves, since that is typically the only one not covered by Simple Choice where I travel. And, of course I'm now paranoid about forgetting to turn it off again, going to dinner and coming back to find that the ship has cruised out of land service range and I've just spent hundreds of dollars.

Am I missing something obvious?

tanglin

I just put the phone in airplane mode when I want to not use a local carrier. Then turn on bluetooth/WiFi as needed.

milepig

Yes - I get that, but I want to avoid accidental leaving it on.

davie355

Can you call T-Mobile and have them block connections to any carriers on which you'd incur charges?

gobluetwo

Could you just set it to manually select the network every time? A little more work for you, but it shouldn't automatically connect to the one unwanted network.

milepig

Good question. I need to check.

That might work if I lock it to one every morning. I do notice that I tend to bounce from network to network during the day while traveling. Not sure if it really matters.

draver

A sure way to disconnect all cellular services is pop out your sim when you sail away, then reinstall it when you dock in the next port. You'll still have full WiFi & Bluetooth, but no worries about cellular activity. Airplane mode is the easiest method, but you sound like that might not be working for you.

CPRich

If you're worried about accidentally leaving on what you're supposed to turn off, then why wouldn't you be worried about accidentally leaving off another setting you're suppose to turn on to be sure the first setting is turned on?

Turn off roaming (but you might turn it off)
Remove the SIM (but you might forget)
Turn off your phone (also might forget)
Throw the phone overboard!

milepig

Thanks. Many of the above solutions will work but don't address my basic kvetch. I have this amazing plan that lets me just throw my phone in my backpack and not worry about it pretty much anywhere worldwide except during this one singular situation and I don't want to change my ingrained habits as I will forget. I just want to disable the one rogue network and life would be normal. I will see if T Mobile can help.

tmiw

That'd also cause Wi-Fi Calling to stop working while the SIM card is out, which might be a problem if OP relies on it. Though DIGITS might be an okay alternative in that case.

mickeyjaw

If you use Android instead there is an app called "Roaming control" which can do exactly what you are asking for. I have no idea if there is an equivalent for iOS.

gfunkdave

AIrplane mode or roaming off when you set sail.

Need

I don't think it is just On-Waves. It is probably any cruise ship provided cell carrier that T-mobile could connected to. There is probably a way for T-mobile to disallow any carrier that would charge you on demand. If you call and find out let us know! I did left my T-mobile on last time when I was on a cruise. But I think that cruise line's cell service only work for AT&T and Verizon, so I didn't get any charges.

WorldLux

Switch off roaming seems to be the obvious solution to your problem.

wcj1

In your My T-Mobile Profile under "Blocking", there is this option:

Block charge international roaming
- This will prevent the selected line from incurring any international data roaming charges that can be incurred in countries not included in your plan.

Turn that on and that should do what you want.