Potentially big change to T-Mobile's Unlimited International Data Plan
 

I just received my new T-mobile bill and got charged over $100 for data roaming charges on my BlackBerry Curve 8900.

I am subscribed to T-Mobile's international unlimited data service. I have traveled extensively with my BlackBerry pearl for the last 2 years. I have never been charged data roaming charges (internet or e-mail) while traveling.

For the first time my bill shows 'Internet Access' sporadically where it usually it only shows 'RIM Blackberry'. One was charged at .15/kb the other was not.

Is this a new change for T-mobile for March 2009? Is it because I got a BlackBerry Curve 8900 over a Pearl?

Any thoughts? Has anyone had any similar experiences?

This was a big reason why I was with T-mobile...and I will probably move away from them because of this.

This isn't a change, it is T-Mobile fixing their glitch...

The plan was never called "unlimited international data", it was called "BlackBerry Unlimited International E-mail".

For years email and Internet data were billed the same - I guess they finally found a way to extract the right information to bill people.

Thanks for the warning though, I'm sure a lot of us relied on that plan for free international access to any data...

And why move away from them because of this? Good luck finding a similar plan elsewhere :(

AT&T is $24.95 for 20MB...

Now I really have to get the UMA issues with my curve 8900 worked out as I'll be relying on it to avoid any charges when I travel.

Which countries?
 

I wasn't charged for data use while roaming in Switzerland and Germany in early March.

Got a hefty charge in Thailand but not Singapore, Hong Kong and China.

I was in Switzerland late last year. The charges take a few weeks to show up.

Every few months when I go overseas, would call TMO to add the international data plan.... everytime I do this, CS specifically tells me email is unlimited but be careful about surfing internet, etc. as this is not covered and will be billed separately. They also advise to turn off voicemail as each one of these are billed at $1.49.

Does it matter how your data is going through the system. Obviously connections to tcp data are going to be charged, but what about data using the BIS or BES connections?

Turn "off" voicemail? Receipt of a voicemail costs money? :o

I usually forward the calls to voice mail and then use the phone to notify me when there is a message (which I then access using a local sim or calling card) - will this not work with the BB?

From the discussion below, they have fixed their system now and have started to charge correctly.

http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...6&page=1&pp=30

If the phone rings before the call is forwarded, you're charged for the incoming call.

Right, which is why I forward all calls direct to voice mail but that warning looked like it was receipt of voice mail, NOT a phone call which incurred a fee. :confused:

Good catch and here is the specific post on that thread which clearly explains how they fixed it:
http://www.howardforums.com/showpost...1&postcount=32

Yes, I think that's what TMO CS was trying to explain to me ;)

Yep, me too.

Dozens of trips abroad and they never gave me such a warning and I never saw a charge on my bill (then again, very rarely surfed internet using BB). Most recent trip, they gave me this warning. For me, it was email only, thank you very much. Stuck to web surfing on a laptop via WiFi.

I guess I better reconsider that unlocked iPhone using a T-Mobile SIM to surf away while abroad.

Personally I'd seldom surf internet or check google with my BB 8820 when abroad and just to make sure would hide these apps/icons.

I am curious about how you can surf with unlocked iPhone using TMO sim when overseas - don't you mean using wifi? And if so, you don't need sim card to do that...