Verizon warning

Holy cow is that frustrating! I had a similar issue with T-Mobile. Took my phone and iPad to Spain. iPad does not have a data plan - will run only on WiFi. Used iPad to make phone calls via WhatApp. Only did this with my T-Mobile phone turned off. Still got billed by T-Mobile for a few of these calls. How is it possible? No idea - just like your $12 charges. Maybe someone will weigh in with a solution. T-Mobile could not explain it to me - but did credit me the charges…$50.

Toby, that's a money grabbing scam by Verizon. I would be looking for a new provider.

NWValerie, how does T-Mobile know you have an iPad with no cellular/data? I have T-Mo for my iPhone. They have no idea I have an iPad.

More: The guy said the only way to avoid any charges (for NOT using the phone!) is to call in advance of travel and request the text not be sent. Then the guy went on to say that they had DONE US A FAVOR by not charging us another $24 for going on to the UK, that under our policy they could have, but the algorithm saw no usage in Ireland so assumed we didn't want UK coverage either so did not send a second text. That's good customer service?

I would be looking for a new provider.

Locked in by contract for now, will look at getting out.

Sounds like you both have "wifi calling" turned on. That's a pretty valuable thing, in some situations, but the charges are not always zero. For you to have received a text "by wifi", Verizon had to know you were in Ireland (I guess wifi calling reports your position back to Verizon, which is kinda like roaming). Verizon then had to try to send the text via the internet over wifi. For wifi calling to work, it has to send data through the local wifi network, and then to the Verizon network. I guess that's the "data" they see.

As for charges, that's complicated. You have to look deep into your plan's details, regarding "Roaming", and "International Roaming". If you don't specifically turn off Roaming, then it seems Verizon figures you want to do International Roaming. If you don't have a plan add-on for International Roaming, I guess it gives you the $12/day option.

So for Verizon, you need to turn off "Roaming", and probably "wifi calling". AND read all the fine print.

For Tmobile, it's similar. My Tmobile plan includes International Roaming in 200+ countries, with some data limitations, and some charges for texts and calls. I think International calls are 25 cents/minute. BUT, earlier this year, I called an Irish hotel twice, total of 26 minutes. My big mistake was having "wifi calling" on, and I had forgotten that international wifi calling was 3 Dollars/minute. So I got a $80+ addition to my monthly bill.

Bottom line, wifi calling is not always free. It does not work without the use of your cell network in the U.S, and a foreign network in Ireland. So some cell companies have charges.

Sounds like you both have "wifi calling" turned on.

I don't believe that wifi calling activation has any influence on texting.

I have sent and received texts by wifi calling. I don't remember if it was free or very cheap.

Also note that texting a picture is MMS, not SMS, and it does use data to do that.

"So for Verizon, you need to turn off "Roaming", and probably "wifi calling". AND read all the fine print."

Thanks for the information Traveler guy. I can read the fine print but not sure how to turn off roaming and wifi calling on an iPhone. I can google it but if it's easy for anyone to tell me that would be great. Or perhaps I just need to drink more coffee to figure it out!

I'm traveling soon, will only be gone 11 days so will just use the Verison daily plan instead of getting the monthly plan as I'll not need the phone for some of those days. In the past I have usually kept my phone on airplane mode when I was not buying the international plan but it sounds like that does not get it anymore.

Based on previous experiences I believe Verizon can force a phone to receive their texts via cellular service irrespective of the phone’s settings.

Ok, thanks Toby!

Sounds like you both have "wifi calling" turned on.

WIFI calling was turned off.

Ok, I’ve looked snd I see where the wifi calling is located and it was already toggled off.

Thanks for the thread, Toby.

Verizon is steadily losing customers. This policy will probably lose them even more. Not sure who came up with the idea, but I'd like to have a little of what they're drinking.

That $12 sounds like the charge for Travel Pass. Which you have to opt into, they can't just activate it simply because you are traveling. And if you go online to their international options, the "pay-as-you-go" rate, for when you have not selected any international option, is....5 cents for a received text.

I'd be calling again, and asking for the "new policy" in writing.

One lesson to come out of this is to 'check before you go' and make no assumption that what happened in the past is still current policy.

Hope you get it sorted out.

Get an esim. I turned off my Verizon esim while still back in the US, with my phone in airplane mode. When I got to Europe my European esim was the only one running on my phone. I never got a text or a bill for being someplace international.

That $12 sounds like the charge for Travel Pass. Which you have to opt into, they can't just activate it simply because you are traveling.

Absolutely they can do this, first hand experience. Unless you call beforehand and opt out, you are charged for something not wanted or used. The new policy terms opts everyone in automatically.

And you have to opt out each time, call in advance and say, “I do not want to receive a welcome text for Ireland May 31, and I don’t want to receive a UK welcome text for June 10, etc. There’s no blanket way to opt out.

And you have to opt out each time, call in advance and say, “I do not want to receive a welcome text for Ireland May 31, and I don’t want to receive a UK welcome text for June 10, etc. There’s no blanket way to opt out.

Wow, that's awful! But if you have the option of shutting off their sim card just before you leave the U.S., (or just remove it) and activating an esim from Airalo, or whoever, Verizon would have no way of knowing your phone was physically out of the U.S. Then when you return home, be sure not to activate the Verizon sim until you are on U.S. soil.

I understand the eSim argument but we are OK not having service at all. Dealing with a new number for 2-1/2 weeks has its own issues. Looking at this now considering next time just bringing an old phone w/o a phone number assigned to it for WIFI use and maps.me use.