Fido Roam - Warning

[RJCC]

Fido Roam is a deceiving.

I was recently out of the country for a month. I used my phone 7 times on 7 different days to check voicemail, or answer a 1 min call, or send 1 text message. Each of instances automatically activated Fido Roam, which triggered a $12 charge per day totalling $84! 

$12 to check my own voicemail once! It’s ridiculous. 

The website says says in order to activate Fido Roam you need to turn on data roaming... the whole time I was away data roaming was turned off. 

This Fido Roam shouldn’t be the default setting. You should have to opt in to this option. 

My previous out of country experience with Fido I was charged standard per min rates, $3 / min, I just assumed it would be the same this time.

Customer service has been poor, phone agents have had contradictory advice and understanding of how Fido Roam works. I’m switching to another carrier. 

Very disappointing. 

[Akmehtafca]

Fido roam is fraud . Don't use it for India. I paid 300 for 2 calls

[FidoAnthonyZ]

Hey @Akmehtafca,

Welcome to the community!

I'm sad to hear your bill was larger than expected. Long distance charges will still apply depending on if you're making long-distance calls while roaming. You can call local numbers and back to Canada without being charged more than the daily fee for Fido Roam. 

[Fredyo]

Yep happened to me last year and judging by the number of posts about this, we are certainly not alone. 

Fido (and it's overlord Rogers) is well aware of this but don't expect them to provide and easy soloution such as being able to opt-out with a simple text message. They could EASILY implement this in a day but they won't. They make far to much $$$ with roaming and overage this is why they automatically turned on Fido Roam on everyone's account and then make it difficult to turn off yet so very easy to activate.

This would never been allowed in the EU and other countries with stricter telecom rules.

I should have done this last year but I will be filing an official complaint with telecom ombudsman and for good measure, I think CBC GoPublic would love to hear about this. Would make a nice little evening segment on the National. 

[FidoJulien]

Hey @Fredyo

Are you still having trouble with your account?

I'll send you a PM.

[Cheebase]

I note Fido changed the reply contents when HELP is sent to 222.

It is not ROAM anymore to turn the feature on but TRAVEL.

One would think that if this was so easily done (since January 2019), the feature turn off will be done too at the same time.

Well, no...

Could you tell those guys to include the UNTRAVEL command in the line up as well, please? It would be just as easy programming...

[FidoFaiza]

Hi @Cheebase, 

I am not too sure I understand what you mean? Are you inquiring about opting-out of Fido Roam? It's something that needs to be done from our end. Let me know and I will send you a PM, or you can always contact us here. 

[Cheebase]

I am not too sure I understand what you mean?

Oh, boy...

Are you inquiring about opting-out of Fido Roam?

Yes.

It's something that needs to be done from our end.

This needs to be changed. When I'm overseas I can't call you to turn it off. This MUST be available as a text command.

Let me know and I will send you a PM, or you can always contact us here. 

No need for secrecy. Make sure this change is done and report back here.

[FidoRanya]

Thanks for your feedback @Cheebase! 

Alhough you can't turn it off while you're overseas, there's many ways to contact us and have the feature removed prior to your trip or during your trip, there's Wi-Fi everywhere nowadays. Plus, if you don't use it you won't get charged for it .

Not so much about secrecy but we can't access your account without validating your identity which can only be done in private for security reasons.  

If you want us to opt you out of Fido roam please let us know so we can send you a PM!