Hello Alia4,
Welcome to the community!
Sorry to hear you've incurred unexpected roaming charges. As Biggie1 noted, in order to prevent unintended roaming, it is recommended to keep Airplane or Flight modes enable for the duration of your trips.
@biggie1 wrote:
... Even if you have data roaming turned off, once you send or receive a text, you've essentially used long distance SMS.
However, that statement is not entirely correct. The fee for Fido Roam is charged when you use your Fido services. That is, when you use your device to make or receive a call, send a text message or use data while abroad with your Fido SIM (see here). Incoming SMS messages do not incur the charge (note that receiving MMS would incur the charge because it includes data).
There has also been misconception circulating regarding automatically incurring roaming charges for simply receiving the Fido Roam Welcome text message. I was recently able to confirm that merely receiving those messages does not incur roaming charges (see here).
I understand people have incurred roaming charges seemingly upon receipt of those messages. However, it's likely their phones also used data to update their systems and/or apps when connected to the networks. I understand some people have also had their data and/or roaming data disabled. However, people need to know how their devices behave with those settings disabled. As mentioned in some of my previous posts, some phone manufacturers might consider system data differently from user data and allow the former usage despite those settings.
As had already done, in order to prevent roaming charges, it is usually recommended to disable data and roaming data. However, it should be noted that disabling roaming data does not prevent roaming for voice or text messaging. It would also be recommended to keep Airplane or Flight modes enabled for the duration of trips. You could manually enable Wifi when required. I understand doing so would also prevent incoming SMS or emergency calls. However, people need to know how their devices behave if they intend on keeping their devices available for those services.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hello Denscott,
Welcome to the community!
Sorry to hear you have incurred unexpected roaming charges. As previously mentioned, disabling data and roaming data does not prevent roaming for voice or text messaging. In addition, some manufacturers might allow some data usage to occur despite those settings (see here). It is generally recommended to enable Airplane and/or Flight modes to prevent unintended roaming usage. You could then enable Wifi when required. Had you enabled Airplane or Flight mode on your device?
I also understand you connected to Wifi while at work. Had you used Wifi-calling? There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding Wifi-calling. I'm not sure how people have gotten the impression that Wifi-calling does not use the networks. However, that is not true. While the calls and messages do not transmit via cellular towers, they still use the networks via the internet gateway (see image here). The cellular towers and Wifi are merely alternate means of accessing the networks. Calls and messages would not be able to complete or get sent/received without the networks. As such, using Wifi-calling is technically using Fido services. However, they have allowed certain usage to be free from additional charges. All the messages and calls you receive (from anywhere in the world) will be taken from your plan's voice minutes and messaging limits. As well, all Wifi-calling messages and calls you make to a Canadian phone number while abroad won't incur long-distance or roaming charges (see link above).
I understand you commute daily to the US for work. Unfortunately, Fido does not offer any plans which include roaming to the US. A possible solution might be the Unlimited US calling add-on (see here). While that add-on does not include roaming per se, it does cover calls to the US when in a Fido Roam destination (ie US). In combination with Wifi-calling, you should be able to make and receive calls to Canada (Wifi-calling) as well as US (add-on) while in the US.
If you wished to attempt the add-on / Wifi-calling combination, it would still be recommended to enable Airplane or Flight mode on your device prior to entering the US. In doing so, though, you wouldn't have access to services until your device connected to Wifi. However, it would also prevent unintended roaming usage.
**edit** Alternatively, some other providers might have specific Canada/US plans for customers with a similar situation to yours. **
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hey @weidawangster! Philippe here. Welcome to the community. 
If you've reviewed all the posts above and still have questions, you can contact us using these channels here. You can also request a PM from the community and we'll be happy to review all that there with you.
Hello Patrickchan,
Thanks for sharing your travel routine! People should note, though, using your Fido SIM to check voicemail would be considered roaming usage and incur roaming charges. Of course you could check your voicemail by calling your Fido phone number from a different line, but it would likely be considered a long-distance call for most mobile phone plans. How do you check your voicemail?
Cheers
Hi there @Aj37,
Fido Roam is a service that lets you use your data, talk and text from your existing Fido postpaid mobile plan (not available with Data and Text only and prepaid plans) in the U.S for $12 a calendar day or internationally in tons of destinations for $15 a calendar day. The daily fee covers each calendar day of usage until 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), regardless of which time zone you are roaming in.
With Fido Roam, you'll be charged only on the days you use your device to make or receive a call, send a text message, or use data when travelling. receiving text messages and/or letting your calls go unanswered to your voicemail will not trigger the Fido Roam charge.
Have you got the chance to review your invoice?
- to check the days for which you were charged Fido Roam for?
- to check which type of usage that happened on those days that triggered the Fido Roam charge?
For more info about roaming charges, you can follow this link.
Hello Biggie1,
Welcome to the community!
I am not aware of any reason why you wouldn't be able to create a Wifi-hotspot with your device while travelling under Fido Roam. You wife should consider enabline Airplane or Flight mode on her device for the duration of your time away. She could then enable Wifi manually when needed.
While your device's hotspot should be similar to other Wifi-accessed internet, I'm not sure whether it is compatible with features such as Wifi-calling. Even traditional modem/routers need to be properly set-up for Wifi-calling to function properly. If your wife's phone is supported for the feature, she should note that some Wifi-calling usage is considered roaming. With the exception of some Wifi-calling usage, your wife would not be able to use her device for voice or text messaging without incurring roaming charges.
You should note that with two devices using your data, your allotment could get used up quicker than usual.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hey @Aj37,
We'd be happy to look into it and review the situation with you. In cases like these, we would need to access your account to take a closer look at the details on file and you can contact us on these channels to get started.
We hope to talk to you soon! 😀
