US roaming charges inside Canada

[KunalJ]

Hi, this is my first post in the board and unfortunately it is seeking support for an account only (or less than a month old). 

I was visiting the Niagara Falls (Canada side) and somewhere in the north of the city between Aero cars and the Butterfly Conservatory while still in a bus, I receive a message stating I'm roaming in the US and charges are like $12 a day. I don't get it. What constitutes as roaming in the US? I was on Canadian soil. Never crossed the border. I should be connected to the network towers on this side of the border but if due to any technical reasons I get connected to the other side, why should I be charged for it? After all I used the plan in Canada. Very unsettling. I did a work search and I see others have faced this in the past. Nothing has been done about it yet? How do I get those charges reversed.

P.S. There is another issue regarding first day charges but I'll post that separately if I can't get an answer on chat or on call.

[KunalJ]

@Original_LucyThanks for the response. I have had a poor experience with the customer care already. I might try calling them up in a few days though if that is the only way to go about it but that means, I can't hold any expectations that they would understand the case.

Also, from what I know you can turn off the data when you are roaming and nothing else. It is pretty silly as to why I shouldn't be able to call or use data that I am paying for and using it on the land that I am paying to use it on. My phone is set up in a way where when it detects roaming it turns off the data but I am new here and it was my first time in Niagara. I needed the GPS and directions on the map. Didn't have a clue that downloading entire Canada maps on Google is the way to go.

However, what you are suggesting is something I am not familiar with. Do you mean select the network manually? I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and no it wasn't bought in Canada but that hsould take away the kind of feature you are describing unless it was introduced in a newer version of Android or if it comes only in carrier specific models as mine was bought directly from Samsung. From where I come people purchase their phones outright and use with no restrictions as such.

[FidoRania]

Hey @KunalJ, 

As @Original_Lucy mentioned, it sometimes happens to see a Fido Roam charge when you're close to the border. 

You can turn off data roaming in your settings to avoid such circumstances in the future. 

Contact us here to further look into this with you.

Cheers. 

[KunalJ]

Yes, I will contact Fido and seek help via chat. Somehow basis my experience thus far am not confident that my problem will be addressed. For example, did you happent o read my post? Can you pleas explain why a paying customer must not use data while they are still in Canada just because the carrier's signal jumps all over the place? Because that is exactly what you are suggesting that I need to turn off the data while I am still inside the borders where I have already paying to use it.

[FidoNajat]

Hey @KunalJ, just to clarify, turning off data roaming will not prevent you from using your plan data, it will just avoid data usage if your geographical position causes accidental roaming. You can contact us through one of our channels and we'll be happy to help you.

[KunalJ]

Hi, it was already set that if my phone detects roaming it will turn off data which basially just cut off the data all together - this is pretty normal/standard behaviour fro what I have experienced travelling across the world! If the network tower changes to a tower across the border, the carrier and hence phone will detect that as roaming and at that point the data will turn off as expected except in this case, I am still in the country so that would mean while being in the country because am being billed as roaming, I can't access data if I follow that advise. Now, I can contact via that link until tomorrow because Fido does not has an email to reach out on and chat/other channels won't be online until tomorrow.

[Original_Lucy]

Hi there @KunalJ, that sometimes happens when you are close to the border. If you have your phone set to ask first before roaming, you can deny the service and stay with Fido. If you call in to customer support from your device to *611 and explain they will help you with that. I had that happen a few times on the BC - Washington border and had it resolved. I now have my roaming set to ask first before roaming. Cheers