 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok, so over the last few years I have been taking my phone away to France to keep up with emails etc while away skiing... then spent the next 2 months paying off the phone bill.
Anyone know how I can keep using my phone abroad and not have to take out the second mortgage..?
Best advice I have been given so far is; "leave it and get to internet cafe.."
Mac
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Or take something which will hitch up to wi-fi (smartphone, tablet pc, laptop) and go into a bar with free wi-fi.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Check with your phone company to see if they have any overseas data deals available.
I had a week in France earlier this year and I bought a data plan for about a tenner (T Mobile) - it lasted me a week of checking e-mail, facebook, snow reports and info on the damn ash cloud.
The other thing you can do is download some type of data app which keeps track of how much data you use. You could use this before you go to see if you are a heavy user of data, and in resort to help limit yourself.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yellow Pyranha - agree with you. I think the VT lift company offers free wifi as well (presumably in the main 'Caisse' and not on all the lifts!).
You might like to use Skype to make phone calls using a wifi commection (works on an iTouch as well as iPhone) or get a jajah.com account. The Jajah system is a great bit of technology to make calls from a fixed line abroad where the call is a broadband initiated call and the phone owner doesnt pick up a bill as it's an incoming call at both ends - it's owned by O2 and I put £10 on 6 months ago and havent used it all yet.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If for whatever reason your phone doesn't have WIFI, or you can't find a WIFI access point you could just use your 3G as and when you need it.
Just about all phones have the ability to turn on/turn off data roaming, so whilst you are not using your phone there is no reason why you would need it turned on. I rarely have my Mobile Internet enabled, only when I require it. Because, as you say, it can get out of hand and cost you loads.
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As an aside, and partly to prove that not all (if any) phone companies are out to fleece you - I was wandering around the northern half of Ireland in the summer and every now and then, O2 texted me to warn me to be careful of data roaming charges - presumably each time I entered a Republic of Ireland cell, rather than a UK one.
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Yellow Pyranha, Yep, 02 seem responsible and are careful to keep you from spending too much. Unless you request higher, they restrict your data to £40 while abroad - 50 meg. And they warn you when you get close to the limit.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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i got caught out recently on o2 and an iphone, although i had data roaming off and only checked mail occassionally i got hit with a pretty sizable bill. turns out it was for voicemail. on the iphones the voicemail comes as a data packet and your phone will check for voicemails regularily and this uses the data network.. turn off voicemail when abroad and activate "call alert" which is free anywhere...
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There seem to be more and more wifi places around - even in sleepy Les Saisies there are loads.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Blackberry world email booster on T mobile costs £15 a month and a tenner gets you 50MB of internet to use in a month
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks for the advice.
Think I will give O2 a call this week and see what they have to offer
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If you have a smartphone/laptop I wouuld highly recommend installing Skype. Setup yourself up an account an put a few € on it. You can then call back to the UK for a fraction of using any other phone. Or, if the person you are calling also has Skype you can call them for free.
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You know it makes sense.
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My iPhone is on vodafone and the current monthly charge is £40. When I signed up for it a few months ago one of the things that sold it to me was the 5mb a day European data allowance. It actually gives you a fair amount of emails and surfing and it's reset everyday so you can never really run out.
Also just a few weeks ago the nice people at vodafone increased my limit to 25mb a day. When you consider that last year I paid o2 £50 for a 50mb bolt on, what I'm getting now is a bargain.
I'm using it now from la plagne and haven't even come near the 25mb daily allowance yet
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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daveqpr, ggod to know when my contract is due for renewal.
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Poster: A snowHead
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IF I actualy go (see lost passport thread), I will be taking my iPhone along in 'Airplane' mode until I can get some free wifi in a pub..!
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FAQ
