iPhone Data Roaming Issues

[JudgeC]

I just had roaming turned on for my iPhone 4.0 on Orange and the person on the end of the line told me not to forget to disable Data Roaming when abroad.
When I said that I was well aware of this, they replied that I should also turn off Wi-Fi as well or I could run up charges.
I assumed I was dealing with a technically challenged person but made noises of agreement and ended the call.

It was then, as an afterthought, I looked up data roaming issues on the iPhone and have read all sorts of horror stories about the iPhone secretly switching to mobile data if a Wi-Fi signal gets too weak or synching Email/Facebook etc when receiving certain notifications, all this with Data Roaming off.

I am going to Thailand for a couple of weeks and I intend to use the Free Wi-Fi wherever possible, but now it has me worried that I am going to get stung for data.

I notice that IOS 4 has a Cellular Data on/off option, is this more reliable than switching off Data Roaming. Another option people have mentioned is removing the APN settings, but this doesn't seem to be an option with this Orange iPhone.

Has anyone experienced these issues and does anyone know if they are still present with IOS 4.1

 

[Combat squirrel]

Disable all data roaming features (it says in the menu to disable it abroad) , I also personally turn on flight mode at all times unless i want to txt someone, which on holiday is rare, so no need worry.

 

[MacRS4]

There *was* a bug with Visual Voicemail dragging stuff over the data network regardless of the data roaming.

I'm sure it's fixed - I travel a lot and haven't seen the effect for a couple of months.

 

[Destination]

No it is NOT fixed.
The bug involves the Iphone os4.01 software still pulling emails intermittently whilst data roaming is switched off.

We've just had an O2 response, they are aware of the issue, and know it to be a bug within the latest OS, they have elevated the issue to apple and expect a fix soon.

Basically they are suggesting that you need to switch off
Data romaing
Cellular data
3G
this should minise the risk of downloads.

My wife had done this and in the last 3 weeks in indonesia we downloaded around 400Kb of data we couldn't prevent, seems to be some email data still being pushed/acquired.
O2 has refuned the £3.88 that we had been charged.

Urge everyone to be careful if they have email set within their phone.

 

[Destination]

Just so you know that it's a known issue with iPhone. If the iPhone software version iOS 4.01 is installed on your iPhone, the iPhone downloads emails even when the Data Roaming feature is turned off. This might be the reason you're charged even when the Data Roaming was turned off.

 

[benhomer737]

what happens is if you buy an app that needs updating and you walk through town or somewere that theres no wifi, it will connect through your phones WAP and update it, then you get raped by your network for it, ive had it for 3 months before ringing orange!