TEXTING WHILE OVERSEAS

I'm back from ITALY and had a WONDERFUL time!!  We traveled to places I had never been - CALABRIA (the toe of the boot almost touching Sicily), ISCHIA (an island off of Naples) and MONTALCINO (a hill town in Tuscany).

TEXTING WHILE OVERSEAS!!

I learned something about TEXTING while overseas that I thought important to share with my U.S. friends who have VERIZON.

I have their "go-to International Plan" which charges me $10/day the minute I use my phone internationally. You may have a different plan, so the following my not apply to you.... 

• Verizon says it's important to always TURN OFF CELLULAR DATA and CELLULAR ROAMING before you leave the United States, so you won't be charged for incoming information when you land - until you are able to access WIFI there. 

• I found out AFTER I GOT HOME that SENDING a TEXT will trigger the $10/day fee. Even if you have an iPhone and are texting iPhone to iPhone, the minute you SEND A TEXT, you will be charged for cell phone usage. I had my DATA and DATA VOICE AND TEXT ROAMING turned OFF and thought that I was safe while texting when on WIFI, but that is NOT the case. Any TEXT sent, still goes thru the VERIZON system and you'll be charged for it. If you have the same plan that I have, you can RECEIVE TEXTS for FREE but when you SEND one, your $10/day fee will be applied.

• Also, if someone CALLS you (even if you don't answer it), that triggers the $10/day fee.

THUS, the need for the app WHATSAPP. All texting is FREE thru that app because the text goes thru the INTERNET via WIFI.

Ok, I get it now.  

And a POSITIVE plug for VERIZON - they refunded the $10/day charge for the 3 days that I texted (once/day) thinking it was free over WIFI. Thank you VERIZON!

Ok, back to the trip........ I'll post something soon about ITALY!

JOAN