travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunderbolt

[funguy123us]

Hi All,

I am traveling overseas and I like to use Thunderbolt as wifi device, how can I turn off everything (Data, Phone etc..), so that I don't get any roaming charges?

Thank you for your help.

 

[bjboucher]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

Yes, hold down the power button, press the "Airplane Mode" option. Go into settings, enable wifi and you are all set.

 

[dpham00]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

Hi All,

I am traveling overseas and I like to use Thunderbolt as wifi device, how can I turn off everything (Data, Phone etc..), so that I don't get any roaming charges?

Thank you for your help.

Why turn off the voice? You only get charged if if send or receive calls or texts. You can just disable data roaming, so that it won't try to connect to a data network. The only downside is if someone calls from the states, the time difference can be an issue, depending on where you are going.

Settings>Wireless&networks>Mobile networks>data roaming

you don't have to take a call, but at least you will get notification when you get calls or VM. For wifi calls, you can use GrooveIP, and you can call your number from GrooveIP to check VM as well.

Of course, this is assuming that you even have voice, a lot of countries don't support CDMA voice, then you don't have to worry about it at all.

I recommend getting an unlocked quad band gsm and buying a local sim for local calls if you are going for any period of time.

 

[FrankXS]

Hi All,

I am traveling overseas and I like to use Thunderbolt as wifi device, how can I turn off everything (Data, Phone etc..), so that I don't get any roaming charges?

Thank you for your help.

The Thunderbolt is already set this way by default. You don't have to do anything except not answer incoming calls. I travel out of the country 4-5 times a year. Never had to do anything to my Thunderbolt. Roaming data is off by default. Fully tested.

If you get unexpected Roaming charges, I'll pay your bill... For 2 dollars! Haha!

-Frank


Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt 4G/LTE using Tapatalk

 

[dpham00]

The Thunderbolt is already set this way by default. You don't have to do anything except not answer incoming calls. I travel out of the country 4-5 times a year. Never had to do anything to my Thunderbolt. Roaming data is off by default. Fully tested.

If you get unexpected Roaming charges, I'll pay your bill... For 2 dollars! Haha!

-Frank


Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt 4G/LTE using Tapatalk

It is set this is way by default, but sometimes, the settings can be accidentally changed. It is always a good idea to spend a few seconds to check.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE HD smartphone.

 

[funguy123us]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

Thank you everyone for your awesome help.

I checked to make sure data roaming is set to "Deny data roaming access". Also, I will probably use airplane mode and enable wifi.

I also own GrooveIP (like someone mentioned above), so plan on using that when wifi is available.

The reason I don't want to have phone enable is because I am not sure if Verizon will charge for receiving the call even if I don't answer. If you think about it, Verizon still had to use some other company's network to deliver that ring to your phone.

Thanks again all.

 

[FrankXS]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

The reason I don't want to have phone enable is because I am not sure if Verizon will charge for receiving the call even if I don't answer

They don't.

-Frank

 

[dpham00]

They don't.

-Frank

Correct, I have traveled several times overseas and i never got charged unless I made or received a call. Missed calls are not charged.

 

[lapeter]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

My missed calls would go to my verizon voice mail. Wouldn't I then get charged for the call???

 

[FrankXS]

My missed calls would go to my verizon voice mail. Wouldn't I then get charged for the call???

No. Not unless you call to check your VM.

I should add, if you have Verizon Enhanced Visual Voice Mail, you will not receive the Visual VM on your phone either because that requires a data connection which you will not have. You could still retrieve your VM if you so desired by calling your VM in the traditional way, but that would of course cost overseas roaming.

-Frank

Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt 4G/LTE using Tapatalk

 

[FrankXS]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

No. Not unless you call to check your VM.

I should add, if you have Verizon Enhanced Visual Voice Mail, you will not receive the Visual VM on your phone either because that requires a data connection which you will not have. You could still retrieve your VM if you so desired by calling your VM in the traditional way, but that would of course cost overseas roaming.

-Frank

Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt 4G/LTE using Tapatalk

I should also add, if you do have VZW VVM, make sure to delete any outstanding VVMs before you go overseas. You cannot delete them without a data connection. Since you won't have data, should you decide to spend the money to check a voice mail, you don't want to have to deal with the dreaded "you have saved voice mails, I'm now going to play them one at a time and this will take forever and you need to decide to save or delete them BEFORE I will let you hear your newest voice mail". Gawd I hate that. Happened to me on my last overseas trip because I forgot to delete my old emails before I left the U.S.!

-Frank

 

[RJSAdvisors]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

Using Airplane mode will certainly prevent any charges while still allowing you to listen to music, watch videos, play games, or read books that are stored on the phone or take photos or videos using the phone's cameras. Using Airplane mode also dramatically extends the phone's battery life. On the other hand, I believe putting the phone in Airplane mode will also disable all wireless connections, including WiFi. In other words, you will have to take the phone out of Airplane mode if you want to use a WiFi connection to which you may have access at some point in your trip such as a free WiFi hotspot at a hotel or coffee shop. As others have already pointed out, however, you can still do this safely while avoiding data or phone charges. I was able to make use of a free hotel WiFi connection in Bali last year to retrieve my email and surf the web, and I incurred no data charges.

 

[bjboucher]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

Using Airplane mode will certainly prevent any charges while still allowing you to listen to music, watch videos, play games, or read books that are stored on the phone or take photos or videos using the phone's cameras. Using Airplane mode also dramatically extends the phone's battery life. On the other hand, I believe putting the phone in Airplane mode will also disable all wireless connections, including WiFi. In other words, you will have to take the phone out of Airplane mode if you want to use a WiFi connection to which you may have access at some point in your trip such as a free WiFi hotspot at a hotel or coffee shop. As others have already pointed out, however, you can still do this safely while avoiding data or phone charges. I was able to make use of a free hotel WiFi connection in Bali last year to retrieve my email and surf the web, and I incurred no data charges.

You can still use WiFi while in airplane mode. Try it. Works like a champ. Just have to re-enable it after airplane mode kicks in.

 

[jackmei2]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

the tbolt isn't a world phone so if you do take it over seas, you won't even get a signal to get calls, texts or data. but make sure to turn it to airplane mode (or turn off mobile network) so it doesn't keep searching for signal and kill your battery.

 

[anon(79257)]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

the tbolt isn't a world phone so if you do take it over seas, you won't even get a signal to get calls, texts or data. but make sure to turn it to airplane mode (or turn off mobile network) so it doesn't keep searching for signal and kill your battery.

This makes the assumption that no other countries use CDMA...

 

[jackmei2]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

I retract my previous statement, after some googling I found this:
If I have a CDMA phone w/ Verizon, is there a way to use it in other countries?

I was under the assumption that it was only US and Canada with CDMA.

 

[flipbeats]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

if you wanted.. you can bring the thunderbolt overseas? I always wanted to but I thought it wasn't possible since its cdma. though its also a gsm phone. It has a sim card, I was wondering if you can use a different countries sim in it?

 

[FrankXS]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

if you wanted.. you can bring the thunderbolt overseas? I always wanted to but I thought it wasn't possible since its cdma. though its also a gsm phone. It has a sim card, I was wondering if you can use a different countries sim in it?

There are over 200 countries where Verizon "non-Global" phones work. Pull down the "Select Country" arrow.

Global Services

-Frank

 

[dpham00]

if you wanted.. you can bring the thunderbolt overseas? I always wanted to but I thought it wasn't possible since its cdma. though its also a gsm phone. It has a sim card, I was wondering if you can use a different countries sim in it?

The sim is for 4GLTE data. You cannot swap out the sim for voice. These are the countries that cdma phones like the tb will work. Fwiw, even though cdma might work in a country, it doesn't mean that it will work everywhere. I had a cdma and gsm phone from Verizon, tried to switch between the two, and sometimes gsm would work better. Of course, this depends on area.

http://b2b.vzw.com/international/technology/cdma.html

 

[dpham00]

Re: travelling overseas how to turn off data and phone on Thunder

In the future, if you travel a lot, you may want to consider Verizon phones that are quad band gsm, usually listed as "Global Phones". Although, if you do research, you may find a phone, such as the HTC Rezound, which is not listed as a GSM capable phone, but of course, has at least some GSM capabilities.