Taking Android out of country....charges???

[Buckeye Boy]

I am leaving for the Bahamas next Wednesday and I need to know what I need to do to my phone to make it work? I have a Droid X with unlimited internet package.I really dont want to call Verizon , so can someone help me out? thanks

 

[jcarlosfox]

You need to figure out if there is a CDMA carrier in the Bahamas, and then call Verizon to see what it will cost you to use your phone and data. Your unlimited data does not include travel outside the US.

You could just put it in airplane mode and use WIFI for email, internet and Skype calls. Make sure Verizon's version of skype will make a call using Skype with WIFI in airplane mode, or just download the other version of Skype from the marketplace.

 

[Doit2it]

Based on the map on Verizon's site, they don't have CDMA coverage in the Bahamas, so no voice calls:
Calling From Bahamas

The same map shows 3G coverage. Of course you will have to pay the rates shown on this page:
Data From Bahamas

If you don't call Verizon to set up an Int'l plan and just use the Pay Per Use of $.02 per kb it adds up fast. That's $20 per Mb.

Example: I average 2Gb per month of data. Divide by 4.5 for a week usage (1 week vacation) equals 444Mb or $8,880 for one week of data in the Bahamas on the Pay per Use plan.

Turn off data: Settings / Data Manager / Data Delivery / uncheck all 3: Background Data, Data Roaming, Data Enabled
or just put the phone in Airplane mode for the entire trip.

If your hotel or the local coffee shop has WiFi, you can use the Droid X WiFi all you want. That doesn't use Verizon's data.

 

[CharlesLewis]

Turn off data: Settings / Data Manager / Data Delivery / uncheck all 3: Background Data, Data Roaming, Data Enabled
or just put the phone in Airplane mode for the entire trip.
.

If you were in an area where you had phone service, would turning off data this way still allow phone use?

 

[Outlaw71]

You can call and switch your line over to an international (no roaming charges) calling plan for while you are there. I do this when I go to Canada. Sorry, I know you said you didn't want to call them but.... well I can't switch your plan from my phone.









...... oh yeah, Bahamas??? I HATE YOU!

 

[Doit2it]

If you were in an area where you had phone service, would turning off data this way still allow phone use?

Yes. If you are in a CDMA area, you will still have phone and text message access, but no data if data is turned off. That is, turning off data through the Data Manager settings. If you use Airplane mode, it disables ALL transmitters in the phone: data, phone, WiFi, and Bluetooth.

 

[Buckeye Boy]

Based on the map on Verizon's site, they don't have CDMA coverage in the Bahamas, so no voice calls:
Calling From Bahamas

The same map shows 3G coverage. Of course you will have to pay the rates shown on this page:
Data From Bahamas

If you don't call Verizon to set up an Int'l plan and just use the Pay Per Use of $.02 per kb it adds up fast. That's $20 per Mb.

Example: I average 2Gb per month of data. Divide by 4.5 for a week usage (1 week vacation) equals 444Mb or $8,880 for one week of data in the Bahamas on the Pay per Use plan.

Turn off data: Settings / Data Manager / Data Delivery / uncheck all 3: Background Data, Data Roaming, Data Enabled
or just put the phone in Airplane mode for the entire trip.

If your hotel or the local coffee shop has WiFi, you can use the Droid X WiFi all you want. That doesn't use Verizon's data.

if i go into settings and turn those 3 off, can i still get wifi or is that shut down as well?
say i just wanted to use wifi at hotel for free, which i know they have, What if i lose the wifi signal and i start accruing 3g charges. i need to know exactly what i need to do.?
if i get the $100 international data they will prorate it for the 5 days i will be there and they said it would cost me like $18. but if i am going to use wifi the whole time there i would not need that correct?

 

[iron_city]

Yes. If you are in a CDMA area, you will still have phone and text message access, but no data if data is turned off. That is, turning off data through the Data Manager settings. If you use Airplane mode, it disables ALL transmitters in the phone: data, phone, WiFi, and Bluetooth.

FYI...Bluetooth still works in Airplane mode.

I was in Mexico last week, and put the phone in Airplane for the duration of the trip. I was still able to turn on BT, pair it with my headphones, and listen to media through the headphones.

From what I could tell, GPS reception is disabled, too. I couldn't get a fix in MapDroyd.

 

[Buckeye Boy]

if i go into settings and turn those 3 off, can i still get wifi or is that shut down as well?
say i just wanted to use wifi at hotel for free, which i know they have, What if i lose the wifi signal and i start accruing 3g charges. i need to know exactly what i need to do.?
if i get the $100 international data they will prorate it for the 5 days i will be there and they said it would cost me like $18. but if i am going to use wifi the whole time there i would not need that correct?

i guess my hotel charges $15 per day for wifi access. i guess i will go with the Verizon Intl package and get it pro rated.