Tutor
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5 Messages
Cellular Data and WiFI assist were off as well as Roaming; Still charged for International Use
Wireless account, iPhone. If Cellular is off and my phone only used WiFi while I was abroad, why is AT&T charging me for international use? I turned off cellular before leaving the US and only used wifi for four days while abroad and did not turn Cellular on until the plane landed in the US. I spent 90 minutes on chat today to only keep being told, "the system shows messages, so the network was on." I kept saying, the cellular was off and I could not send messages outside of wifi. Then they would say, "your phone was being used." I said of course my phone was being used, but I only used it when I had wifi. They just want to charge me the international day pass of $10/day. It's unethical.
Accepted Solution
Official Solution
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.1K Messages
5 years ago
Cellular DATA can be turned off. You got charged for MESSAGES on cellular.
The only way to turn off all cellular connection is AIRPLANE mode.
Read those settings on your phone. Turn cellular data off and see if you can still make calls and send text. Of course you can.
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MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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14.2K Messages
5 years ago
If you didn’t use a wireless network, how did AT&T know where you were?
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.1K Messages
5 years ago
Turning cellular off should cut off data only.
Your phone should be in airplane mode, with Wifi turned back on.
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travellingtroy
Tutor
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5 Messages
5 years ago
Is that rhetorical? As in the only way they would know my location is if I had cellular on? Although I have no doubt they have multiple ways to find me without cellular, I did ask them that same question. They eventually said the international network identified me.The international network did show up at the top of my screen when my phone automatically connected to the airport WiFi (where AT&T is usually located) even though I had cellular off the entire time.
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travellingtroy
Tutor
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5 Messages
5 years ago
Why does it need to be in airplane mode if cellular is off?
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Ganz91
Contributor
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1 Message
5 years ago
calling or texting over wifi will cost you money . you should disable your wifi calling as well and connected to a wifi of the place outside of us our your country . you have used your call over wifi that means you used at&t international over wifi calling . I have used international wifi at the airport or hotel's wifi over seas never got charged for
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.1K Messages
5 years ago
WiFi calling is just another way to connect to AT&T. It doesn’t cost you money if you are using it correctly.
If you use WiFi calling:
If you are out of the USA and call the USA, it’s FREE.
If you are out of the USA and you call a NON US number, you are charged as long distance
If you are IN the USA and call a non US number you are charged log distance.
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ExpatN242
New Member
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7 Messages
3 years ago
I'm having this same issue. I'm outside the US calling only US numbers on WIFI only and being charged for each minute as an international rate. My cellular data is off, wifi assist is off and data roaming is off. (Edited per community guidelines) AT&T!
I've flown back to go to a store and been given no help. Called and received 3 different answers.
(edited)
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
3 years ago
@ExpatN242 The only explanation is you were calling over cellular, not WiFi. Just being connected to WiFi does not mean you are on WiFi calling. Unless you see “AT&T WiFi” on your display as the carrier, you are not on WiFi calling. None of the settings you mention have anything to do with calls, they only effect data. You had to have been roaming on a foreign carrier when you made those calls.
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ExpatN242
New Member
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7 Messages
3 years ago
@sandblaster - I have a duel SIM set up, so should I have the AT&T eSIM "OFF"? And if it is Off can I still receive calls to that Number on my International plan? There is no clear way to set this up and NO ONE at AT&T was able to assist.
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