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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

1 recommendation

iansltx

Member

My 2¢

This DSLReports page is now over 100KB, so $1.50 on data roaming on AT&T. Which is patently ridiculous.

IMO AT&T should, the minute an HTTP page is requested either over a roaming network or over the 5GB limit, redirect to a quick webpage saying something like the following:

===

[logo]

This is a free courtesy message from AT&T. You are now roaming. Data usage on this network will cost 1.5¢ [important to use the ¢ sign] per KB. This web page is 50 KB long including images. Therefore a similar page would cost 75¢ to view.

To add a data roaming plan for less expensive roaming data access, click here [link to a usage-free text-based page for an upgrade]. You can also call our customer service number at 611 on your AT&T cell phone (free) or 1-800-xxx-xxxx from a landline (not free).

You can also choose to keep roaming data disabled. Your data card will remain non-funcitonal until you re-enter AT&T's domestic service area and all web requests will be redirected to this page. You will not be charged for roaming data in this case.

You can also choose to continue data usage at 1.5¢ per KB. Be advised that anything other than text-based website viewing is not advisable, as a single YouTube video will accrue over $100 in roaming charges. Turn off images in your web browserif possible to avoid heavy data transfers.

Would you like to:
Upgrade your service
Continue at the 1.5¢ per KB rate
Keep data disabled

===

If someone's in roaming mode their signal would've dropped anyway upon heading out of an AT&T area so go ahead and prevent all network activity until the person decides whether to roam or not.

Call me heavy-handed, but I'd MUCH rather have the above than a $10000 overage/roaming bill. $0.05 per MB on Sprint and Verizon for overages sounds downright reasonable compared to 50¢ per MB (right?) on AT&T for overages and $15.36 for international roaming in Canada.

If this doesn't happen, I'll bet AT&T will get itself regulated. Seems like they're always getting into trouble on this; haven't heard of Sprint and Verizon horror stories in awhile. Maybe I'm not listening hard enough though.

Oh, and AT&T, if you do happen to use my wording above (I'll even write the copy for the overage page) send me a GoPhone SIM with $50 and a year of service on it. I'll be using it in my unlocked, jailbroken first-gen iPhone

Rogue Wolf
An Easy Draw of a Sad Few
join:2003-08-12
Troy, NY

Rogue Wolf

Member

This is useful, helpful and cuts into the telcos' ridiculous profit margin (do you think they mind if you have to pay more?), so we can all rest assured that it'll never happen.

marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO

marigolds to iansltx

MVM

to iansltx
Here's another fun one... since I deal with web mapping applications and know the size of data those push around.
Go to google maps with the satellite with labels view. enter an address. Get Directions, enter the second address and get your results. Don't even do any scrolling. How much data did you just push around? Now, follow your turn by turn directions for, say, the last two turns before the destination.
That's a pretty common scenario. Someone lost in a foreign city uses their 3g laptop or phone as an emergency. Congratulations, you just rang up 2500-3000 KB of usage for a $35-$45 bill. Next time take a cab. (The 20MB for $25/month package wouldn't help you here, since even did happen to get it in case of emergency and remembered to cancel as soon as you got back, the $25 plus the $36 activation free will still cost even more than your google map directions, or a cab ride.)

jester121
Premium Member
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

jester121 to iansltx

Premium Member

to iansltx
How do you propose they put a gatekeeper page on a foreign carrier's service?
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Your APN is still isp.cingular...