I traveled to Canada and used my cell phone. I found out that after the first time I registered with a foreign cell tower, EVERY ATTEMPTED CALL to my number resulted in a charge to me... 59 cents per minute (that's the international plan discount rate!)... Even if no message was left and my phone was not on, I still get charged.
To make matters worse, Cingular can not tell me who was trying to call me as their caller ID does not work internationally. So... I get to pay over $400 in charges for calls I never received and will never know who tried to call. Does that seem right? According to Cingular, it is.
To make matters even worse, some of the mystery calls were many minutes long and cost more than $20!!! Now, I ask you... Who could register a 20 mins call and leave no voice mail message? Apparently it is possible... After all "the computer never is wrong"!!! Have I ever had such a long international call in the history of my account I asked? Makes no difference!!!
Cingular says.."If someone called you... And we can't tell you who... And left blank space on your voice mail for 20 minutes, you pay!"... If they called you five times in a row within 3 minutes, you still pay for 5 calls and 5 mins! (I wish I could make time like that!) You just pay, pay, pay... This billing madness only stops when your cell phone is re-registered with a US cell tower.
So... NEVER, NEVER, NEVER USE YOUR CINGULAR PHONE INTERNATIONALLY! If you visit that country regularly... Get a diposable cell phone based in that country... Otherwise use email and land lines.
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