Intl Text Charges on Free Wi-Fi

We have avoided the high price programs of slow cruise ship’s internet service for years. Instead it’s an adventure to seek out other Wi-Fi options in a café or port shops once on land.

I chose not to delete nor respond to the Verizon text(s) that kept appearing as we used a restaurant’s Wi-Fi service, free with the purchase of food, in the colorful port city of Cobh, Ireland.

Several weeks later our monthly bill was higher than usual and I scrutinized it carefully. Under ‘sent’ texts was a US area code 513. It appeared Verizon was billing me to receive their messages and auto-replies since I did not respond.

I chose to ‘chat’ with a rep and was told Verizon reads your device as long distance because no international feature was active.

Correct, I never agreed to a plan. The rep said, “When you travel international and there is no international services on the device and messages are not sent through iMessage it would attract a charge.”

He removed the expense and gave us an additional $12 for my trouble. I was surprised to find out while using a private Wi-Fi service; I am not protected from my carrier’s text charges.

One last note… in south Florida we found if one sees land while cruising out to sea expect to pay big bucks on that cell call. I don’t know how it works, but that tower in view is most likely not part of your program.