Don't laugh.

I'm not a regular mobile user. Having said that, when I went overseas a few years back, I had $75 credit on my Android phone just so that I could contact work/family/friends etc.

The first time I tried to actually make a call, it said I had no credit - it had all been gobbled up at $10 per Mb updating!

When I got back and queried Vodafone, they told me I should have turned off data... Good job, they said, that I wasn't billed, as they'd just been talking to someone who'd copped a bill of $680.

Lesson learned. Data has been off ever since.

Now I'll need a pre departure test in the UK and I presume they have to email it and I do have gmail on the phone, but will be on the road, travelling.

An email with test results and maybe a QR is not text or a call, so what are my options?

Call into a McDonalds or somewhere where there is free WiFi and check emails? Or is there a way of disabling all updates except for gmail?

Sorry if this appears really dumb, but I'm not a regular mobile user and I'm on a $20 a year pre pay plan, which suits me just fine, as my usage per year is normally about $3.

socram - 2021-08-16 20:26:00

System and app updates can be set to only work thru wifi.

nice_lady - 2021-08-16 20:33:00

As for Gmail you can check it at will. If you do it thru a browser on the phone instead of the Gmail app, it will use very minimal data and won't auto download all the emails and junk mail that could be waiting. You can log into the Gmail sure with your user name and password as you would any other site. Check the mail and print stuff off or download it to the phone as you wish.

Well you be getting a 'local' sim card in the UK? Using aNZ card and connection could be costly even for texts and calls. Check this with your provider.

nice_lady - 2021-08-16 20:41:00

The member deleted this message.

ronaldo8 - 2021-08-17 12:30:00

Buy a local sim when you get there, cheapest option.

ronaldo8 - 2021-08-17 12:30:00

Correct

nice_lady - 2021-08-17 13:08:00

I usually turn off data when overseas, and use free wifi in hotels or hotspots when needed (not for banking or anything that needs to remain super secure - I'd temporarily turn data on if I needed to do anything like that).

In the UK a couple of years ago I bought a local sim card which had the same rates for use throughout the UK and continental Europe. But something weird happened whereby it worked but didn't ever chew through any of the data. We used it a lot for maps (which made me wonder how on earth we survived without GPS when we drove around Europe 20 years ago!) and also used for emails etc. while not connected to wifi, and when we returned home it showed almost zero usage. Presumably some kind of glitch in the matrix!

blands70 - 2021-08-17 13:25:00

What I should have said was that it is a cheapish NZ Vodafone and is therefore locked to Vodafone NZ.

Someone once gave me a UK SiM card and needless to say, it wouldn't work.

I'll certainly check to see if any of the Apps can be switched to WiFi update only. Normally of course, the Android is only really used at home on WiFi anyway.

Thanks for the responses.

As far as GPS/Sat Nav/maps goes, I have an up to date TomTom for route planning and that costs nothing. Most of the time though, I'm on a PC at home during the day, laptop at night - and the lap top always travels with me.

socram - 2021-08-17 13:54:00

You can get it unlocked. Might be free to do so if you've owned it more than a couple years. Otherwise it's $30 I think.

nice_lady - 2021-08-17 14:08:00

You don't switch individual apps to wifi only update.

Go-to Google play store using the Google play app on the phone. To right corner is an icon for you/your account. Tap on it.
Then go-to settings.
In there and you'll see how to set it to only update thru wifi.

Then you need to check the phone can't do system updates on data this will be in the phone settings/update

Or maybe settings/about phone

In there somewhere. One you have those set you're good . But also take note of what I said in earlier post about Gmail.

nice_lady - 2021-08-17 14:14:00

ronaldo8 wrote:

Buy a local sim when you get there, cheapest option.

There can be a problem with that idea The laws are now fully enforced you can not buy a sim unless you proof what colour you pooh What dna you have and where and how you made the money you use to try and buy this sim card in the country. If you can not do all this you are not getting one as you are a terrorist clearly.
While its not exactly like this you wont get a sim you need proof of adress and be a citicen to register and activate after checking first.
So basically its about what i wrote above.
For germany i used to be able to get away to just give the eadress of the hotel. and my mate used to say you could register the sim to your dog That would most probably not be possible now.
I also did read a story or hear in news as i listen carfully A Father did try to put 100 doller in the daughters account so she could buy a car tyre and was denied proceeding to do so as he was money laundering as reason for denail of transfere..
Thats how far we are already. Be australia or nz that story with tyre.

intrade - 2021-08-17 14:54:00

Some truth in this.

nice_lady - 2021-08-17 15:10:00

intrade wrote:

There can be a problem with that idea The laws are now fully enforced you can not buy a sim unless you proof what colour you pooh What dna you have and where and how you made the money you use to try and buy this sim card in the country. If you can not do all this you are not getting one as you are a terrorist clearly.
While its not exactly like this you wont get a sim you need proof of adress and be a citicen to register and activate after checking first.
So basically its about what i wrote above.
For germany i used to be able to get away to just give the eadress of the hotel. and my mate used to say you could register the sim to your dog That would most probably not be possible now.
I also did read a story or hear in news as i listen carfully A Father did try to put 100 doller in the daughters account so she could buy a car tyre and was denied proceeding to do so as he was money laundering as reason for denail of transfere..
Thats how far we are already. Be australia or nz that story with tyre.

We had no issue buying one in the UK (albeit three years ago). And this doesn't indicate any issues with buying travel sims either here or overseas https://www.scti.co.nz/travel-advice/your-guide-to-internati
onal-sim-cards

blands70 - 2021-08-17 15:39:00

Yes, turning Mobile Data off and using only Wifi is the easiest way to control usage. Or buy a local sim and take a spare phone to use it in. We always take one of our oldies these days for just such purposes with a local pre-paid sim. It's so old we know there won't be any system updates!

On my mobile, under Internet settings somewhere, there is an option to set limits on data usage. Setting that could help prevent over use.

I also turn off the auto updating of apps. You can them choose to update all or some when connected to Wifi at night, if at all.

soundsgood - 2021-08-17 16:27:00