Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

I've just had a fascinating conversation with 3 different people on 'The Team' who've told me that, despite what it says on the virginmobile website, if I divert all my calls to voicemail (before I go) I will be charged every time someone leaves a message on my voicemail while I'm abroad.

I understand that calling my voicemail from overseas will incur a charge BUT surely what they've told me can't be correct.

Even if my phone is switched off while I'm out of the country 'the system will know where you are' and I'll be charged for every voicemail left.

Anyone got any experience of this?

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

You will not be charged for people leaving a Voicemail if you divert all calls before you leave the country.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

Hmm, so virgin mobiles have a built in device that can track turned off phones??????

Excuse me whilst I wet myself laughing...

Seriously though no idea about virgin but every single other mobile company actually suggest that you divert your calls to voicemail if you don;t want to be charged overseas rates.. It's not the mobile that diverts the call but the comms centre and if you set the call to be transfered it'll never ever try to communicate with your mobile when receiving/diverting an incoming call.

Kymmy

---------- Post added at 11:35 ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 ----------

From virgins own website

Kymmy

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

Actually (and I appreciate that this is off-topic) the majority of phones are trackable (to within a certain distance) when they're switched off ;)

The ultra paranoid might want to remove the battery :D

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

I know that, you know that, the Virgin webteam know that ... but the guys on at 789 on 'The Team' certainly don't and, despite my protestations, insisted that any call made to my voicemail while I was abroad even though I'd set all calls to divert to it before I left would be charged ... because 'the call goes to my (switched off) mobile and then back to UK!!

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

Errrr, no!!!

Not unless you want to track the local oscilator on the standby circuit but then you'd have to be within about 2 meters to get any form of signal...

It's actually an urban myth that you can track a mobile phone that has been turned off, You can get specialised phones that appear to turn off (handy to give to your child who then thinks that by turning it off they're not being tracked by thier parents) but they don't actually turn off unless a code is inputted.

Kymmy ;)

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

When I was in America, I didn't set call divert, I just didn't answer any calls.

My friend left a voicemail, they were charged the international rate for making the call. I was not charged for him leaving a voicemail.

I was charged for checking my voicemail abroad.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

Don't you mean that your friends were charged the standard mobile rate in the UK, and you would have been charged extra had you answered it?

The phone company can't charge the caller a different rate for where you are - since there's no way that the person calling can be advised of the call charges.
You would be charged to retrieve your voicemails - as that's YOU calling from abroad back to UK.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

I always have voicemail completely switched off. That way I can't get charged for someone leaving a voicemail. Though you do have to call Virgin Mobile to tell them you want to be able to switch voicemail off as by default it leaves it set on even when cancelling via the phone unless you ask VM to allow you to switch it on and off yourself.

I hate voicemail anyway - just a money making scam.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

Not sure how it is a scam -I don't get charged to listen to the voicemail, and most times it's my decision not to listen to the incoming message.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

The person calling you is charge as soon as they hit voicemail.

This is why landline providers offered 1571 free, they now instead of getting nothing when hitting a busy tone or not answered they get revenue. Same with mobile phone operators, instead of the caller hearing a busy tone, currently unavailable message, switched off message and not being charged, they get voicemail and get charged, now with many people simply not bothering to listen to their voicemail message as you say it's your choice to listen to them (I don't get charged to listen if I had it enabled) you may have to try several times and instead of it previously costing you nothing to keep trying it's costing 6 - 15p a pop. The telco you use to make the call earns a cut from the charge, the network the phone is on receives a cut.

Voicemail / 1571 is for the benefit of the telco, not the customer. A money making scam.

I am considerate to my callers and don't have voicemail as it is unfair to expect them to be charged for not been able to get hold of me.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

In this particular instance, Voicemail is not a 'scam' but an essential means of controlling the cost of using my phone. If I'm abroad without all calls diverted to voicemail or with voicemail switched off, I'm charged for every call I receive when my phone's switched on.

If I divert all calls to voicemail before I leave, I can control what I pay - I can choose to (or not to) access my voicemail box and to return peoples calls if I wish. If I choose not to, I should not be charged anything.

The information that 'The Team' appears to be giving seems to be taking away control from the user by removing the option to control costs and actively encouraging people to either leave their phone at home or to take calls, at great expense, while they're abroad. This, if anything, is the scam!

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

No. I always have voicemail switched off at home and abroad.

When abroad I only answer the calls I want to answer. I don't answer the calls I don't want to answer - therefore I control what I am charged.

The wisest choice is to ensure you have no voicemail and only take the calls you want to.

1571 / Voicemail as always been a scam to make extra money, simply because it doesn't cost the caller anything to be told the phone is off or unavailable or you didn't get to the phone in time, yet with voicemail / 1571 active it does cost the caller in these istances - it was simply a money making scam plain and simple.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

We'll probably have to agree to disagree on this Bex. I find voicemail extremely useful. In my work, I have to keep in touch with lots of different people some of whom will be calling to give me my next assignment. The nature of my job means that I'm often unable to answer my mobile calls for long periods. No answer means no job and my next day's pay would be lost.

But we digress and probably should get back to the original topic - the cost of using voicemail abroad.

Re: Using my virgin mobile overseas
 

I always thought it was only if you called up your voice mail from abroad that you get charged.
If you just leave the voice messages sitting there you won't get charged.
That's what I thought.