AT&T International plan

[Boogercountypadman]

Headed to Italy and France for a few weeks. My question is.. Has anyone used AT&Ts international plan there? Going to use the iPad out and about a small bit and was wondering if anyone here had any issues with the coverage over yonder? Thanks!

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

You can see the coverage maps of the operators in Italy and France here.

GSM Coverage Maps | Italy

GSM Coverage Maps | France

I believe AT&T has roaming agreements with these operators, so your International Plan should work fine in these areas.

Tim

 

[Al Rogers]

Called At&t today to ask a couple of simple question, after almost 40 minutes of agonizing talking and be placed on hold at least four times with two agents I came away from that call completely confused.
First the woman agent had a voice like a 78rpm phono record that was scratched, she must have been new and newly turned loose on customers and was also being monitored/taped because she frequently said to me “One moment while I look that up or to ask another person. We have all been new to the job at one time so I can get over that. My simple request was to sign up for the 30 day international Data plan for my visit to Russia on the first of June, this was in order to use my Iphone/IPad for emails and to make a couple of phone calls back home during the 16 days that I will be over there. After giving me all the details and I do mean all the details of the plan and the roaming charges I said to her that I will be on a small cruise ship travelling from Moscow to St Petersburg,(That’s when the crap hit the fan) she said I could not use the plan until I was outside the 12 mile range of land, I said I will be only 20 feet at the most from land as this is a riverboat and we are never out of site of land and in port every night and could see the radio towers from my cabin, she then told me that all I would need would be the International Traveler plan $5.99 a month. She then said she would transfer me to the international section and they would help me, Enter second agent, he may have been from India as I had a hard time understanding him, I told him what I needed and where I was going, he said let me look it up and see if Russia is on the list, it was not, then he tells me That I have to be a Mobile customer 90 days to get the Data Plan. So thats how my call went with my carrier.
I’m just hope that there are some Wi-Fi hot-spots in some of the small towns along the Volga River so that I can send a couple of emails to the kids while I’m gone.

Anyone have any ideas on how to use a local data plan in Russia without changing the chip.

 

[Al Rogers]

Talked to at&t people today in the at&t store,they were just as useless as the people on the phone. I walked up to the guy at the counter and asked him can I have the Int Data plan added to my Iphone, he said sure,he dialed the same firkin number that I had dialed the day previous and when the at&t person answered the phone he hands it to me to do the talking, I got the same story again so I hang up the phone and leave the store. When I get home I dialed the same number and asked to talk to a supervisor,she got on the phone and I asked her is there a way to get a waiver for the 90 days one have to have mobile service before adding the Int Data plan, she said yes there is a way to get this waiver and all I had to do was Fax a copy of my drivers license,a paid bill showing my address and the name of the bank where my credit card was issued, Thats when the Shiite hit the fan,I told her I have been a customer (Land Line) for 30 years,Internet DSL/Wireless for 8 years, a U-Verse customer for 2 years, and a mobile Iphone customer for 60 days, and I have never missed a phone payment in all those years. Bottom line it got me no where,so my next move is to write to corporate headquarters and give them a couple of shovels full of you know what.

I am one angry man tonight.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I just looked up the international plan rates online before I traveled with iPad 1 for the first time, found them expensive and decided to use local micro SIMs when I travel. So the first time I landed overseas, I went to a local carrier first thing. I was in and out with my local SIM card, with my iPad working fine.

 

[Al Rogers]

Last night I thought I would give it another try with at&t but this time use the chat feature on the website,I was having a problem understanding what they were trying to tell me over the phone due to the female voice being too low or the male with the accent. I just could not believe what the chat person told me. I copied and pasted what she typed and I am writing to the CEO of at&t and give them a ear full.
Below is how our little chat went.

Alfred Rogers.Send.
In order to have the international Data plan added to my iphone account while on vacation to Russia I need to be granted an exception to the 90 day requirement as I have only had the wireless service for 60 days. What document do I need to send you for this exception?

Pamela Hernandez Answer.

You will have to send in a current photo of yourself, issued ID, Government ID, +MPO (Military Post Office, address, passport.Green Card, Employee ID with current pay stub-customer can cross out SSN and monetary value.
Alfred Rogers. Send.

It will be my current passport photo, I am retired military, a US Citizen, and I have no pay stubs as I have been retired for over 25 years.
Pamela Hernandez. Answer
.
One current bill, invoice, statement or online statement, (that has the physical address on it) dated within the last 60 days. Cancellation notices are not acceptable. Reminder- the address on the account must be reflected on all category B items.
Gas-Water-Electric-Cable-Home telephone/AT&T home phone bills are acceptable. Garbage or waste, DSL-Internet service-Home Owners Insurance- monthly bill or current policy. Car Insurance-monthly bill or policy-Mortgage statements-Property Statements-PO Box Statement-Car Registration card- Student ID/Tuition ID (Tuition Bill must be within 1 semester)** Foreign Exchange Student*** Foreign Passport and letter of residency from the school since the tuition bill will be sent to a foreign address.

Alfred Rogers. Send

I cannot believe what you are telling me, all I need is a Data plan not a pass to enter Fort Knox.
Pamela Hernandez. Answer.

Are you still in the US?

Alfred Rogers. Send.

Yes I live at the current address that’s on my account statement

Pamela Hernandez. Answer.

You will need to fax this information to 1-866-464-7188

End of Chat Session.

Can you believe this,and they have all my accounts on record with them for the past 30 years.

Al

 

[Kaykaykay]

I'm guessing that they have these procedures because they've had problems with fraud or more nefarious deeds. If I were you, I'd suck it up and do what they want and get the exemption, or skip the coverage and move on. There's no use getting mad at the reps whom you contact, because they don't make any of the rules.

You can escalate this and try to change the rules, but that's your blood pressure and time to waste, IMO. They didn't make the rules to thwart you; they don't care about you or me as individuals. They make rules that they can apply broadly, because they don't have reps deciding case by case. Try to to gain some perspective; it's not about you.

Last night I thought I would give it another try with at&t but this time use the chat feature on the website,I was having a problem understanding what they were trying to tell me over the phone due to the female voice being too low or the male with the accent. I just could not believe what the chat person told me. I copied and pasted what she typed and I am writing to the CEO of at&t and give them a ear full.
Below is how our little chat went.

Alfred Rogers.Send.
In order to have the international Data plan added to my iphone account while on vacation to Russia I need to be granted an exception to the 90 day requirement as I have only had the wireless service for 60 days. What document do I need to send you for this exception?

Pamela Hernandez Answer.

You will have to send in a current photo of yourself, issued ID, Government ID, +MPO (Military Post Office, address, passport.Green Card, Employee ID with current pay stub-customer can cross out SSN and monetary value.
Alfred Rogers. Send.

It will be my current passport photo, I am retired military, a US Citizen, and I have no pay stubs as I have been retired for over 25 years.
Pamela Hernandez. Answer
.
One current bill, invoice, statement or online statement, (that has the physical address on it) dated within the last 60 days. Cancellation notices are not acceptable. Reminder- the address on the account must be reflected on all category B items.
Gas-Water-Electric-Cable-Home telephone/AT&T home phone bills are acceptable. Garbage or waste, DSL-Internet service-Home Owners Insurance- monthly bill or current policy. Car Insurance-monthly bill or policy-Mortgage statements-Property Statements-PO Box Statement-Car Registration card- Student ID/Tuition ID (Tuition Bill must be within 1 semester)** Foreign Exchange Student*** Foreign Passport and letter of residency from the school since the tuition bill will be sent to a foreign address.

Alfred Rogers. Send

I cannot believe what you are telling me, all I need is a Data plan not a pass to enter Fort Knox.
Pamela Hernandez. Answer.

Are you still in the US?

Alfred Rogers. Send.

Yes I live at the current address that’s on my account statement

Pamela Hernandez. Answer.

You will need to fax this information to 1-866-464-7188

End of Chat Session.

Can you believe this,and they have all my accounts on record with them for the past 30 years.

Al

 

[Al Rogers]

I know its not the reps fault, the policy was written by some lawyer who has no thoughts about cutomer care or service. I have wrote a letter to them telling them what I think so its off my chest, plus the fact I will not send them any documentation as I will go on vacation without the plan and use a World Phone,by the time I get back I will have over the 90 day requirement so I will be ready for my next trip overseas in August.

Al

 

[nismo14]

wow, I just called AT&T for the EXACT SAME QUESTION.

My boss is going on the same Viking tour as you in 2 days.

The AT&T rep told me that as long as I signed up for the international coverage plan that I'd be okay. The 3G int. coverage for the Ipad works the same way as their int. phone data coverage so she said it should work.

Can't believe you had such bad luck with the people you spoke to. I only needed to provide her with the ipad's cell # and confirm the account name, email, etc to get that info out of her. Didn't need a top secret security clearance.

How did your boat tour go? How was reception for you ipad?

 

[Al Rogers]

The Riverboat tour was excellent as for Wi-Fi hot spots they were very very few. Talking to the crew members they told me that most of the route was dead as far as INTERNET service,they were also of need of the service so they could talk with their love ones.


Al.