not fit to use abroad

[asfour]

I gave up on being able to use my blueyonder email from the us and switched to gmail. 

Now I have a problem with my virgin payg mobile acct. I currently am using a US sim card in my iphone and for my internet and wireless, I have Xfinity internet/wireless.  once in a while I have to insert my virgin sim card to receive a text  at my UK number for 2 step identification. And I'm always using xfinity wireless on my phone. However each time i've done that - like today - I'm charged L10 for data abroad. How can I be being charged for data when i'm using xfinity broadband wireless.

what it amounts to is that for some arcane and devious reason, every time I insert my Virgin sim card there's an unavoidable, and unjustified, charge of L10.  For the months i've been in the US - NOT using Virgin - it has cost me L30 to receive 3 or 4 texts.

In every way, Virgin has been at best useless and at worst harmful, while i'm abroad. It's totally unfit for purpose and i intend to get rid of  all virgin services when I return in april. For now - how do I avoid this data rip off

[Chris_W1]

Hi asfour, thanks for the message. I am sorry to hear about the charges and we have standard rates when in the USA and they can be quite high. We will be able to remove the data from the package so no charges are added when it connects to data. You can re-add this at any time, is this something you would like to do? ^Chris 

[asfour]

sorry, I don't understand. when I'm using my virgin sim card, is xfinity my 'roaming network'? (why am I even 'roaming') why would xfinity be billing virgin (who in turn bills me)

[asfour]

yes. but I don't understand why there is any virgin data usage at all. And 'removing the data package so that I can connect to data'? literally, the words make no sense to me. 

I would also like a refund for the  3 times I've been charged 10 pounds

And I would still make the point that most UK institutions allow you to list a foreign phone number in order to receive texts with codes for verification etc. For Virgin Mobile you can only list a uk number - which makes sense - but it means that every time you need to verify yourself w/ Virgin you're going to to charged 10 pounds (if you're in the US)

A customer just simply should not have to go through this.

[Chris_W1]

With Smart phones when a device is not connected to the internet and when they need to update they will use the data to connect. This can be turned off on the phone or we will be able to switch it off at network level to prevent any further charges. Is this something which you would like to do? You would not be charged if the data was switched off and you connected to the Wi-Fi service. - Chris

[asfour]

yes disconnect

However, my smart phone IS connected to the internet - on the Xfinity network and it updates with that. In fact it can only connect to virgin when I have the virgin sim inserted which is for approx 1 min.

But life is too short for all the time I have to spend w/ all my virgin services. I give up once again.

And just out of curiosity, before I buy one, how do dual sim phones work to avoid these problems

[enlli]

---

@asfour wrote:

sorry, I don't understand. when I'm using my virgin sim card, is xfinity my 'roaming network'? (why am I even 'roaming') why would xfinity be billing virgin (who in turn bills me)

---

If you are out of the UK and connected to any network in foreign country you are roaming.

The network to which you are connected supplies both access to their voice network and their data services.

When you may a call, send a text or use data that network sends the details to your home network along with any charges.

Your home network bills you using the information supplied.

That's how it has worked on all networks since roaming started.

Using WiFi or not, your phone is obviously connecting to a foreign network and using some data.

There is absolutely nothing Virgin can do about that.

If your not happy then change networks when you are back in the UK, but they will work identically to Virgin.

[Chris_W1]

Hi asfour, thanks for messaging us via private message. I am happy to see that we have now gotten this issue resolved for you. ^Chris

[asfour]

it will be 'resolved' when I leave Virgin