International phone plan question!

[*blackrose]

I won't have a chance to go to At&t until this weekend. So I thought I'd ask here to see if anyone knew the answer to my question.

My phone is AT&T, as is Michael's. Two different family plans. Michael just added an international package to his phone, so he can still have his phone active while abroad. I don't know the finite details of the plan as I wasn't there when he did it, but I believe it enables him to text for free, call costs are reduced, etc.

My question is this: my phone does not currently have an international plan added. If I send him a text, will it charge me? If I receive a text from him, will it charge me? Do I need to add on an international text plan to my current plan to avoid those charges, or since HE has an international plan I can text as normal?

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

This varies a bit from carrier to carrier.

If you are in your home region, you should not be charged if he texts you. I'm not 100% certain on you texting him but I believe there would be a charge because you don't have international texts and he's not in the states.

 

[JessLough]

It all depends on your current phone plan, and what's included. Some only include national, some allow worldwide. For example, I know my plan allows me to have worldwide texts, but only Canada/US picture messages.

However, his number is still the same/local, correct? If it is, you should be fine, regardless of where he is checking his phone from.

 

[Airn]

It will charge you. Not sure if it will charge both ways but it will charge if you text him

 

[xpaeanx]

I would just call AT&T and ask specifically about your contract. They change those things so much... There is no real way of knowing without contacting them.

I can tell you when I lived in Germany my bf at the time could text me but talking cost a lot of $. He added an international plan eventually but even with that there was a distinction between talking on a landline vs cell phone.

 

[*blackrose]

However, his number is still the same/local, correct? If it is, you should be fine, regardless of where he is checking his phone from.

Yes, his number will still be local. That's what is making this so confusing - most of the info I find is for calling/texting actual international numbers, not local numbers who happen to be out of the states WITH an international plan. Lol

I will be asking for sure. We definitely don't need hidden charges popping up.

 

[amberdyan]

Yes, his number will still be local. That's what is making this so confusing - most of the info I find is for calling/texting actual international numbers, not local numbers who happen to be out of the states WITH an international plan. Lol

I will be asking for sure. We definitely don't need hidden charges popping up.

A friend of mine lived in Australia for 6 months and kept her US phone with an international plan (through Sprint) and it didn't cost me any extra to text her. : )

 

[GipsyQueen]

I'm not sure, if this is the same in the US, but my dad has an international plan on his phone (he's abroad alot), and it doesn't charge me if I call/ or text him.
I would call AT&T though, just to be sure and not get a big surprise at the end of the month =/

 

[Jules]

Have you thought about just downloading a texting app like Threema or WhatsApp? That's what I use to text with my friends and family in Germany (who obviously have German phone plans). You don't pay per message, it's just the data (not international - I don't have an international plan).

When I call, I use Google voice, so the call doesn't go through my provider either. The settings are a bit funky, though, but I'm sure there are apps for calling, too.

 

[*blackrose]

Well, the question has been answered - the plan I have offers international texting regardless, so it shouldn't be an issue! LOL