I have an Iphone and will be travelling for several weeks. On some days I may need to use data on Easy Roam to make calls back to Canada. I do not mind paying each day for when I need to use it.
On other days, I do not want to be charged Easy Roam but I just want to receive texts for 2FA. I also want to use wifi to use Facetime, Imessage, etc.
Can someone please confirm the settings I would need for each of these.? Are these correct?
On the days I do not mind being charged Easy Roam, I would have cellular data on and roaming on.
On the days I do not want to be charged, I would have cellular data off and roaming off. I would not answer calls, voicemail or send a text through the texting app. I can however receive and read texts. I can also connect to wifi and use Facetime, Imessage, etc.
Best answer by Dinh
Your understanding is correct, with a couple of things worth adding.
Easy Roam only triggers when you use data, make/answer a call, or send an outgoing text.
Receiving texts never triggers it, so your 2FA codes will come through free as long as cellular data and data roaming are both off. Wifi calling (not available with Koodo when you are traveling outside of Canada), FaceTime and iMessage over wifi don't touch the roaming network either.
Two issues that catch people out on the no-charge days.
Checking voicemail counts as a call, so avoid the voicemail button entirely, even the notification shortcut.
And on iPhone, turn off Send as SMS in Settings > Apps > Messages, otherwise an iMessage that fails to send over wifi can fall back to a regular text and start your roaming session.
Your understanding is correct, with a couple of things worth adding.
Easy Roam only triggers when you use data, make/answer a call, or send an outgoing text.
Receiving texts never triggers it, so your 2FA codes will come through free as long as cellular data and data roaming are both off. Wifi calling (not available with Koodo when you are traveling outside of Canada), FaceTime and iMessage over wifi don't touch the roaming network either.
Two issues that catch people out on the no-charge days.
Checking voicemail counts as a call, so avoid the voicemail button entirely, even the notification shortcut.
And on iPhone, turn off Send as SMS in Settings > Apps > Messages, otherwise an iMessage that fails to send over wifi can fall back to a regular text and start your roaming session.
On your second bullet, I am looking at my Iphone under the Messages app I do not have “Send as SMS”. I do have “Retry as Text Messages” which is toggled off. Is this the same thing? I also have RCS Messaging toggled on? Is this okay?
I may also keep my phone in airplane mode most of the time and connect it to wifi when I do not want to be charged for Easy Roam.
On your second bullet, I am looking at my Iphone under the Messages app I do not have “Send as SMS”. I do have “Retry as Text Messages” which is toggled off. Is this the same thing?
I may also keep my phone in airplane mode most of the time and connect it to wifi when I do not want to be charged for Easy Roam.
Yes. “Retry as Text Message” is the same as “Send as SMS”; they recently updated the wording in the Messages app settings.
RCS is using data (wifi/cellular data) though. If you turned off data roaming, it would be fine to keep it on.
If your phone is in Airplane Mode, you won’t be able to receive SMS texts, however.
I also updated my post about RCS above. Do I need to worry about this setting?
I also have RCS Messaging toggled on? Is this okay?
I responded to that in the previous post as well. That setting is fine to keep on — it will use your cellular or Wi‑Fi data. Since you turn off data roaming on the days you don’t use roaming, you’ll be safe.
If you don’t have Android contacts who use RCS, you can also turn it off while roaming — one less thing to worry about.
