Global Roaming

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Mobile Voice > Global Roaming



What is Global (International) Roaming?

Global roaming gives you the ability to use your mobile in more than 170 countries – as easily as you do at home, day or night.

Importantly, your mobile number doesn’t change, which means your contacts can call you without having to remember another number. Depending on their overseas carrier, they may still be able to screen their incoming calls and divert those that they don’t want to answer to voicemail.

The service is available as a result of international connect agreements between mobile carriers. Call charges for both making and receiving calls are expensive for this reason. This should be a major consideration when deciding to have the feature enabled when you travel. If it is enabled, it is also advisable to use it sparingly.


Does Exetel Offer Global (International) Roaming?

Yes. Global roaming can be enabled in order to make calls and SMS’ but it is disabled for data access. This is done from your Exetel members facility.

Exetel customers can:

SMS ‘A’ to 321 and VoiceMail will call you back (standard roaming charges apply) or

Access VoiceMail by calling +61 4 1100 0321 (international call charges apply)

All overseas charges are billed back to the Service Provider as roaming usage in Australian dollars.


How do I Activate Global Roaming?

You activate global roaming via your secure Exetel members facility.

Once logged in to the Members Facility,

1. Click on 'Mobile ' >>>>> 'Global Roaming'

2. Click on 'REQUEST/UPDATE' to select the Start and the End date for the global roaming service.


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3. Click on 'OK' once the following prompts up.


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4. You may select the preferred Start date and the End date and the click on 'REQUEST'


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5. If you wish to Withdraw the request, Click on "CANCEL REQUEST"

6. Click on 'OK' once the following prompts up.

7. Click on 'CANCEL REQUEST' to withdraw the request

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8. Upon the activation, If you wish to disable the Global Roaming before the end date click on 'REQUEST/UPDATE'

9. Amend the require end date and click on 'REQUEST'


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How does Global Roaming work?

Upon switching on the mobile in a foreign destination, most phones will automatically select one of our Roaming partner networks. In the instance that this does not occur, you should manually select from the available network list – each phone is different so it is important that you have access to your handsets manual for instructions on how to conduct a Manual Network Selection.

Once connected, the name of the network will appear on your handset and a triangle symbol will appear on the screen to remind you that you are roaming. The phone is then ready to use. Calls can be made and received from your Australian mobile number as normal.


How do I Make calls whilst roaming?

When a call is made whilst Roaming, the customer will be charged the applicable roaming rate according to the country that they are in, when they originate that call.

  • Local Calls: To make a local call within the country the customer is visiting, dial the local number.
  • National Calls: To make a national call within the country you are visiting, dial the area code then the number.
  • International Calls: To make an International call, dial + (* key twice on most handsets, otherwise press and hold the 0 key), then the country code, area code and number. By adding + your phone will automatically dial the international access code for the country you are in.
  • Calling numbers in your contacts list: Reminder that numbers in the contacts list will need to be in international format for them to be usagble when roaming i.e. Jo Bloggs

+614123456789. Dialing 04123456789 the call will fail.


What are the charges for Making and Receiving Calls and SMS’ while Global Roaming?

Global roaming charges for both making and receiving calls and SMS’ are excessive. When you make and receive calls, you are charged a per minute fee applicable to the international call zone you are in. Here is the list of global roaming rates that Exetel charge: http://www.exetel.com.au/residential-mobile-cap-plans.php

Global roaming charges are charged in addition to any CAP plan you may be on.


What are the charges for Data while Global Roaming?

This is currently not possible. Data roaming is disabled.


What are some tips to minimize Global Roaming charges?

Disable voicemail or request to have it disabled – you will not incur any incoming roaming call charges when your contacts leave unwanted or unnecessary voicemail messages. Having voicemail operable means you will be charged excessively twice. Once for the caller leaving a message and once again to retrieve the message.

If you must have voicemail enabled, set to unconditional divert before leaving Australia. Adhere to the tips on Voicemail whilst roaming below.

If you need to make calls, keep them very short. SMS preferably since you know the flat charge.


VoiceMail whilst Roaming

The VoiceMail service will function in the exact same way for a customer overseas as for a customer in Australia.


Costs

Be very careful.Normal diversion costs apply for a voicemail message to be left when an unconditional diversion to voicemail is set on the roaming phone. If there is a conditional diversion to voicemail set on your service, (eg. ‘no answer’ or ‘no reply’) then the call will try to find them; if the diverted phone is switched off, they miss or reject the call for example, then the call will divert back to their voicemail. In this scenario the call charges trombone and the roaming customer (you) will be charged for the call diversion from the Australian network to their overseas location, as well as a charge for the call to be diverted from the overseas location back to their voicemail in Australia for the duration that the caller takes to leave a message.


Retrieving Messages Whilst Roaming

You simply need to send a 'Blank' SMS to

321 and the voicemail platform will initiate an outdial that will read back any stored messages. By setting an unconditional diversion before leaving Australia, you will only need to make one call to retrieve all messages – reducing the cost of incoming calls. The calling rate for retrieving the voicemail message is charged as a normal roaming call set by the overseas network.


To Access Voicemail Whilst Roaming Overseas

Customers dial 321 or, if the short code is not available,+61411000321. When the pilot message is heard, if you are not automatically recognised then, you should enter their full mobile number, followed by the # key and, when prompted, enter your passcode, followed by the # key. Messages will then play as normal and the same responses are used as when in Australia.


Restrictions

In Australia, we use GSM 900/1800Mhz and Dual Band 2100/1900MHZ networks. Some countries such as the USA use a different frequency (1700MHz/1900 MHz) so customers may need a tri or quad-band phone depending where they are travelling to in the USA. In the event of the customer not having a compatible handset, there are companies that provide handset rental facilities on arrival in the USA