Receiving SMS messages in Peru

[andresurena]

Hi, my wife is travelling to Peru for a couple of weeks and wants to be ability to receive SMS from the UK in Peru without adding roaming, data or add-ons.

Would this be turned on automatically despite the fact that she might turn roaming off on the phone?

[Chris_S]

Hi @andresurena wow I hope your wife has an amazing time in Peru! Roaming costs would vary depending on if your wife is on contract or on pay as you go, we have a page which breaks down all of the costs involved with using the phone in Peru, just click this link here 

To avoid any roaming costs, I'd recommend turning roaming off on your wife's phone.

[bristolian]

A couple of popular misconceptions here.

Roaming means using your phone on foreign networks, which is necessary to use calls, texts or mobile data whilst abroad. You need that mobile network connection to do so.

This is usually done by texting ROAMING to 150 whilst in the UK. Don't do this, and your phone won't have coverage abroad.

Secondly, the phone menu option you're referring to is to enable data roaming, not roaming itself. Data roaming merely allows the use of mobile data whilst already roaming. There is no similar option for "text roaming" or "voice call roaming", but they would be the equivalent.

If you don't enable roaming on your SIM, your phone won't get a network connection abroad and thus the "data roaming" option is immaterial.

Receiving SMS is always free globally.

[XRaySpeX]

Receiving texts is free worldwide. However you are still roaming even if that's all you want to be able to do.

If you are on contract, just remember to text ROAMING to 150 before you leave UK to ensure the roaming ability is enabled on your account.

If you are on PAYG, make sure you have already used your PAYG SIM to make a call or text in the UK.