travelplus Posted March 24, 2018 #1 Share Posted March 24, 2018 As we are sailing in the English Channel how can I get the Orange or Vodaphone signal as Tmobile offers roaming on these networks. Is there some way to add a program to block Cellular at Sea unless I request it? Also between Tampa and the last point of being in the US can I use Tmobile and their partner in the Gulf Of Mexico? I think its illegal for the cruiseline to force you onto their satellite network when another carrier is available. I guess manial network selection is the best workaround. The English Channel is not that wide so I should be able to pick up UK or French networks and UK and Irish networkd near Ireland. Am I right? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLACRUISER99 Posted March 24, 2018 #2 Share Posted March 24, 2018 It's always been my experience that the ship turns off it's tower if you can get a land signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_BJ Posted March 24, 2018 #3 Share Posted March 24, 2018 turn off roaming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelplus Posted March 24, 2018 Author #4 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Sounds good! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackshirt Posted March 24, 2018 #5 Share Posted March 24, 2018 turn off roaming Not an option on my iPhone. I can turn off data roaming but not roaming. Besides, how would that fix the OP’s issue? You still have to roam to connect to O2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackshirt Posted March 24, 2018 #6 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Ships are supposed to turn Cellular at Sea off within a certain distance of land. That distance should be such that connecting to a land based cell tower is unlikely. Use manual network selection but don’t count on having anything to chose from. If Cellular at Sea is on, you are likely beyond the range of any land based towers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinfool Posted March 24, 2018 #7 Share Posted March 24, 2018 As we are sailing in the English Channel how can I get the Orange or Vodaphone signal as Tmobile offers roaming on these networks. Is there some way to add a program to block Cellular at Sea unless I request it? Also between Tampa and the last point of being in the US can I use Tmobile and their partner in the Gulf Of Mexico? I can't answer the English Channel stuff (tho I seriously doubt it) but out of Tampa the ships sail at least 12 miles offshore, likely more, so local cell service is not going to happen. I think its illegal for the cruiseline to force you onto their satellite network when another carrier is available. I guess manial network selection is the best workaround. The English Channel is not that wide so I should be able to pick up UK or French networks and UK and Irish networkd near Ireland. Am I right? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiamo Posted March 24, 2018 #8 Share Posted March 24, 2018 I think its illegal for the cruise line to force you onto their satellite network when another carrier is available. Thanks Cell towers typically have a 22-mile range, and beyond that, you have zero ability to get any cell signal unless you have a closer cell tower to you. The ships provide this tower (via a satellite service), and you are stuck paying their going rate. Nothing illegal about that, it's just called supply and demand. Going between England and France (Dover to Calais), you "might" have a chance of hooking onto a land-based tower, but in most cases, you will be much further than the needed 22 miles away from a landbased tower (distance in the English Channel ranges between 150 miles and 20 miles). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klfrodo Posted March 24, 2018 #9 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Put phone in airplane mode Connect to WiFi Enable WiFi calling on phone Make phone call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted March 25, 2018 #10 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Once you're away from shore, you will have NO reception, unless you go thru the ship's towers. Sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted March 25, 2018 #11 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I guess manual network selection is the best workaround. True. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaflamingo Posted March 25, 2018 #12 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Put phone in airplane modeConnect to WiFi Enable WiFi calling on phone Make phone call What klfrodo said. Easiest and cheapest way to stay connected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BirdTravels Posted March 25, 2018 #13 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Cell towers typically have a 22-mile range, and beyond that, you have zero ability to get any cell signal unless you have a closer cell tower to you. The ships provide this tower (via a satellite service), and you are stuck paying their going rate. Nothing illegal about that, it's just called supply and demand. Going between England and France (Dover to Calais), you "might" have a chance of hooking onto a land-based tower, but in most cases, you will be much further than the needed 22 miles away from a landbased tower (distance in the English Channel ranges between 150 miles and 20 miles). Many inaccuracies. The ship can (but does not) have its cell tower up until you are away from land. Your phone, and you control what cellular service to connect to if you are roaming off your home network. The ship is not forcing you on to their network. You and your phone chose to connect to the ship network. If you can see a shore-based network, you and your phone can connect to it. You do NOT pay the ship for the service. YOUR cellular carrier charges you their rates for international calls. We have AT&T and they charge the same if we are on land or at sea. Most carriers offer packages for land. Only a few offer packages for ships. But it is YOUR cellular carrier, not the ship, that set the rates and they are normally the same for land and sea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiamo Posted March 25, 2018 #14 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Many inaccuracies. The ship can (but does not) have its cell tower up until you are away from land. Your phone, and you control what cellular service to connect to if you are roaming off your home network. The ship is not forcing you on to their network. You and your phone chose to connect to the ship network. If you can see a shore-based network, you and your phone can connect to it. You do NOT pay the ship for the service. YOUR cellular carrier charges you their rates for international calls. We have AT&T and they charge the same if we are on land or at sea. Most carriers offer packages for land. Only a few offer packages for ships. But it is YOUR cellular carrier, not the ship, that set the rates and they are normally the same for land and sea. At least point out my inaccuracies.. While I do agree, it is your phone/provider connects to the best signal that is available, the most common user would not have the knowledge nor ability to connect to a different service/tower to gain lower charges. Most will just blindly use their phones oblivious that they are being charged a load of $$ to use that service. The service provider on most ships is still Celleur at Sea, and they have fees that they pass to your Telco, who then pass them it onto you (at an extra charge). AT&T is no different from any other service provider, they will still charge you for the service, last I saw with no plan was $2.50 a minute, plus data, plus .50 for texts. I would suspect that you probably have an International or Cruise ship package with AT&T, and you still pay extra for that service, AT&T just does not pass those charges onto you (as you have in essence already paid for it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve20832 Posted March 25, 2018 #15 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Put phone in airplane modeConnect to WiFi Enable WiFi calling on phone Make phone call That is what I do. Free calls and texting over wifi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRF Posted March 26, 2018 #16 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Put phone in airplane modeConnect to WiFi Enable WiFi calling on phone Make phone call This sequence will not work. You need to enable wifi calling, for the first time, while connected to your cellular service. Once you have done that once, you can do what you state. Or just leave wifi calling turned On at all times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRF Posted March 26, 2018 #17 Share Posted March 26, 2018 You do NOT pay the ship for the service. YOUR cellular carrier charges you their rates for international calls. We have AT&T and they charge the same if we are on land or at sea. Most carriers offer packages for land. Only a few offer packages for ships. But it is YOUR cellular carrier, not the ship, that set the rates and they are normally the same for land and sea. No, there is a different rate for Cellular at Sea. I have T-mobile, with unlimited testing, calling, and data in most countries, CaS still costs extra, a LOT extra. Some (I think ATT does), have a cruising package for reduced rate Cellular at Sea service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackshirt Posted March 26, 2018 #18 Share Posted March 26, 2018 No, there is a different rate for Cellular at Sea. I have T-mobile, with unlimited testing, calling, and data in most countries, CaS still costs extra, a LOT extra. Some (I think ATT does), have a cruising package for reduced rate Cellular at Sea service. Correct. No carrier includes Cellular at Sea in their international packages. ATT has 2 cruise packages, one talk and text, the other talk, text and data. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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