Push email and international roaming

Question

Level 1

13 points

Push email and international roaming

My push email is burning up international data.
I have an ATT plan but, I'm surprised at how much data gets used.
One problem is likely due to the fact that even though I have a wifi network activated, it doesn't work unless the phone is on. So, what happens when mail is pushed is that it comes over the data connection and uses international data.
I go to bed and when I wake up I have used significant data overnight. Obviously I know that I could go into airplane mode when I go to bed but, I'm surprised there is no way to avoid using so much data just to notify me that there is mail.
I have looked through all the settings and it appears that there is no way to limit the data that is automatically loaded. It seems like my phone is even downloading attachments even though I have that "off" in settings?
My point is that getting a push notification is great but is there no way to have the phone wait on the download until I turn the phone on and retrieve my wifi connection and then download everything on wifi??? Or, even choose not to open a data hog email until I am back to my computer or have wifi available?
There is a setting that establishes "preview" at 1 or 2, etc. lines. I assumed that was all that was downloaded until I open the email but, that is clearly not the case?
Anyone know how to manage this better? Hope I'm missing something.
thanks in advance.
H

MacBook Pro 2.4 ghz, Mac OS X (10.4.9), power books, minis, MacBook Pro 2.16, MacBook, etc.

Posted on Nov 4, 2009 6:42 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 4, 2009 8:52 AM in response to reifer

I agree that just about anything about using a cell phone when traveling is at best poorly implemented. At the very least, international roaming rates are ridiculously high and I'm certain in no way reflect real cost of service.

I would post feedback to Apple ( http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html) as I think they do indeed listen and many user suggestions have ended up being incorporated into their products (cut/copy/paste on the iPhone had to in part be in response to the huge user feedback about the lack of it, as was the landscape keyboard).

One thing I am not clear on either is whether fetch really does just download the whole message. I have my preview settings at 2-lines, and when I do select a message to read in full, larger messages seem to take awhile to fully download after clicking on them, so I assumed that any message was not fully downloaded until I actually opened it fully. But I may be wrong as I don't pay any attention to my data useage since it is all covered under my home network's unlimited data plan.

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Answer 2

Nov 4, 2009 6:44 AM in response to reifer

but is there no way to have the phone wait on the download until I turn the phone on and retrieve my wifi connection and then download everything on wifi?

Yes, it's called "fetch". By definition, push is real time email notification. If you want to control the scheduled checking of email, turn "push" off, and use either a timed "fetch" or manual "fetch".

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Answer 3

reifer Author

Level 1

13 points

Nov 4, 2009 7:16 AM in response to Michael Black

Obviously I know that?
My point is that I like being notified when I get a message immediately.
I'd just like the option to not totally download one I don't care about until I have wifi available.
Fetch doesn't really help if every time I open up mail, it downloads messages completely without giving me the option to wait or even delete without downloading since it is clearly junk mail that I don't need to see to know I don't want it.
Why does push force me to allow a total download? Apparently including attachments?

As an example that will likely seem lame to you,
I live outside the US for extended periods of time. I travel 6+ months a year and in addition have a house in Mexico
I'm almost never in a position where I don't have wifi where I sleep or work.
In my house in Mexico, for example, I have a high speed wifi network.
When I close my laptop, or when I'm not in the office, but still at home, I like to have my iphone tell me when I have a message but, why is it required that when using push, I have to let it download everything completely, burning up international data, when if it waited until I open the phone the download could happen over wifi??
In truth even though data in the US is "free" it seems stupid to waste it. We all get used to push telling us when we have a message but, even in the US it seems like complete download over 3G should be optional.
Maybe there isn't any other option but there should be IMO.

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Answer 4

Nov 4, 2009 7:49 AM in response to reifer

Because that is what "push"mail is. It is an always on setup - the moment an email comes in, it is pushed out to your client. I'm not trying to be rude or nasty, but you want push mail to be something it simply is not.

As long as you insist on using push, you have the limitation you mention. To avoid using wireless data, the only way I know of with the iPhone is to use manual fetch, so you can control when and only when email data is transferred (and thus make sure you have your wifi connection before checking).

While it might be nice to have greater control of data transfers, right now you don't. You could certainly post it to Apple's feedback as something you'd like to see developed.

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Answer 5

reifer Author

Level 1

13 points

Nov 4, 2009 8:36 AM in response to Michael Black

Guess you're right. I haven't found a solution.
But, I'm still astounded. I love my iphone and would never go back but, it's the first phone I've had that was "all or nothing". This is frankly a problem when using fetch too. I'm on the street using only 3G and when I turn on mail, my only choice is to download everything completely? That's frankly ridiculous.
Even my old Palm and HTC devices would download a "preview" and then ask if I wanted to download the rest. I'm sure there are many who love the option of having all mail download in full with push but in a sense it is wasteful foolishness to force us all to have it that way both with push and fetch. It seems clear that duplication in downloading is at least a small contributor to network overload issues with ATT. And easily correctable. No one in the US pays attention. Data is "free". It only became clear to me as I was burning through expensive international data for no apparent reason.
As I have been sitting here this morning drinking coffee, reading email, catching up on the news, and communicating with you, my iphone has simultaneously downloaded my mail and burned up more then 2 meg of Mexican data usage.
I know I could shut it off but, I don't want to, and should not have to, be fiddling with settings constantly and I know I'd forget to turn it on, or off all the time.

I've always been puzzled by the warnings from Apple and ATT for people to be sure to turn off data roaming when traveling. What? I'm traveling and suddenly can live without data? But the reason apparently again is that it's all or nothing. How about an alternative that allows us to manage data roaming more effectively? Fetch only doesn't do it when it's all or nothing too. Sorry but, it's stupid.

I'll send something to Apple and ATT too but, do you think anyone is listening?

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Answer 6

reifer Author

Level 1

13 points

Nov 4, 2009 9:15 AM in response to Michael Black

Thanks for your timely posts
Obviously you are right, the biggest issue is that cell phone companies are in a rape and pillage mode when it comes to what they charge. $5 a meg for data is ridiculous. $60 per month for 50 meg or $120 a month for 100meg is better but, still awful.
We have a Mexican iphone too and the rates are not close to that high.
We can hope that relations between ATT and TelCel will get better. I was delighted to discover a new "Viva Mexico" option for voice including Mexico that is actually pretty good.
Maybe better data options will be next.

Have to admit that I'm not sure about the process with Fetch either but, it appears to me that if you turn on mail, it get's downloaded. There is a lag but, even if you turn it off, it seems to keep working in the background and will apparently download everything. Not sure.

I'll send Apple a link
thanks again
If anyone else has any ideas, I'd love to hear them

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Answer 7

fsfphoto

Level 1

0 points

Nov 4, 2009 3:59 PM in response to reifer

The AT&T intl data plan is prohibitively expensive for travelers who just do normal email and browsing while overseas.

Verizon has unlimited international data for a reasonable price - why can't AT&T?

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