<p>Did you know that the default setting on your BlackBerry is set to be "always on". You think that is great, right? Until you go to Europe, happily work away and come home to a $3000.00 data bill. It happens.</p> <p>A few ways to mitigate costs are below:</p> <p>1. OFF WHEN ROAMING<br />Change your wireless setting to "Off when roaming" so that means it won't automatically pick up another network when you travel.</p> <p>What I do when I travel and don't want to incur large carrier fees is always have the setting to "off when roaming" and use the hotels wireless internet to review the emails I 'have" to act on.</p> <p>2. FILTERING</p> <p>Set up a filter on your BlackBerry so any urgent emails your co-worker or EA can send to you. Let's say your EA is Joe. When you go away you set up a filter saying only allow emails from Joe on my BlackBerry. So nothing else gets to it and you won't be paying for emails you don't really care about while you are away. Though you can still see them when you look are your laptop at the hotel. No worries there!</p> <p>3. SEND A NEW EMAIL</p> <p>If you are going back and forth on a topic, each time you reply, the other person replies, and so on and so on, you are paying for all the threads. Just start a new email.</p> <p>4. CALLING CARDS</p> <p>Use calling cards from your hotel room not your BlackBerry where you will still incur some long distance roaming charges.</p> <p>5. GOOGLE</p> <p>Don't EVER use 411, it costs upwards of 2 dollars each time in Canada. Google what you are looking for on your BlackBerry Browser OR use google's free service 1800goog411. It is fantastic. It will directly you to anywhere or even order you a pizza. Check out Google. They have a free demo video http://www.google.ca/goog411/index.html#utm_campaign=en&amp;utm_source=en-ha-na-ca-bk&amp;utm_medium=ha&amp;utm_term=1800goog411</p> <p>6. LOCAL CALLING FOR CANADIANS</p> <p>If you are Canadian and you incur long distance when you travel, read on......This works with almost any major carrier. If you dial a local call from the city you are in, you will NOT incur long distance charges. The way to test this is not to put the 1 in front of the number. The catch? You can't answer any calls or it costs. Just check your call log and call them back. Remember this only works for local calls. My home network is Vancouver, I can make free local calls when I am in Calgary to other Calgary numbers. Not to Vancouver or Toronto, only Calgary when I am in Calgary.<br />This only works for dialing out, all long distance charges apply for incoming.</p> <p>Let's start thinking smarter and not put money into the carriers pockets. Keep it in yours so you can have that 2nd latte on the Avenue des Champs-&Eacute;lys&eacute;es.</p> <p>Happy BlackBerrying!</p> <p>As always, check with your Carrier.</p> 2009-04-09T15:44:47Z -8.6327 207 4088 true 17 30208 you-dont-know-what-you-dont-know-and-it-could-be-costing-you-money 2 2009-04-10T03:13:08Z 2009-04-10T03:13:12Z

Have you ever come home from a business trip or vacation and then wondered why your phone bill was so high? Those carriers, they get you right where it hurts, in your pocketbook.

1 2009-04-10T03:13:12Z