International SENDING!

PtTe2

Global Messaging - For those who have the Share Everything Plan, as you can see from the description of that plan, Global Messaging is Included. Immediately below that heading it says [paraphrase], "Allows you to text internationally to more than 200 countries." As we had a child recently traveling to Europe (UK, France, Italy) what we have found was that texting to her didn't cost, but for her to text back cost such-and-such a text. oops!

Now, a normal human being might assume that, if texting to a person, especially one on my own plan, was included in my plan, then a response from the person you texted might also be assumed to be included in the plan. STOP RIGHT THERE. This is not the case. Therefore, in typical Capitalist fashion, a reasonable human is duped into thinking that "International Conversation, using text, might be a part of the plan?

I posit that it is unreasonable and rediculous to assume that a text sent is NOT A TEXT TO WHICH ONE ASSUMES THEY WOULD BE GETTING A RESPONSE. LOL

Therefore, that "International Messaging is Included in your Plan" is stated; really, it's International Sending. Kinda makes me think of sending commands to the Voyager Spacecraft; it take several weeks for the message to get to the machine and a response is again, several weeks off. Only in that case, it doesn't cost for Voyager to send the message back! Doh.

For the majority of regular people who think they are receiving value for their share everything package, with respect to international rates, please be aware that "International Messaging" is merely International Sending; and does not include receiving texts.

Finally, although we had provided International Data package for our child's travel; none of that was of value with respect to actually receiving any value. When you get down to brass tacks, what we did was pay for data packages which allowed advertisers to send ads to our child's phone while she slept.

In closing, International "packages" are of no value and only lead to further, deceptive charges by your carrier.

So sad that American Business thinks this is something good. I assume that 95% of all other users just pay their bill without looking into the detail.

Be careful and as the old adage goes, "Buyer Beware".

veryfrustrated0118

The reason you would incur charges from using the phone to text while traveling is because it is not on the VZW network. The network that it is roaming on charges VZW and thus you have to pay because it is your phone. The International Texting included in More Everything is for phones connected to the VZW network. Meaning you can and and receive messages internationally only when you both phones are are on their home networks.

The following is the first FAQ at International Messaging FAQs | Verizon Wireless

What is International Messaging?

International Messaging is a service that lets you send text and multimedia messages to select international locations from your mobile device. While you’re in the US in the Verizon Wireless coverage area, you can send text messages to over 200 countries and multimedia messages to over 100 countries around the world.

For more information, including participating countries, pricing information and dialing instructions, visit our International Messaging page.

See how it says While you're in the US in the Verizon Wireless coverage area? Your second phone did not meet this requirement resulting in the charges you received. Instead of researching you just assumed that you were thinking correctly. That is not Verizon duping you at all.