Why AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile Charge for WhatsApp Int'l Calls

Customers of major U.S. carriers, including T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon, have recently reported unexpected charges for WhatsApp international calls, raising concerns and questions about the practice. While WhatsApp typically uses internet data to make calls, some users are seeing these calls treated as standard international calls, with charges of $50 or more for a single call — a practice some describe as a scam. This can occur if the call is inadvertently routed through a cellular network rather than strictly over Wi-Fi or mobile data.

Why U.S. Carriers Charge for WhatsApp International Calls

1. VoIP Calls Misclassified as Cellular Calls: In some cases, WhatsApp calls may be interpreted as regular phone calls if the network connection is unstable or if the call switches to a cellular network.

2. Data Roaming and International Charges: If a WhatsApp call is made while roaming internationally, carriers may apply data roaming charges, which can add up quickly.

3. Network Switching: When moving between Wi-Fi and cellular networks during a call, the call may register as a standard international call.

How to Avoid Charges for WhatsApp International Calls

• Use Wi-Fi Exclusively: Ensure you are connected to a reliable Wi-Fi network before making a call.

• Disable Cellular Data for WhatsApp: In your phone’s settings, restrict WhatsApp to Wi-Fi only.

• Check Your Billing Statement: Review your carrier's bill for any unexpected charges and contact customer service if needed.

What to Do if You’re Charged

• Contact your carrier’s customer support to clarify the charges.

• Request a refund or adjustment if the call was mistakenly billed as an international call.

• Monitor future usage to ensure calls are properly routed through data-only connections.

Reporting Unfair Charges to the FCC or FTC

If you believe you were unfairly charged or misled about WhatsApp international call charges, you can file a complaint with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) or the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). Both agencies handle consumer complaints related to telecommunications and deceptive business practices. Document the charges, keep records of communications with your carrier, and include all relevant details when submitting a complaint.

Understanding why major U.S. carriers charge for WhatsApp international calls can help users avoid unnecessary fees and stay connected without unexpected costs.

What Countries Have the Worst Cell Phone Service? A Global Analysis

Cell phone service has become an indispensable aspect of daily life. From communication to accessing essential information, the reliability and efficiency of cell phone networks play a pivotal role in keeping societies functioning smoothly. However, not all countries boast top-notch cell phone service and many face challenges that lead to frustrating experiences for users. We'll delve into a global analysis to identify some of the countries with the worst cell phone service, shedding light on the factors contributing to their struggles.

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International Call Forwarding: Stay Connected Even When You're Traveling

Many years ago, before technology had graced us with its amazing tools, traveling abroad had a lot of setbacks when it came to communication and international calls. But things have changed now as there are a lot of great and beneficial services where you can call overseas easily. Take a look below at what you need to know regarding international call forwarding.

It's Possible With The Right Provider

If you do your research right, finding a good international call forwarding provider will allow you to forward incoming calls to your mobile phone so that you can pick them up wherever you are in the world. So be sure to find one that can help you achieve anything with international call forwarding, phone number forwarding, or a close variant of services. It's the perfect tool for every businessman, entrepreneur, and salesperson; you can use it to your advantage in your line of work. The number of deals, calls, and negotiations that you can do if you tend to travel a lot would be tremendous and highly beneficial.

The Benefits A Provider Can Offer You

When you travel abroad, sometimes it's difficult to get your phone to work out of your country. This forces you to pay a lot of money in getting a new phone or buying a new SIM card. But a call forwarding provider can make all that hassle go away. People will dial the same toll-free or local number they always do, and you are reached on whatever phone number you're using while traveling. 

Not to mention the different features you could get; there are three basic call forwarding which include all calls, forward on busy, and when you choose not to answer after a predetermined number of rings. Also, there is usually no expiration date on your account balance after setting it up, and you can top off your credit online. 

Don't Forget About The Time Zone Change 

Obviously, on most of your travels, you'd be taken to a different time zone, so it may be worthwhile to change the call forwarding hours on your phone extension. It's smart to do this because now your calls will only be forwarded to you during the hours that make sense in the country that you're in. You can even change the time zone on your phone extension to adjust your call history and voicemail timestamps for your location. It would make things a lot easier for you.

It's Great For Business

It can allow your business to establish a virtual presence in a specific market to receive phone calls. It will automatically forward all your incoming calls from a certain country to a designated destination phone number anywhere in the world. The great use that can come with this is owning a local or toll-free number in a foreign country and forwarding calls back to your landline or cell phone. And one of the biggest advantages countless businessmen would have is that the landline or cell phone can be located anywhere in the world, allowing you to have a virtual presence in any market you choose.

Be Careful With The Charges

Even though most providers give you a chance where you can try the top call forwarding service with a 30 day risk-free plan, you have to be sure that your carrier does not charge for each call that is forwarded. Some rate plans may assess a one-time, or per minute surcharge. And that can be annoying if done frequently.

Do I Need a Specific Software on My Phone?

In regards to the different handsets and call forwarding connections, most smartphones and a lot of the older handsets will allow you to enter call-forwarding codes directly from the keypad. You just need to make sure you have network access at the time, and there is no special software that is required on the phone to make it work.

What Happens If They Aren't Forwarded?

In the off-chance where you don't forward your calls and your phone is turned on in the country you're in, then your call will be reverted to voicemail after a preset number of rings if you haven't answered. When that happens, you will generally be charged for a toll call from that location where your phone is to your original home carrier.

This service has helped thousands of people worldwide, it's something very beneficial and it can save you a lot of money on free international calls. It's highly recommended that you apply for this kind of call forwarding, especially if you're a frequent traveler.

T-Mobile Free International Roaming is a Scam

I was traveling in Europe this summer with my family and was very disappointed with the lack of roaming service T-Mobile provided.  For the record, I was using an iPhone 6 that is in perfectly good shape.  I even called T-Mobile before I left on the trip to confirm that free international roaming would work in each Country and there was no extra charge.  I even had plenty of data available on my plan.

In each country, I visited T-Mobile connected to the network of a carrier using 3G but I was unable to receive texts or make phone calls.  The only way I was able to receive texts or make phone calls was by connecting to a wifi network at a hotel, coffee shop, museum, or restaurant.

My first visit was in Oslo, Norway where I began to experience the problems connecting.  I called customer service using a wifi network and they began to troubleshoot asking me to turn off the auto find carrier network and then select manually.  I did this and it worked for about a few minutes until I had to move to another cell tower.  I tried multiple times to reset the phone power and this still didn't solve the problem.  I finally gave up and just used wifi only when I could to send and receive messages.

I visited Greece next and the problem still persisted.  It continually indicated that my phone was on a 3G network but sending and receiving messages was impossible.  I had to connect to a wifi network in Greece as well.

Lastly, I visited Paris, France for a few days, and yes the roaming problem still persisted and I was unable to send and receive messages even though it "said" I was connected to a network.

My wife is a Verizon customer and she didn't have any problems getting her iPhone to connect to a 3G or LTE network in Europe.  She received and sent multiple text messages and received several phone calls.  So I ask you T-Mobile what will you blame your scam on now?  Clearly, this is another bait and switch T-Mobile scam that many other customers have experienced as well based on the multiple social media posts on the topic.

I have been a loyal customer of T-Mobile for over 15 years.  This was the last straw that broke me to now move over to Verizon.  I was so convinced that T-Mobile had more value versus Verizon internationally before I left for the trip but now I am clearly wrong.  Bye-bye T-Mobile you lost me.