Adjust Your Windows 10 Mobile Data Settings When Traveling Overseas

Richard Hay, Senior Content Producer

April 18, 2016

6 Slides
Adjust Your Windows 10 Mobile Data Settings When Traveling Overseas

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The last thing anyone wants to receive after a nice relaxing overseas vacation is a huge cell phone bill because of data overages.

These days nearly every smart phone uses background data to keep information on your device up to date.

This is fine when you are connected to your stateside smartphone plan that usually has enough of a data cap to allow that background data download and your normal ussage.

However, when you travel overseas things change very quickly. Some companies offer very little by default for your current cell phone plan when it comes to overseas calls and text messaging let alone data.

Now most of those same cell phone companies do offer short term options to cover you with a plan that reduces the cost of using your smartphone overseas and many, such as the one I typically use, gives me unlimited text messages, up to 120MB of data and 50% off phone calls (still .50 cents per minute though).

It is easy to keep yourself from making calls on your phone but controlling background data on a smartphone, in this case a Windows 10 Mobile device, presents a bigger challenge in closing the background data flow.

This gallery will show you the key spots in Windows 10 Mobile to make sure data is turned off so that you can maintain total control over that background data.

If you want to verify your settings, I recommend using your carriers website and looking at your real-time (or almost real time) data reports for 100% verification that no data is leaking across your phone while roaming.

 

About the Author

Richard Hay

Senior Content Producer, IT Pro Today (Informa Tech)

I served for 29 plus years in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer in November 2011. My work background in the Navy was telecommunications related so my hobby of computers fit well with what I did for the Navy. I consider myself a tech geek and enjoy most things in that arena.

My first website – AnotherWin95.com – came online in 1995. Back then I used GeoCities Web Hosting for it and WindowsObserver.com is the result of the work I have done on that site since 1995.

In January 2010 my community contributions were recognized by Microsoft when I received my first Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for the Windows Operating System. Since then I have been renewed as a Microsoft MVP each subsequent year since that initial award. I am also a member of the inaugural group of Windows Insider MVPs which began in 2016.

I previously hosted the Observed Tech PODCAST for 10 years and 317 episodes and now host a new podcast called Faith, Tech, and Space. 

I began contributing to Penton Technology websites in January 2015 and in April 2017 I was hired as the Senior Content Producer for Penton Technology which is now Informa Tech. In that role, I contribute to ITPro Today and cover operating systems, enterprise technology, and productivity.

https://twitter.com/winobs

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