Global data charges with data roaming OFF

Question

I have an issue with both my iPhone 4 and 4S getting incoming global data "leakage" I will call it.
Both are running iOS 6.1.3, which is the latest software update. Both phones are used fairly regulary along the San Diego border with Mexico, and often times on the Mexican side within 2-3 miles of the border. My phones are always set as follows: "Cellular Data -> On" Roaming = "Voice Roaming -> On" and "Data Roaming -> Off" with the iPhone 4S also having "International CDMA -> On"
However, both phones consistently receive incoming global data hits in very minor amounts (0.1 KB to 5.5. KB) when they are in an area where the signal is switching between my USA carrier (Verizon) and the Mexican cellphone towers. I know this because almost every time it happens it is when we are crossing the border or close to the border where the towers are competing for the signal to my phones. In one case I watched as my iPhone 4 switched from Verizon 3G to Extended network and shortly thereafter I received a push notification (message) from my WhatsApp application. The next day it showed the hit on my daily usage as a 6.9 KB hit even though data roaming was set to OFF.
Please don't respond to tell me that the solution is to switch Cellular Data -> Off when I am near the border. I already know this will solve the problem, but the issue is that we want to use the full functionality of our phones in this area as our employment and our residence is right along the border and we don't want to have to suspend data completely every single time we cross the border, which is nearly every day.
The data hits have thus far been in the range of less than 500 KB per month total (almost no impact at $5 per MB) so my concern is not so much with the minimal expenses incurred, it is more the principal of the issue and the problem.
I want to know if there are other users experiencing the same issue so I can have some more evidence to get Verizon to push Apple for a fix. Apple iPhones have consistently had "Data/WiFi/Roaming" issues on its phones since 2008 (or more as far as I can tell) and I believe this is a related issue that has never fully been fixed.
Thanks in advance for your replies of similar situations, regardless of what country this happened in.

Answer 1

    Thanks for clarifying. I do hope you had a wonderful trip! You mentioned you were turning the cellular data on occasionally to use a little data. When your data is turned on, even for just a few minutes, your phone sees that connection as a window to look through your applications for any notifications that you've missed and download email and other messages, occasionally resulting in a significant amount of data usage. What were the countries that you visited? When you log in to view your statement on http://bit.ly/xB4iTc, does it show you had a $25 Global Data or $29.99 Global Value plan for any part of your trip?
Thank you
JenniferH_VZW
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