Mexico Roaming Data Charges and MiFi Hotspot Wireless

Hi,
I've been a Verizon customer for many years. I've used their PC Card and the unlimited data plan for my computer. I often travel near the border, Detroit, MI ... Niagara Falls, NY ... Laredo, TX ... Del Rio, TX ... El Paso, TX ... Nogales, AZ ... Calexico, CA ... San Diego, CA ... often. In the VZAccess Manager, the software used by the computer to connect, I have roaming disabled. Recently I upgraded to the MiFi and love the ability to have my laptop and my wife's connected at the same time. Recently near the Mexico border, the first time since having the MiFi, I checked my online Verizon usage and didn't see any mention of Mexico. There's nothing in any user manual about how to disable roaming specific to the MiFi, so I took that to mean that since the VZAccess Manager's settings controlled the MiFi while connected via USB, the settings also applied while wireless. They don't. I have since logged into the MiFi itself the way you would any WiFi router and there are no settings for roaming. I called Customer Service. They said there is no way to disable roaming when using it as a wireless hotspot ... and for me to "remember" to connect to just one computer with the USB cable. I intend to do that, but some people do forget ... traveling in an RV through El Paso ... just driving through ... you're close to the border. Be sure and remember to change your habits and stop using the MiFi as a wireless hotspot. I have charges for roaming in Mexico when I did not go to Mexico ... and did not know I was roaming.
My billing cycle isn't for two more days. They couldn't assure me today that all charges would be reversed ... not until the billing cycle. I would certainly hope they reverse all charges ... even if in the hundreds ... and they ought to have better safeguards rather than charge you for roaming in Mexico when you're not in Mexico. There should be a pop-up, a warning, something a user has to do to authorize the connection ... when you're not even in Mexico, but instead you are in a US city with a strong Verizon signal. If it already has a good US signal, why would it switch to a roaming signal anyway, even if that roaming signal is slightly stronger? Why roam if a strong "home" signal is available anyway?
I haven't been told that all my charges will be reversed ..., but at least I can alert you, if you use the MiFi as a HotSpot, it could switch to roaming even if you have a strong "home" signal and even if you have not crossed the US border. There is no way to stop this when using it as a HotSpot ... and you are not alerted at all unless you notice the light ... and have been told that a solid blue means roaming ... and you "remember" to check. I never noticed the blue light ... can only assume since the manual says so, that the light was blue at some point. But I never noticed it. I know now that light should be checked ... and I know now that the USB connection should be used anytime close to the border. I know that now. But people do forget. There should be some safeguard. VZAccess Manager has the ability to disable roaming and then you don't need to remember. The MiFi should should also have that ability. And actually, they shouldn't allow roaming when a home signal is available ... and even if you have roaming enabled and you cross a border, there should be a pop-up, flag, or alert of some kind where the user has to authorize the connection.
Hope this helps someone avoid this. And I hope they reverse all the charges ... even if in the hundreds.
Thank you,
Tony McCanless

Yep, I've been charged for it.  They still claim that with roaming turned off, apps will bypass this and use data anyway.
"Some data applications and data functions including email updates will
still work in the background even if the iPhone data roaming is switched
off but not in direct physical use by you and this data roaming usage
would appear as it is working on the device without any warning.
The device could be using data that you don't necessarily know is being
used, for example, embedded rich content in emails can generate
significant volumes of data both ways. The email application is a likely
source of most of that data usage."
So it would seem that the "data roaming off" facility is a bit misleading, as it's not actually turning data roaming off.  Apparently.
Thanks for the info Meg.

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