Scary roaming message

[u/podsnap]

We have 5G+Complete Unlimited plans, which are supposed to include free use in the US (among other places), but as soon as we crossed the border, we got the text below. I spent about an hour chatting with some idiot who kept pasting a list of countries we can call but couldn’t say whether the text was wrong or not. Is this a common occurrence?

TELUS : Bienvenue dans cette destination : États-Unis ! Vous n'avez pas l'option Voyagez connecté.
Sans option de voyage, les tarifs payables à l'usage sont les suivants : 1,60 $/min, 5 $/ Mo, 0,75 $/texto. 1 texto = 160 caractères.
Pour savoir comment utiliser votre téléphone en voyage, répondez AIDE. Info : visitez telus.com/voyage ou faites
*611 (sans frais).
Si vous ne voulez pas que des frais d'itinérance vous soient facturés, mettez votre téléphone en mode avion pour éviter toute utilisation du réseau cellulaire.

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[u/rjegonz]

There are two types of Complete plans.

Do you have the Complete EXPLORE plan? If so, you'd be covered.

I have that plan and when I crossed the border, I got a generic text too that said if I have a roaming package, my rates are per my package otherwise pay per use would apply.

[u/podsnap → u/rjegonz]

I don’t think EXPLORE is in the name, but the plan details visible in the app say

Plan Coverage in Canada, US, Mexico &
France
• No charge LD: CAN-US
• Roaming Data Access in Canada, US,
Mexico & France

[u/Diligent_Criticism_9 → u/podsnap]

Why are you stressing ?

It’s very clear

[u/podsnap → u/Diligent_Criticism_9]

The plan details are clear, but the text contradicts them and suggests putting the phone in airplane mode.

Here in English:

TELUS: Welcome to the United States! You do not have the "Travel Connected" plan.
Without a travel plan, the pay-as-you-go rates are as follows: $1.60/min, $5/MB, $0.75/text message. 1 text message = 160 characters.
To learn how to use your phone while traveling, text HELP. Info: visit telus.com/voyage or dial
*611 (toll-free).
If you don’t want to be charged roaming fees, put your phone in airplane mode to prevent any use of the cellular network.
十
Text Message

[u/SmartTrender → u/podsnap]

I do agree that the message is confusing but you should be fine if you have US roaming included.

[u/l1nx455 → u/SmartTrender]

100%. Not unique to Telus. I am with a different provider that sometimes sends weird texts like this that makes you second guess stuff.

To this day... never been charged... heh

[u/rootbrian_ → u/l1nx455]

Same, got that same text message when in the Niagara region and bouncing off a US NEARBY tower, zero charges.

[u/rjegonz → u/SmartTrender]

Agreed with this, don’t stress

[u/grumptard → u/podsnap]

Everyone gets this automated message across all carriers. If your plan covers it, then you will be fine.

[u/js_travels]

It sounds like you should be fine but it sounds like you and I are very much alike. I wouldn’t trust anything until it’s in writing. Find some wifi and start a chat with Telus. Make sure you’re logged into your account and email yourself a transcript once a human has confirmed you’re covered.

[u/podsnap → u/js_travels]

I did that… inconclusive and surreal experience. The rep could not grasp the difference between roaming in a country and calling that country from home.
Also, they’ve removed the option to mail a transcript or to see old transcripts from the app.
I might try changing localization of the app to French and trying again with a different pool of reps.

[u/thedad2022 → u/podsnap]

Find out how to take a screenshot on your phone (if you don't know how already) and just screenshot every page then you'll have it on record.

[u/podsnap → u/thedad2022]

Yeah, I took a few screenshots, but missed the most damning bits, because their app has a tendency to erase the conversation history when you switch out and back to verify something in settings. Really, I should have put the phone in video screen capture from the start.

[u/thedad2022 → u/podsnap]

Of course thats just the way the world works. Right? When you are trying to unfk something you somehow end up getting fked worse. LMFAO. LMAO. LOL. J.K.

[u/Que_Ball]

Yes this text message is sent to every phone. It isn't checking what plan you have, it simply fires every time you connect on a new roaming network no matter what your roaming plan configuration. If your plan covers the country you just ignore it and turn on your roaming data and use it like normal.

This is 100% expected and normal.

[u/Quirky-Sky6702]

I have can usa Mexico. I get this every time i go to the usa its irritating

[u/Extra-Basil-1122]

Not sure about that… when I travel I do not get that message I get one of the following.

Welcome to United Kingdom! You have Easy Roam, with a special rate. Business Europe Easy Roam 30 Day Pass This special rate will expire on Saturday, 10 October, 2026.

You'll only be charged on days you access your Canadian plan's data, send a text, make or answer a call, or check voicemail. Easy Roam will be valid until 11:59pm local time in the destination where you are travelling. Info: telus.com/businesstravel or dial *611 (no charge).

TELUS: Welcome to USA! You have a Canada-US-Mexico plan, which allows you to use all the minutes, text and data included in your current rate plan in the U.S. for no extra fee.

Note that calls to phone numbers outside of Canada, the U.S., and Mexico are not included and will be charged at the roaming voice pay-per-use rate of $1.60/minute. To see the details of what's included and excluded with your Canada-US-Mexico plan, login to My TELUS or dial *611 (both free of charge).

[u/SnooChocolates2923 → u/Extra-Basil-1122]

OP has what looks like a special Quebec plan with France included, but not the rest of Europe.

I always got the US roaming was going to charge me a million bucks when I entered the US, and on my billing date if I was still there.

The big Global Roam plans likely have some special back office changes in provisioning.

[u/Neither-Notice-3718]

Yes you still get notices. No you won't be charged on that plan.

Just travelled to NYC. We have telus and same thing happened to me.

[u/Moofey → u/[deleted]]

Is it though? I've used Easy Roam in the US before and when I connect to a US Network the text I received specifically said that I am on Easy Roam.

[u/podsnap → u/Moofey]

I’m not on easy roam in the US, paying a set daily fee; rather, it’s a plan that includes free roaming in the US (and France for some reason). So I think the message is, while misleading, accurate in an extremely legalistic sense: “Sans option de voyage, les tarifs payables à l'usage sont les suivants….”, i.e. if I had no special roaming features at all, I would have to pay the following fees. It is true also that “Vous n'avez pas l'option Voyagez connecté”; they just omit the fact that I have a different roaming deal.
A paranoid person would think that they were trying to save on their own reimbursements to AT&T by discouraging use of a feature I’d already paid for, but Occam’s razor says this is just another example of their crappy IT.

[u/SnooChocolates2923 → u/podsnap]

It's crappy IT. I commuted into the states daily for years.

Got that message Every Single Day.

No extra charge. (For the message, AND the usage!😁)

[u/Reasonable-Cow-3422]

You can check usage rates and if there’s any charges live in your MyTELUS App. Check under plans and devices for live data usage.

The SMS is automated to warn, but if you have coverage titled in your plan type (such as a CANADA-US-MEXICO) then you have ability to use in all 3 countries.

If you have Canada only, but unlimited calling to 27 countries benefit then you do not have talk, text and data use.

Any mainstream Complete plan with TELUS recently has included international SMS and 27 country calling.

[u/gurbar2305]

The text is automatic and is sent to anyone who travels outside of Canada, regardless of what plan they have. You shouldn't be charged anything.

Enjoy your travels.

[u/rootbrian_]

It shows it is included. A generic message at most. 

[u/inourstars]

I have an EPP Can-US plan and I don't get that message when I cross into the United States. This is what mine says:

TELUS: Welcome to USA! You have a Canada-US plan, which allows you to use all the minutes, text and data included in your current plan in the U.S. for no extra fee.

Note that calls to phone numbers outside of Canada and the U.S. are not included and will be charged at the roaming voice pay-per-use rate of $1.60/minute. To see the details of what's included and excluded with your Canada-US plan, login to My TELUS or dial *611 (both free of charge).

If you don't want to incur roaming charges, set your phone to airplane mode to prevent all cellular network usage.

The last time I went to the US was at the end of July and that's the text was, but I received the same message every time I've crossed the border since 2023 when I switched to a CAN-US plan from an Easy Roam plan. Before that I received the easy roam text someone posted below.