I got a text from the number 456, saying that i had been roaming off network which violates some T-Mobile terms and conditions and if i dont stop, my line will be cancelled…. I live in Alaska and I just want to know if this is a scam or if anyone else has had similar issues?

It's more than likely your roaming off the GCI network.If you go to the search bar for this forum and enter Alaska roaming there's multiple threads.

It should work fine, you might have to go into your phones settings (Network Selection) and pick GCI. If you spend more than 50% of your time (in a 2 month stretch) roaming, then TMobile could cancel your line for violation of TOS

Alaskanbo wrote: Well that’s great. Basically no one knows the data caps. Only way to know is to go there and try it yourself. They really need to clarify this on T Mobiles website. fireguy_6364 wrote: Partner When you travel outside of T‑Mobile's network areas, your phone automatically switches to use one of our wireless network partners when coverage is available, you have data roaming enabled, and you have roaming data remaining. Speeds and connections may vary. Most plans allow data roaming. See details about domestic roaming data. Not available for prepaid tablet and wearable plans. Preferred roaming partners T-Mobile has two classifications of domestic roaming networks based on the agreement we have in place with each partner, standard and preferred. In some parts of the US, preferred partners may provide additional courtesy data beyond the amount included in your rate plan while domestically roaming; standard partners do not. If roaming on a preferred partner network, you may continue to receive data at 2G speeds or higher until you return to a T-Mobile coverage area, begin roaming in another area covered by one of our standard network partners, or begin the next bill cycle. This additional amount of data is provided as a courtesy and is determined by the individual partnership, varies across network partners, and may change or even be removed at any time. Traveling can be stressful, especially when you have some ambiguity. T-Mobile does not have any towers in Alaska, so we rely on partner networks to allow our customers to use service. That means that you may have areas where there is no coverage or the coverage is low or slow. Your rate plan outlines the domestic data roaming limits for your lines, so you will want to check that out on My.T-Mobile.com. I quoted Fireguy_6364 because he makes a great point. Your plan will show a limit, but some of our roaming partners allow our customers to use more. That is up to their discretion based on many factors like bandwidth, traffic, etc. Because the numbers can vary based on the plan you have and the domestic roaming partner, it is impractical to outline exact numbers on the website, but we offer the details for your account on the plan details screen after you login. Hope this helps.

DBel94 wrote: I got a text from the number 456, saying that i had been roaming off network which violates some T-Mobile terms and conditions and if i dont stop, my line will be cancelled…. I live in Alaska and I just want to know if this is a scam or if anyone else has had similar issues? More than likely not a scam. T-Mobile requires you to have the majority of your phone usage on their network. Excessive roaming can result in warnings and eventual cancellation. This is in response to abusive foreign use. Usually you can turn off roaming on your phone, but you may at times not have service. You are in Alaska, but are you close enough to Canada where you are connecting outside of T-Mobile’s coverage?

I’m in Anchorage and hadn’t left the Anchorage area in the last few months. The message specifically said that I had excessive usage for the last two months, but idk how that could happen since they supposedly have a partnership with a local company up here to prevent that in the city. At least the text wasn’t a scam, but I’m starting to think the partnership is. 🙄

Roaming Violation | T-Mobile Community

IRONMANBKILR
Newbie Caller
2 years ago
Had T-Mobile for a little over a year, but got the warning messages right away (spending more than 50% of the time roaming)….. which really annoyed me since I had roaming turned off on my iPhone, basically had to keep my phone on airplane mode 100% of the time.
really wasn’t data usage for me. (GCI was the T-Mobile partner I would roam with up there). GCI charges T-Mobile for my roaming and even if I would only occasionally roam (example : maybe a hour total over a 3 week span) GCI would count it as 3 weeks worth of roaming to my understanding….rough estimate.
Alaskanbo
Network Novice
2 years ago
IRONMANBKILR wrote:

I work in Alaska half the year and T-Mobile was going to cancel my line for violation of TOS, I bundled my 2 phones and in home wifi thru X-finity/comcast…… ended up being way cheaper than t-Mobile,Verizon, or At&T. Best part is that X-Finity uses Verizon Towers (Partners) and I get great service….. Even literally on the very top of the planet (i work in the Arctic Oil Fields)

How long did you use T Mobile before you got that warning? How much data were you using a month?
IRONMANBKILR
Newbie Caller
2 years ago
I work in Alaska half the year and T-Mobile was going to cancel my line for violation of TOS, I bundled my 2 phones and in home wifi thru X-finity/comcast…… ended up being way cheaper than t-Mobile,Verizon, or At&T. Best part is that X-Finity uses Verizon Towers (Partners) and I get great service….. Even literally on the very top of the planet (i work in the Arctic Oil Fields)
HeavenM
Community Manager
2 years ago
Alaskanbo wrote:

Well that’s great. Basically no one knows the data caps. Only way to know is to go there and try it yourself. They really need to clarify this on T Mobiles website.

fireguy_6364 wrote:

Partner

When you travel outside of T‑Mobile's network areas, your phone automatically switches to use one of our wireless network partners when coverage is available, you have data roaming enabled, and you have roaming data remaining. Speeds and connections may vary. Most plans allow data roaming. See details about domestic roaming data. Not available for prepaid tablet and wearable plans.

Preferred roaming partners

T-Mobile has two classifications of domestic roaming networks based on the agreement we have in place with each partner, standard and preferred.

In some parts of the US, preferred partners may provide additional courtesy data beyond the amount included in your rate plan while domestically roaming; standard partners do not. If roaming on a preferred partner network, you may continue to receive data at 2G speeds or higher until you return to a T-Mobile coverage area, begin roaming in another area covered by one of our standard network partners, or begin the next bill cycle. This additional amount of data is provided as a courtesy and is determined by the individual partnership, varies across network partners, and may change or even be removed at any time.

Traveling can be stressful, especially when you have some ambiguity. T-Mobile does not have any towers in Alaska, so we rely on partner networks to allow our customers to use service. That means that you may have areas where there is no coverage or the coverage is low or slow. Your rate plan outlines the domestic data roaming limits for your lines, so you will want to check that out on My.T-Mobile.com. I quoted Fireguy_6364 because he makes a great point. Your plan will show a limit, but some of our roaming partners allow our customers to use more. That is up to their discretion based on many factors like bandwidth, traffic, etc. Because the numbers can vary based on the plan you have and the domestic roaming partner, it is impractical to outline exact numbers on the website, but we offer the details for your account on the plan details screen after you login.
Hope this helps.
gramps28
Router Royalty
2 years ago
Alaskanbo wrote:

Well that’s great. Basically no one knows the data caps. Only way to know is to go there and try it yourself. They really need to clarify this on T Mobiles website.

Unless they have a separate agreement with GCI.
Maybe @HeavenM may have some insight into this.
Alaskanbo
Network Novice
2 years ago
Well that’s great. Basically no one knows the data caps. Only way to know is to go there and try it yourself. They really need to clarify this on T Mobiles website.
gramps28
Router Royalty
2 years ago
It's in the Tmobile terms and conditions.
https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibility/legal/terms-and-conditions
Alaskanbo
Network Novice
2 years ago
Alaskanbo wrote:

IRONMANBKILR wrote:

It should work fine, you might have to go into your phones settings (Network Selection) and pick GCI. If you spend more than 50% of your time (in a 2 month stretch) roaming, then TMobile could cancel your line for violation of TOS

can you point the 50% rule out somewhere on the website? Can you confirm if you have a limit of a certain amount of data? I’ve seen 200 MB and 5GB mentioned.
gramps28
Router Royalty
2 years ago
It's plan dependate but the max is 200 MB for domestic data roaming.
https://www.t-mobile.com/support/coverage/domestic-roaming-data
Alaskanbo
Network Novice
2 years ago
IRONMANBKILR wrote:

It should work fine, you might have to go into your phones settings (Network Selection) and pick GCI. If you spend more than 50% of your time (in a 2 month stretch) roaming, then TMobile could cancel your line for violation of TOS

Can you confirm if you have a limit of a certain amount of data? I’ve seen 200 MB and 5GB mentioned.