military deployment phone service options

My son is USAF deployed into the Middle East, and phone rates are very high for each time the phone is used (received and sent).  What discounts are allowed by AT&T for International, and is it dependent upon the location of the deployment?

Hey there @Poe_Wilbur, we'll be happy to answer your questions regarding international options for your son. 

With International Day Pass, your son will get a flat rate for any international usage, as long as he is within one of the 210+ eligible destinations eligible with Day Pass. Whenever data is used outside the country, there'll be a $10 charge which will cover any data usage for the next 24 hours.

Furthermore, the International Day Pass will only be charged 10 times per line within 1 billing cycle, even if your son uses data everyday throughout the bill period. Any further data usage won't be charged, until the next bill cycle.

Please let us know if this answers your questions.

Dylan, AT&T Community Specialist

He will be there in one location for 7 months.  That's $100/Month X 7 = $700.  That's pretty high considering he is serving our country.  They should offer better rates than that, if I an understanding this correctly.

We understand the importance of knowing your International options on deployment @Poe_Wilbur.

AT&T allows a service member, spouse or dependent to cancel service under the SCRA and/or appliable state laws if the service member is:

• Serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, Commission Corps of Public Health, Commission Corps of NOAA, National Guard, state military forces, or organized militia called into active service by a state governor
• Going to active duty deployment, basic training, boot camp, full-time training, or annual training
• Attending a school designated as a service school by federal law or by the secretary of the related military department
• Transferring from base to base
• Serving in the Reserves or National Guard and called to active duty
• Being transferred for 90 days or more (or the time period given by your state of residence)
• In good standing with your account and agree to pay the latest bill
• Deployed after your AT&T service contract began
• Listed as an active member of the U.S. military by the U.S. Department of Defense

You can look for more info on your rights on the National Guard website or similar websites for your state. To get your AT&T military discount, active-duty military members can go to this website and sign up with their .mil email address. Keep in mind, the discount is applied to your AT&T account. 

Visit our help page for more information on your international options while on Military Deployment. We're here if you have any questions.Thank you for contacting AT&T Community Forums.

Alasani, AT&T Community Specialist

How frequently is he using the phone? The $10 a day is only on days it's used, so if it's only occasional calls or texts (fewer than 10 days per cycle), it wouldn't be the full $100. He might also look into service through a local provider and see how expensive that would be. 

He just arrived and has not had access to his phone.  Today, he has discovered he has to pay $10 before he can ever get the access code sent to his phone.  The access code is his bank, which we thought was the hold-up, now only to find out that is is his phone service that was the hold-up.

@Poe_Wilbur

Your son's best option is to unlock his phone and use local service. If he needs to keep his Us phone number active, he can do so, but should not rely on it as his primary means of communication.   

Note, this is Standard, SRCA policy.  There is no discount for his being military deployed 

Please note the military cancelation policy

https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1046235/

He can also unlock his phone to use a carrier abroad by submitting orders

https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/

Today, he has discovered he has to pay $10 before he can ever get the access code sent to his phone.

Not true. Incoming texts are free, provided he has service. If his phone is not getting service, that is a different issue. 

Thank everyone for their help.  I sent him a message to check out local service.   I will also let him know about the "free texts", which will help.  His bank has cleared everything from their standpoint, so that should not be a problem anymore for the duration of the deployment.   If local phone and local service are a viable option that would be nice.  He can check that out tomorrow.  Thank you, again.