international day pass

The 'International Day Pass' is a great option for those who need to call or use data abroad, but it should be optional, not mandatory. Each of my family members was charged $12 per day for over two weeks while we were in Korea and Japan, even though we turned off cellular data and only used Wi-Fi. After chatting with the AT&T support team, I learned that unless airplane mode is enabled or the phone is completely turned off, the 'International Day Pass' will automatically activate as soon as you turn on Wi-Fi. This feels like a scam. I was charged $200 after two weeks.

International Day Pass only activates when your phone connects to a foreign cell carrier network, not when you connect to WiFi in a foreign country.  Even though you may have not made a call or texted, the phone will always try to connect to a cell network for some background task, like checking for updates or location services.  Turning off data roaming isn’t enough.  That’s why you have  to use airplane mode, to ensure your phone can’t connect to a cell network for ANYTHING.  You can turn WiFi back on and use it.  Also, IDP is optional, not automatic.  You have to have enabled it in your account beforehand or if you don’t already have it enabled, you’d have gotten a text asking if you want to enable IDP the first time your phone connected to a foreign cell network.

Yes.

Because if you're paying for IDP (International Day Pass) it's just like using your phone in the US (plus you can call the country you're in via the phone).

The alternate to international day pass is pay-per-use charges which are typically about $3 per minute for cell phone calls, $0.50 per text message sent, $1.30 for every MMS message sent. And the biggie is $2 .05 per megabyte for data.  That's over $2,000 for 1 gig of data.  

$200 may seem like a lot , It's a drop in the bucket compared to a $2,000 bill, or even more.

International Day Pass' will automatically activate as soon as you turn on Wi-Fi.

This isn't how it works.  

And you are not charged for using Wi-Fi. You are charged for using cellular. 

   If you didn't turn data roaming off,  dismiss phone calls, and not send any text messages you would have incurred some kind of data use.  

     To make absolutely sure your phone is not connecting and using cellular service, airplane mode on, and then turn Wi-Fi back on is the most sure way to avoid cellular service and related charges 

@emilypaxton 

Yes, what you describe as using data.  

If you use cellular service on your phone outside the United States international day pass will charge you $12 per day.