“Connect while Roaming” Feature in Communicator Mobile (CoMo) for Nokia

Data overage occurs when the user’s cellular network download data goes over the limits of the subscribed cellular data plan, and subsequently user incurs charges beyond the set tariff. Although data overage may happen in home network, the chances for it are heightened while in roaming network. The Connect while Roaming (CWR) feature in CoMo for Nokia has been devised to avoid incurring data overage while in roaming network. To turn ‘on’ or ‘off’ the roaming settings, go to Options in the CoMo screen, select OptionsàSettingsà set “Connect While Roaming” as Yes/No as shown below.


 
If CWR is configured as ‘Yes’, the user will be able to use the roaming cellular network with charges defined as per the subscribed data plan. If CWR is configured as ‘No’, the device will overlook the roaming cellular network and will not connect to other types of network that are available. There is a known limitation around CWR setting. In a roaming network if CWR is set as 'No' then user would not be able to sign-in even with the Wi-Fi data network. Instead, Como for Nokia prompts the user to turn on the roaming settings as shown below.


 
In this scenario, the most obvious solution would be to turn on the roaming settings by configuring CWR as ‘Yes’. But, when they move out of the Wi-Fi network, the device would automatically switch to the roaming cellular network to continue using the CoMo for Nokia resulting in possible data overage. The alternative solution, and a better one, is to create another network destination with Wi-Fi as the sole network connection, and assign that network destination connect as CoMo for Nokia’s network connection and turn on the roaming settings in Settings window as shown below.


 
With the CoMo for Nokia network connection setting being assigned to the network destination that contains only Wi-Fi network, though the device will detect roaming, it will still connect only to the Wi-Fi network and not to roaming cellular network.

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