International Roaming

International Roaming

Travel anywhere in the US and all of your calls and data are covered by Verizon's basic plan.  But if you cross an international border, you are subject the Verizon's rules of international roaming.

The firm wants you to remain in contact for work, but hopes we can avoid unnecessary charges.  Below are a few tips for taking your phone outside the country.

Plan Ahead

If you are leaving the country, and plan to take your phone, please send me an email with as much advance notice as possible.  I need to know your dates of departure and return, as well as what countries you will be visiting.

I can make sure that you are on an international plan. This reduces per minute call charges by about 30% (give or take depending on the country).  You also must have a data plan if you wish to use data at all (including sending tor receiving email).  Use of data without such a plan can cost over $20 per megabyte, meaning the firm could pay over $100 for a single email with a sizable attachment.  Data plans are sold at $25 per 100 MB.  If you go over 100 MB, you are charged for another 100 MB at the same price.

Verizon also recommends that you call them directly to get billing information about the countries you will be visiting.  You can call Verizon with any questions or problems while abroad at these numbers:

Within US: 800-711-8300
Outside US: 908-559-4899

Set Phone for Roaming

Even if you have your roaming plan in place on your account, your phone may still be blocking your access.  Make sure your phone is set to allow for international voice and data roaming.

On the Android, you can find these settings in SETTINGS, MORE NETWORKS, MOBILE NETWORKS.  Make sure Global Data Roaming Access is turned on.  Voice calls are always on, so if you do NOT want to receive expensive calls, turn your phone off completely or turn on Airplane mode.

On the iPhone, your settings are under SETTINGS, CELLULAR, ROAMING.  You can turn on or off voice roaming for calls and/or data roaming for other data features.

Watch Your Usage

Even if you are on an international roaming plan, making or receiving calls can cost over $2 per minute depending on the country you are visiting.  This charge includes calls made on nights and weekends, calls made to other mobile phones, and even calls to check your voice mail.  So be mindful of your calls and don't over use it if you don't need it.

There are special rules for Canada and Mexico travel that make calling cheaper.  So I'm less concerned about calls if visiting those countries.

Similarly, with data, connections, the average user uses perhaps 500 MB in a month, although some people use 8 or 9 GB in a month.  If you are a low end user, it would not be hard to go through 100 MB in a week while overseas, so be aware of that.

Also, text messages are charged separately while roaming.  The cost is usually 5 cents for each message received and 50 cents for each message sent.  So don't use messaging frequently thinking it will save money.

Money Saving Tips

Use WiFi whenever possible.  If you can connect your phone to a local WiFi network at the hotel, a home, or some other public place, you can upload and download all the data you like at no charge.  Text messages still incur a charge, as do voice calls.

Roaming charges apply to voice calls regardless of who originates the call.  There is no savings in having someone call you.

Make sure your email is sent not to download attachment except when connected to WiFi.  This is usually the setting we use by default, but it is especially important when roaming since those attachments can really impact your data usage.  You still have the ability to download an attachment by clicking on it once you have opened the email.

If you have problems while abroad

Your first call should be to Verizon's International Support line: 908-559-4899.

If you call me, the main things I'm going to tell you are, check your roaming settings as explained above.  Turn  your phone on and off.  Beyond that, Verizon is much better suited to helping you with any particular connectivity issues.

Getting the Most Out of Your Phone Battery

Getting the Most Out of Your Phone Battery

Aside from cracked screens, the main phone complaint we had in the last two years was over batteries.  Because the iPhones and Androids have so much more processing power and larger screens, than the Blackberries, they put much higher demands on your battery.

The newer phones do have better batteries, but like any rechargeable batteries, will hold shorter charges over time.  There are a few things you can do to improve battery life.

Maintain Battery Life

I have said in the past that it is a good idea to fully charge the phone and then let it run all the way to empty before recharging.  I am now retracting that advice.  That was good advice for old nickle based batteries.  However, with the newer lithium ion batteries, shallow discharges and frequent recharging is better.  Letting your battery run too low can actually cause problems.  So charge often, and don't worry about recharging to 100%.

Also, keep your phone in a cool location if possible.  Heat can damage the battery.  Do not leave your phone sitting above the heating vent or in your car during the summer.  It like cool (but not freezing) temperatures best.

Screen Brightness

One of the biggest drains on your battery is the screen.  Reducing screen can greatly improve battery life.  By default, your phone is set to "auto-brightness" which means it detects when you are in an area with more light and brightens the screen so you can read it.  It also darkens the screen a little when possible to save energy.

The problem with auto-brightness is that it tends to greatly over estimate how bright your screen really needs to be.  I have screen brightness on my Android set to about 10% above the lowest setting and usually have no trouble reading the screen in any environment.  You can find these settings under SETTINGS, DISPLAY, BRIGHTNESS.

On the iPhone the ideal is about 25% above the lowest setting.  You can find these settings SETTINGS, DISPLAY & BRIGHTNESS.  Feel free to play around with the settings to adjust as you see fit.

Turn off features not needed

Both types of phones have many features that you may not use regularly.  These can include Wifi, Bluetooth, NFC (near field communications), GPS, and screen rotation.  Since I use some of these, I typically leave them on. For example, I have Wifi on most of the time at home or work.  But if I'm in the car all day or will be out and about, I may turn off Wifi since I don't want the phone wasting power continually searching for hotspots.  I use bluetooth in my car, but turn it off while at home or work.  I tend to leave GPS on as it is convenient for Google Maps.  But if you don't use a map feature, you may want to turn it off.  I've never used NFC, and leave it off always.  Screen rotation tracks the position of your phone and adjusts the screen accordingly.  I leave this on, but if you don't care, or it bothers you, turning it off will save on battery drain.

On the Android, it is very easy to access these features to toggle on and off.  Just pull down from the top of the screen.  You will see a menu of these features.  Green means they are turned on. Gray means they are off.  Just press the feature to toggle it on or off.  There is also a button in the upper right hand corner of this menu that looks a little like the Windows Logo.  Press this to see a much larger range of options to turn on or off.

On the iPhone, these changes can be made in SETTINGS.  Most of them are right at the top of the main settings menu.

If you are in a location for a long time with a good Wifi spot, you could also turn off your 4G data connection to save power.  Just remember to turn it on again when you leave the area or you won't be getting your messages until you remember and turn it on again.  I usually leave this on all the time to avoid forgetting.

Turn off Vibrations and Alarms

Running vibrations for alerts such as phone calls or emails can dig into your battery.  If you just want an audible notice without the vibration, turn it off and save your battery.  You can also turn off audible alerts as well, but I would not do this for power savings alone.  It's more of a personal preference how much you want your phone nagging you with alerts.

On the Android, SETTINGS, SOUND to turn of vibrations.  You can also turn off sounds or vibrations for keyboards.

On the iPhone, go into SETTINGS, SOUNDS to turn off vibrate or change or disable other sounds.

Turn off apps, or app notifications

You may have installed a great many applications.  For example, Facebook, alternate email apps such as Yahoo Mail, various news or sports apps, etc.  Many of these applications run in background even if you don't have them open.  The regularly check in with their server for updates to notify you of breaking news or other information.  Turning off these notifications can save power.  There may also be an option to keep an app from running on start up, so that in only runs if you open it.  For most apps, this is my preference.

Android allows you to see what Apps are the greatest battery drains on your phone.  Go into SETTINGS, BATTERY to see what apps are putting the biggest demand on the battery.  If you see one that you really don't use, feel free to disable or delete it.  I have not found any similar feature in the iPhone.

In an Emergency

We have all been in the situation where we don't have access to a power source, the phone is getting low on battery and we just want to get through the next few hours.  The best method is to power off the phone completely.  On either phone, just press and hold the power button then use the power off selection that pops up on the screen.  Battery usage falls to near zero and can be maintained for months.  You can also greatly limit battery usage by putting the phone in Airplane Mode, which cuts off all data and voice connections.  The down side of either of these options is that you need to turn it back on to do anything and won't know if someone calls or emails you.  But this can be helpful if you just want to preserve battery until you need it in a few hours.  For example, if you are in court and don't want to be bothered anyway, power it off completely and save your battery.

Android phones also have an option called "Ultra Power Save Mode"  In this mode, you see only a gray screen with a few basic features available, such as phone and text messaging (email is not available).  This can increase your battery time by almost a factor of 10, while still allowing you to make and receive calls.  You can set this in SETTINGS, POWER SAVING.

Unfortunately, the iPhone has nothing similar.  However, turning off data connections for both cell and Wifi will greatly improve battery life while keeping your phone working.

Buying Power supplements:

Perhaps your phone usage simply won't allow you make it through the day while getting done everything you want.  An extra charger at work or in the car can be helpful to keep your device charged, but even these may not cut it.

You can buy external batteries.  These are simply lithium batteries that can be charged up, then plugged into your phone when needed to recharge your phone.  It can be a handy backup when you need power and are not near a supply.  They are inexpensive, you can buy them at Five Below for $5.  You do, however, have to remember to carry it around with you, and recharging can be a little clumsy if you can't just let your phone sit while charging.

Android phones also allow you to buy larger capacity batteries from third parties.  I have stayed away from this option.  Most of the larger batteries are also larger in size, meaning you would need a new back for your phone.  It also means your phone case would probably no longer fit.  Of course, with iPhone there is not even the option to replace the battery.

A final option is a Mophie Juice Pack.  This looks like a standard cell phone case.  But it contains an external battery built into the case.  When your phone runs out of power, simply flip a switch on your case, and the built in battery recharges your phone.  I find these convenient and easy to use.  Only downside is that you must use this as your case, and not one you may like better, and its price $100-$140.

Saving your minutes and data:

The firm purchases a limited number of talk time minutes and data packets to be used each month.  I’m sure you are all concerned that the firm does not incur overage charges for going beyond the pre-purchased limits.  There are a few things you can do that can greatly reduce your usage.

Go Crazy on Nights and Weekends

When talking on the phone, calls made during nights and weekends do not count toward your monthly limits.  Calls made before 6:00 AM or after 9:00 PM are not counted, nor are any weekend calls.  So while you may want to be careful with your minutes during weekdays, feel free to chat to your heart’s delight late at night or on weekends.

Call other Cell Phones

Also, calls made between two Verizon Wireless cell phones are not counted toward minutes. If you need to call another attorney on their cell phone, it is actually better to call from your cell phone rather than a land line.  Similarly, if you are initiating a call from your cell phone, call the recipient on their cell phone rather than a land line.

Use Wifi

Data usage (that is going on the Internet, emails, etc.) is counted regardless of when it is used.  No nights and weekends break there.  However, you can greatly reduce your usage by connecting to Wifi where available.  The only thing is that you must make the connection one time.  It is especially helpful to do this at home or in the office where you are likely to use your phone a great deal.  

On either type of phone, simply open SETTINGS then WIFI, make sure it is turned on, find your local Wifi connection and connect.  You may be required to enter a pass code to connect.  You can contact the Help desk for any passwords required for Wifi in any of the offices.  Hopefully you know your home Wifi.

You may also see Comcast Wifi available in many locations.  If you have Comcast at home for Internet, you may use these Wifi hot spots at no additional charge.  Simply connect using your Comcast or Xfinity login name and password.

It is always best to do heavily data intensive tasks, like updating Apps, or downloading large attachments while using Wifi rather than your 4G data connection.  Best of all, the Wifi is also usually much faster, meaning you have incentive to use it beyond simply saving the firm money.

Backup your Phone

As the phone contains more and more important information, it is also becoming more important to back up your phone. There are many ways to do this:

Mail, Contacts, and Calendar:

The firm already syncs your email, contacts, and calendar with Google Apps.  So if a phone is lost or damaged, your data remains available in Google Apps, ready to be downloaded or installed on a new device.

Be careful, however, calendar entries or contact entries on your phone can be entered either on your margolisedelstein.com calendar or contacts or one associated only with your phone.  If you enter contacts or calendar entries only on your phone, they will not be synced to Google Apps and will not be backed up.  There is a setting when you are creating a new entry.  Make sure you create all calendar and contact entries for margolisedelstein.com

Other data:

But in addition to mail, contacts, and calendar, you likely have many other things stored on your phone.  These could be pictures, downloaded documents, text messages, or information associated with various apps.  Many of these things are not backed up anywhere.  If your phone was lost or destroyed, this data could be lost forever.

Cloud Solutions:

There are backup solutions, but they will require that you set them up.  The iPhone comes with iCloud built in.  This will back up as much as 5 GB of data to Apple’s cloud storage.  You can select what information you want to back up and the phone will regularly update the backup to make sure your data is protected.  If you ever get a new phone, you can simply download your iCloud backup to the new phone and have all your settings saved.

Android phones do not come with a full featured backup solution.  However, Verizon offers a free service called Verizon Cloud which is very similar to iCloud.  With Verizon Cloud, you also get 5 GB of cloud storage space to back up all of your data.  You can select which data you want to upload, so if you have far to many pictures or music files, you can choose to exclude those.  Verizon Cloud can be set up in the red Verizon folder on your phone.  iPhone also supports Verizon Cloud, but since it simply replicates iCloud, it is not installed by default.  You can download it from the App Store.

There is also a third party App called G Cloud available as a free download From Google’s Play Store.  It works similarly to iCloud, accept that you can only save up to 2 GB of information for free, and there is a small advertisement shown at the bottom of the App.  Since Verizon Cloud offers more space, I recommend going with Verizon Cloud.

With any of these app, you can purchase more storage space if desired, but unless you store a great deal of pictures, video, music or other high usage media on your phone, you should never come close to the free limits.  If you have a large amount of music or pictures that do not change frequently, it’s probably better to have those files backed up to a computer anyway.

Backup To Your Computer:

This leads me to the option for either device to back up to your computer.  With the Android, you can simply connect your phone to your computer via a USB port.  The phone will show up as a drive under “computer”.  You can copy and paste any or all of your data into a folder on your computer for safe keeping.

An iPhone can also be backed up to a computer, but you will need to have iTunes installed on the computer for it to interface with the device.  iTunes is a free downloadable program available from Apple’s website for either a Mac or Windows computer.  You can also download pictures and videos only on Windows 7 or higher without using iTunes.

Unlike cloud backups, computer backups will need to be made manually from time to time in order to update them.

Protecting Your Cell Phone Data

Protecting Your Data

As the US Supreme Court noted last year in Riley v. California, we are more and more carrying our whole lives on our cell phones. While that case dealt with the Fourth Amendment implications of searching phones, I want to discuss the client confidentiality implications.

Our smart phones allow access to a great deal of work related information.  This can include emails, text messages, your contacts, access to files saved on Google Drive, or other files you may have downloaded directly to your phone. It is easy to imagine a scenario where your phone could be lost or stolen, making all of that information available to whomever finds it.  

Pennsylvania law states that “A lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client.” (PA Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.6).  Since this languages comes from the ABA Model Rules, most other States have similar if not identical rules.

There are several reasonable precautions that can prevent exposure of confidential information when a phone is lost or stolen.

Remote Wipes

If your margolisedelstein.com is set up as an Exchange connection, the IT Department has the ability to wipe your Google account (including phone, contacts, and calendar) from your phone remotely.  We also have the ability to wipe the entire phone back to factory default settings.  The IT Department always sets up phones using an Exchange connection for this very reason.  If, however, you decide to set up your own connection using only the gmail app, or using POP3 or IMAP4 connections, we would not have the ability to wipe data remotely from your phone.  For this reason, it is important to let IT set up your phone, or follow the instructions supplied by IT.

There are also times, however, when you may not be sure if your phone is gone forever, and may not want to wipe it.  You may be hoping it’s just lost in the couch cushions at home or that some good Samaritan may return it.  In such a case, you may not want to wipe your phone.  You may not even realize it is missing for hours, in which time someone else could access your data.

Password/Fingerprint Protection

One very reasonable way to protect data on your phone is to password protect your phone.  Both the iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S5 allow you to save your fingerprint as a way to access your phone.  You must also save a PIN code (for iPhone) or password (for the Galaxy) in the event your fingerprint does not work, or you want to let someone else use the phone. I recommend setting up both the password and fingerprint. You only need to use one or the other to access your phone.

You should have this security set up on your phone.  On the Galaxy S5, you can do this in SETTINGS, FINGERPRINT.  You will be asked to enter your fingerprint and also to set up a password.  Similarly, on the iPhone, go into SETTINGS, then TOUCH ID & PASSCODE to enter your fingerprint and PIN code.

Be very sure you do not forget your password as there is no way this can be reset.  You may want to send IT the password so we can keep a list for your own protection.

Using the fingerprint option makes opening your phone little different from the swipe you make to open it without a password.  So it really adds virtually no increased difficulty.  You also don’t need to enter anything to answer an incoming call.

Returning a Lost Phone if Locked

One other concern raised is that if your phone is password protected, a good Samaritan finding the lost phone would be unable to return it.  

You can address this on the Galaxy S5 by adding your phone number or email address (use your office number, not your cell!) to the lock screen.  Anyone who finds the phone will see this information without having the unlock code.  To set this, go into SETTINGS, then LOCK SCREEN.  Enter your OWNER INFORMATION and check the box to show this on the lock screen.

Another option with the Galaxy S5 is to set certain phone numbers that can be called from the phone without unlocking the screen.  You can set this in SETTINGS, SAFETY ASSISTANCE.  Click on MANAGE EMERGENCY CONTACTS and add your home and/or office numbers.  A good Samaritan finding the phone can call these numbers without unlocking the phone.

Unfortunately, the iPhone does not make things quite so easy.   You could design your own lock screen with your ID on it, but this is a difficult process:

1. Launch Notes from the home screen.
2. Tap Return 3-4 times on the keyboard to make room for the clock on the Lock Screen, and enter your contact information, as well as any other contacts who might be able to help reach you in case you lose your phone.
3. Take a screenshot by holding down the power button and pressing the Home button. Your screenshot will be added to your photos.
4. Go back to your home screen and launch Photos.
5. Find your screenshot (the last image that was saved) and tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen.
6. Tap Use as Wallpaper, and then pinch the screen to scale the image correctly to fit your screen.
7. Tap Set and choose Set Lock Screen.

This new image with your contact information will appear whenever anyone finds your locked phone

If all of this seems too complicated, there is an App for the iPhone called “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) which allows you to add your contact information to the lock screen.  This is a $1.99 App, but is easier than the multi-step process outlined above.

Of course, there is always the low tech approach of taping your name, number, and email on a card to the back of the phone.

Update - the ICE standard app for the iPhone is free.  You can create a lock screen using that app without buying any in-app purchases.  Just fill out the information, you want shown.  I entered my phone number and email under "other information".  Click on "Wallpaper" then "set up lock screen" pick the items you want shown and then "generate image".  Once done, exit the app, go into SETTINGS, then WALLPAPER, select a new wallpaper and choose the image generated by ICE.

My Favorite Work Related Apps

The great thing about Androids and iPhones are the wide variety of Apps available for them.  Although many cost money, there are many others that are free. Below is a list of some of the Apps I have found to be most useful that you may want to try.

iTimeKeep

If you have not already tried it, you may find iTimeKeep very helpful.  This will allow you to enter time on your phone or tablet.  Simply download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, log in using your name and password and start entering time.  You can use the phone’s dictation to input your data.  Once sent, the entry will show up in your Webview calendar. You can enter time from any device without using VPN.

Google Maps.  

This is a wonderful map program which has continued to improve greatly in recent years.  You have likely used it on the PC many times.  The functionality on the phone is very helpful as it uses your phone’s location to focus in on your area of interest.  You can easily look up local businesses.  You can even get step by step instructions read to you like you would in your car’s GPS.

I find Google Maps to be much more feature rich and accurate than Apple Maps.  It comes pre-installed on Android, but is available as a free download from Apple’s App Store.

FastCase:

This Free App will help you quickly find caselaw or statutes for federal law or all 50 States.  it is not as thorough or robust as Westlaw, but can be quite convenient to look up something quickly. It is a free download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

WPS Office:

Formerly known as Kingsoft Office.  If you save documents to your phone, this App will let you read and edit MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF, and other document formats.  It can be quite helpful for working on documents.  Unfortunately, it does not do WordPerfect.  It is a free download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

Google Drive

If you save documents to your Google Drive, you can read and edit them using the Google drive App.  It gives you quick and convenient access to any files you have created and stored on Google Drive.  You can even dictate your documents using the built in dictation app on your Android or iPhone.  This App comes pre-installed on the Android and is a free download from Apple’s App Store. Recent changes to Google Drive may also require downloading the Google Docs app for documents and the Google Sheets app for spreadsheets. Both of these offer enhanced editing features for documents stored on Google Drive.

Siri or Google Search:

Both types of phones have a quick and convenient way to search for just about any information.  If you press and hold the main button on your iPhone, and Siri will pop up.  Similarly, there is a Google toolbar with a microphone on the main screen.

Both applications work essentially the same way - Ask it any question in plain English and it will search the Web for an answer.  It will either give you a direct answer or direct you to web page links that may assist you.  Siri comes pre-installed on the iphone.  Google Search comes pre-installed on the Android.

SMS Backup and Restore

This is a great app to keep a backup log of your text messages.  It can be set to make regular automatic backups of your text messages saved directly to your Google Drive.  However, it is limited in that it saves text only, not pictures.  This is a free download from Google Play Store only.  It is not available through the App Store. There appear to be some similar pay apps for the iPhone, but I have not had a chance to review them yet.

Text Messaging

With the new Verizon cell phone plan, every user has text messaging included in the base price.  As a result, we no longer have text messaging blocked on firm phones.

Access your Messages:

You can access this through the “Messages” icon on your Android or iPhone.  Messaging is a convenient way to send short messages from one phone to another.  If you have children with phones, you may find that text messaging is their preferred method of communication.  You may also have clients or other attorneys who prefer to use text messaging.

Concerns About Using Text Messaging:

Using messaging in a business environment raises some concerns.  Before using it for work related communications, you should be aware of its limitations.

If a phone is unable to send a message for some reason, you are not sent any sort of return message saying it did not arrive.  Therefore, you have no way of being assured that your message was received unless the recipient sends a response.

Another issue for communications is that it can be difficult to keep a record of the communications.  Unlike email, text messages only remain on the phone.  There is no easy way to print out a copy or save it as a document.   If the phone dies and the data is not backed up, it is lost.  If conversations are deleted from both phones, there is no way to recover them.

There are some third party apps that can capture and save text messages.  I found a free app for the Android called SMS Backup and Restore.  It makes a daily backup of all my text messages which it saves to my Google Drive account.  I have not found an app for the iPhone that does the same thing, although there are a few pay apps that make claims I have not tested yet.  If you back up your iPhone to the iCloud, you will at least have a record of your text messages should your phone be lost or destroyed.

There is also no way to attach confidentiality notices in text messages, as the firm does with all emails.  If the text is mistakenly sent to a third party, the lack of notice that it is intended to be confidential may cause problems.  

I should note also that by default, the firm’s standard signature line is NOT added to your email if sent from your phone or other device, or if you use a third party email program to access your email.  You have the ability to add an automatic signature line on your phone or other device that contains the  information.

For the reasons stated above, it is much more preferable to use email rather than text messaging for case related communications.

Welcome!

Welcome to the new Margolis Edelstein Tech Blog.  I hope to use this to provide tips and other helpful information, making the best use of IT resources to do your job.

As I am starting this Blog during a time when we are distributing new cell phones, my first few posts will be cell phone related.  But I hope soon to expand into other aspects of IT as well.

Comments are welcome.  But these blogs are open to the public, please do not post any confidential information in this forum.

Thanks for your interest.

Mike Troy, Director of IT
Margolis Edelstein