Official Statement About G1 Data Roaming

We had previously reported that users cannot turn off data roaming on T-Mobile's G1 handset, thereby incurring roaming charges while traveling abroad. Now, T-Mobile has issued an official statement according to Engadget Mobile. According to T-Mobile, the data can be turned off on the stock device without any third-party applications pre-loaded, but third-party apps may turn on data roaming.

Official T-Mobile statement:

T-Mobile is committed to delivering the best experience in wireless to our customers. If a T-Mobile customer would like to use their T-Mobile G1 while outside the country, they should contact Customer Care before they leave to ask that the WorldClass feature be added to their service at no additional charge. If they choose, customers can also disable data roaming on the G1. This can be done by going through the following steps: Home Screen > Menu > Settings > Wireless Controls > Mobile Networks > Data Roaming.

Some third party applications available for download on Android Market require access to the internet and have the ability to turn on data roaming when in use. Customers are informed whether an application will use this feature prior to downloading, but should also be aware when traveling outside the country.