What's your Uber experience?

[Oscarq]

Uber and international phone numbers:

If I use Uber overseas, my Australian phone number is attached to the Uber app.

Both parties will be charged at excessive overseas call rates unless you are connected to the internet and use a pier to pier app. such as facetime. Alternatively you can also use Skype paid call quite cheaply (requires internet connection). Free hotel or airport wifi can be useful. Twice I have enabled data roaming to use app. cost a few dollars but allowed driver to contact me for successful ride due to midnight flight arrival and no internet on concourse.

 

[Bolthead]

Both parties will be charged at excessive overseas call rates unless you are connected to the internet and use a pier to pier app. such as facetime. Alternatively you can also use Skype paid call quite cheaply (requires internet connection). Free hotel or airport wifi can be useful. Twice I have enabled data roaming to use app. cost a few dollars but allowed driver to contact me for successful ride due to midnight flight arrival and no internet on concourse.

Are you sure with that? As a driver I also wondered this. I pickup fro the Sydney International airport often and I always ring the pax when I arrive. (mainly because it is often a dogs breakfast) I have asked some pax if they have an Aussie sim card and some have not bothered. Now I have been able to speak to them on the phone and I have not ever been charged for an overseas call. Having said this I have had a few who don't answer and it's been a bit of an issue trying to find them.

 

[Quickstatus]

I suspect the numbers of the drivers as displayed in the app are not their number but an Uber proxy number which Is local to the area

Which brings me to this:

Let’s say I have Uber app with a (verified by Uber) Aussie phone number.

I go to USA, swop out Telstra SIM card and put in USA sim. Do I need to change Phone number in Uber app? If I don’t can Uber driver contact me?

 

[NoName]

I suspect the numbers of the drivers as displayed in the app are not their number but an Uber proxy number which Is local to the area

Which brings me to this:

Let’s say I have Uber app with a (verified by Uber) Aussie phone number.

I go to USA, swop out Telstra SIM card and put in USA sim. Do I need to change Phone number in Uber app? If I don’t can Uber driver contact me?

If you call the driver or they call you it is routed via some central location. So neither party ever knows the actual number of the other.

No idea whether you need to update the number in the app but would suspect you might need to.

 

[Bolthead]

I suspect the numbers of the drivers as displayed in the app are not their number but an Uber proxy number which Is local to the area

Which brings me to this:

Let’s say I have Uber app with a (verified by Uber) Aussie phone number.

I go to USA, swop out Telstra SIM card and put in USA sim. Do I need to change Phone number in Uber app? If I don’t can Uber driver contact me?

If you call the driver or they call you it is routed via some central location. So neither party ever knows the actual number of the other.

No idea whether you need to update the number in the app but would suspect you might need to.

Good questions and I think I can answer these. In the last 12 months I have been to the states twice and used a US sim card in both cases. The first time I changed my mobile number in the App to the US number. All went well without any issues. The second time I forgot to change the number over however it still worked. I only realised that after the third Uber trip. Don't know why but I guess it because it is using data not a cell/mobile service.

 

[Quickstatus]

Good questions and I think I can answer these. In the last 12 months I have been to the states twice and used a US sim card in both cases. The first time I changed my mobile number in the App to the US number. All went well without any issues. The second time I forgot to change the number over however it still worked. I only realised that after the third Uber trip. Don't know why but I guess it because it is using data not a cell/mobile service.

Did the Uber driver manage to call you even when the SIM card phone number does not match the number in the app?

 

[Happy Dude]

Uber tax invoice in Australia:

If it’s over $82.50 GST inclusive a tax invoice can be obtained via email to Uber - who will liaise with the driver to get one from the driver.

Under $82.50 GST inclusive a tax invoice will not be issued (or necessary)

Then how does a business claim the ride as a business expense? Particularly if the business uses uber for a lot of rides under that amount.

My company generally won't accept an expense claim that doesn't have an ABN, however for uber claims I just give the payment email which has details of the trip but is not considered a tax invoice. They haven't refused to reimburse so I assume that receipt has enough info for them to claim it as an expense.

 

[Oscarq]

You only need internet to communicate with Uber.
-----------------------------
Extract from inbound marketing head at Exotel - Gayatri Krishnamoorthy

Uber routes the phones calls between drivers and passengers without exposing each one's number.

This is possible due to the use of cloud telephony.

Phone Number masking, as the solution has come to be called, is a way to safeguard customer privacy. Instead of connecting two people directly, you use a bridge to connect them to safeguard their identities.

This bridge is a virtual number that is assigned dynamically. This number is active for the duration of the ride. When the ride ends, the virtual number will cease to connect the rider and the driver. So, this ensures that either party will not be able to reach each other.

I work with Exotel, a cloud telephony company that powers this solution for Uber and it’s rival, Ola, in India.
..........................................
In the Future

Ref:GeekWire.com

Uber debuts in-app chat to improve communication between drivers and riders
BY MONICA NICKELSBURG on August 10, 2017 at 8:45 am

Uber is rolling out a new chat feature that allows drivers and riders to communicate with each other directly through the app.

A rider can send a text via chat to a driver with location details or other information. The app reads the text aloud and drivers can send a “thumbs up” read receipt with the tap of a button. Uber is rolling out the chat tool globally over the next few weeks.

The new feature will make it possible for Uber users around the world to keep their phone numbers private. In the U.S., Uber anonymizes phone numbers but that technology isn’t available in every market.

 

[Quickstatus]

Under $82.50 GST inc, the ATO will accept just a receipt without an ABN number so long as there is a record of start and finish, nature of claim

 

[Oscarq]

Did the Uber driver manage to call you even when the SIM card phone number does not match the number in the app?

Quickstatus, we spoke with our Uber driver on arrival at Baltimore airport with no change of Australian SIM card. One of the occasions I bravely switched on global roaming due to no internet on concourse and it was midnight. I now carry mobile internet where ever possible. Worked as well in Russia.

 

[Bolthead]

Did the Uber driver manage to call you even when the SIM card phone number does not match the number in the app?

While I was there both times none of the drivers tried to call me... (as far as I know) - which now that you mentioned it is a bit odd as I usually would almost ring 80% of my pax.

 

[Quickstatus]

When I was in KL some years ago I got a prepaid SIM card. I could not use it because that number was associated with another Uber account. Sounded like some recycled prepaid numbers were previously associated with an Uber account - this makes it difficult if you want to use Uber in a foreign country and would like to communicate with the driver

While in US this year MrsQS has to contact Uber to ask to change app phone number to US number. The app did not allow it and it had to be manually actioned by Uber

Uber is bringing out in app chat which may negate all this uncertainty.

 

[Quickstatus]

Quickstatus, we spoke with our Uber driver on arrival at Baltimore airport with no change of Australian SIM card. One of the occasions I bravely switched on global roaming due to no internet on concourse and it was midnight. I now carry mobile internet where ever possible. Worked as well in Russia.

Have you checked your phone statement to see whether you were charged for the international phone calls

 

[VPS]

Under $82.50 GST inc, the ATO will accept just a receipt without an ABN number so long as there is a record of start and finish, nature of claim

Try lodging a claim for expenses with a non GST compliant receipt with most organisations and the hoo hah lasts for days

 

[Oscarq]

Have you checked your phone statement to see whether you were charged for the international phone calls

There was a MB data charge, no phone charge.

 

[Quickstatus]

Try lodging a claim for expenses with a non GST compliant receipt with most organisations and the hoo hah lasts for days

Yes while the ATO is OK,
Lodging an expense claim to a boss on the other hand...

 

[Bolthead]

.........................................Indacted....

In the Future

Ref:GeekWire.com

Uber debuts in-app chat to improve communication between drivers and riders
BY MONICA NICKELSBURG on August 10, 2017 at 8:45 am

Uber is rolling out a new chat feature that allows drivers and riders to communicate with each other directly through the app.

A rider can send a text via chat to a driver with location details or other information. The app reads the text aloud and drivers can send a “thumbs up” read receipt with the tap of a button. Uber is rolling out the chat tool globally over the next few weeks.

The new feature will make it possible for Uber users around the world to keep their phone numbers private. In the U.S., Uber anonymizes phone numbers but that technology isn’t available in every market.

Re The Chat Feature: They tried something similar to this last year (not quite a chat) however it appears to not to be successful and has gone back to the old system....

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Note that all uber drivers in Australia need to be registered for gst. Just like taxi drivers. That is ato rules.
I'm sure knowing this and having a receipt to prove that this was a business related experience, would satisfy most companies.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Uber Limits How Much You Can Tip - View from the Wing

To prevent fat fingers.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Note that all uber drivers in Australia need to be registered for gst. Just like taxi drivers.

Seems like a silly ATO rule. It flies in the face of the Uber model ... that being drivers can drive a lot or just a little to suit their individual needs. Why should those that decide just a little works for them, be burdened with the GST management whilst other low turn-over businesses don't have to? They certainly don't have the hidden cash problem that they do with taxi drivers.