Txting Abroad?? Cost Reduction

Bazlovejoy

Hi Guys,

Im after a bit of help regarding the cost of txting abroad, my partner has recently moved to Madrid and im wanting to keep the costs of txting to a minimum. We are both on o2 contracts, ive had a look on o2 but cant find anything about international costs that we may be paying now. Ive seen o2 do an International service which is an extra £2.99 per month and would make each txt 16p. Im also not sure if were paying to receive txts at the moment.

Ive read the guides on this website regarding virtually free txting. Vyke Pro seems a viable option as if we both get this the txts to each other will free excluding the data charge. Does anybody know how much the data charge would be when txting international?

Are there any other things that im missing, that could reduce cost?

Thanks,

Baz

*Edit* the Vyke Pro website doesn't seem to be working

redux

If these are both O2 phones, then sending to it still comes from inclusive minutes - where the other phone is has no effect on the sender. And text messages are always received free.

You'd only use one of the mobile Java programmes such as Vyke if you were sending to an int'l number (such as Spain), or if your inclusive text messages ran out. The amount of data used per message is in the range 500 to 1500 bytes, so costs half a penny or less.

Also, on O2 contracts when sending from abroad, the inclusive texts still get used when sending to UK numbers, at the rate of 4 for 1.

Another useful option with O2 is the Chosen Counrty - Spain add-on, which for £5 a month means that all incoming calls are free, all outgoing 25 pence a minute.

If your partner is there for a while, it might be worth ending the contract if it's past the contracted term, and using either O2 pay & go or a local SIM, in which case go for the Vyke or one of the others

Bazlovejoy

Hi Redux

Thanks for the reply. If i can just clarify a few things.

If i send a txt from the UK to spain will it use the same amount of txts from my allowance that it would if I were txting from UK to UK? If my partner sends a txt from spain to UK, 4 txts from her allowance will be used for every one txt send, is this right?

"You'd only use one of the mobile Java programmes such as Vyke if you were sending to an int'l number (such as Spain), or if your inclusive text messages ran out." So my partners number isn't classed as an international number even though she's in Spain?

"Another useful option with O2 is the Chosen Counrty - Spain add-on, which for £5 a month means that all incoming calls are free, all outgoing 25 pence a minute."
I have free o2 to o2 calls as part of my tariff, would this still apply when calling from the UK to Spain, as calling maybe something i need to consider as well. If it did this would allow me to make up to 1000 mins of calls per monthy to her for free.

Theres also the International Traveller Service which would allow her to send txts at 25p from Spain to Uk, how does this compare with the 4 to 1 txt ratio shes using at the moment?

Hope you can help, as you can probably tell im not to hot on the subject.

Thanks again,

Baz

redux

Bazlovejoy wrote: »

Hi Redux

Thanks for the reply. If i can just clarify a few things.

If i send a txt from the UK to spain will it use the same amount of txts from my allowance that it would if I were txting from UK to UK? If my partner sends a txt from spain to UK, 4 txts from her allowance will be used for every one txt send, is this right?

"You'd only use one of the mobile Java programmes such as Vyke if you were sending to an int'l number (such as Spain), or if your inclusive text messages ran out." So my partners number isn't classed as an international number even though she's in Spain?

"Another useful option with O2 is the Chosen Counrty - Spain add-on, which for £5 a month means that all incoming calls are free, all outgoing 25 pence a minute."
I have free o2 to o2 calls as part of my tariff, would this still apply when calling from the UK to Spain, as calling maybe something i need to consider as well. If it did this would allow me to make up to 1000 mins of calls per monthy to her for free.

Theres also the International Traveller Service which would allow her to send txts at 25p from Spain to Uk, how does this compare with the 4 to 1 txt ratio shes using at the moment?

The main principle is: if the other phone is a UK phone, it always counts as a UK phone for people calling or sending texts to it, wherever it is. The cost of it being abroad falls only on that phone (but as I say, there is that add-on)

So your inclusive texts and minutes can both be used.

For from there, the inclusive texts get used at 4 for 1 whether on ITS or not.

So I reckon she goes for the Spain add-on, sends you a text, or even just rings and hangs up as a missed call and then you call back.

Bazlovejoy

Thanks for all your help redux. I contacted o2 about the unlimited o2 to o2 calls and it wouldn't apply if i was phoning spain, so ill go with what you suggested get the Spain bolt on for her and use my free mins.

Thanks again,

Baz