Calls to Lycamobile numbers

Adapazari

I have a Turkish friend, who visited the UK last year. I was unable to meet up with her but I was able to call her as she obtained a PAYGO sim card from one of the main UK companies. This year she visited again (again on business) and she gave me her temporary mobile number (a different number to last time, but I assumed she had, again obtained one from the list I had recommended last year) so that I could call her (I have more than enough free minutes with my contract). We had several conversations and I sent several texts because we were arranging to meet up.

I received my mobile phone (T mobile) bill and I was shocked to see that it was about £30 more than usual. On investigation, it was the calls to my friend's mobile number that had incurred the extra charges. I sent an email of complaint to T mobile and, as a goodwill gesture, they kindly refunded the extra amount I had been charged, although they advised they were under no obligation to do so as the number in question was outside the terms of our agreement. It seems that Lycamobile is domiciled in Jersey.

I explained to them that it isn't practical to check all mobile numbers before dialling them and suggested that mobile companies must have it within their technical capability to warn users that the number they are about to connect to falls outside the terms of their agreement.

I thought I'd share my experience, to prevent others from falling into the same trap. However, well done T mobile for the refund and thanks .

dfh

Thanks.I will steer well clear of Lycamobile.

digp

actually its T mobile you should steer well clear of

billsavings

Adapazari wrote: »

I thought I'd share my experience, to prevent others from falling into the same trap.

You must have missed this existing thread.;)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2340493

Adapazari

Thanks everyone.

a. I've now moved to another mobile company.
b. I'm new here and hadn't seen that other thread. Interestingly one of the posters on that thread said the Lycamobile number came up on his statement as "international" (Lyca domiciled in Jersey). This wasn't so on my statement, it simply logged it as a call to another mobile network i.e. the same log as my calls to other mobile networks that were within my allowance.

My main gripe is there should be some system in place whereby providers alert/warn subscribers when they key in a mobile number that is outside the terms of their contract. (I'm sure it must be possible). I don't tend to check the terms of my contract before I call mobile numbers. I know different countries begin their mobile numbers in different ways but as this number began 07 I didn't know it was international.