Data Roaming costs in Italy

DUTR

TakeThis wrote: »

I think that you should stop before your reputation sinks into the mud.
Claiming that the high bills amounts are being fabricated by customers is just ridiculous.
Charging £8 per MB without a cap is simply untenable. Any billing and administration charges would have been long since covered, probably with the first few MB.
It is a ripoff and Orange are clearly aware of the problem.

Why is it that Orange is featured fairly exclusively in these threads?

People don't mind paying higher bills after going abroad. It is somehow expected. But Orange need to wind their necks in on this one.

I'm not worried about reputation, my mobile number starts 07973 or used to be 0973, so the mobile anoraks on here will know that was originally an Orange number, I was with them for just shy of 14yrs, yes I could have stopped with them and whinged about the hidden charges here and there, but the simple resolution for all parties was to take my custom and number elsewhere, I don't think any amount of lobbying here or anywhere will see a roaming rate reduced to £1/mb or so in the near future, whether you think it's a rip off or not, doesn't matterit is there and for now it remains, so the easy plan is to find other ways around the issue.

zagfles

DUTR wrote: »

€20 is still more expensive than we pay here and that was using a local sim in a dongle and/or unlocked handset, I have no issue with the charges , I just get tired of the immature "it's a rip off"' cries
O2 and Orange are different companies and work on their own individual business model. As a customer you have a choice whether to be with O2 or Orange and since you can port your number then there is no need to remain with one provider.
We see stories that MSP charged £2000 for roaming charges, now if that is at £8/mb then it is reasonable to assume the person used on the way to 250mb for a short break away, even if another MSP charged £4/mb the bill would still be a good £1000, still a lot of money for a short break, since there are alternative methods of connection, then obviously the charge levied is for the convenience, so I fail to see why it is a rip off.

Are you saying something can only be a "rip-off" if it is essential?

I think if people realised the costs then they would look to alternative methods, but most people don't memorise their phone tariffs to every single number and in every single situation. They assume reasonable charges - they know it's going to be more expensive roaming, but not 250 times as expensive! On a contract, paying in arrears, big charges can mount up without people realising and the networks seem to be taking advantage of this.

And before you come out with the predictable "they should have checked the charges", have you ever ordered a drink in a pub without checking the bar tariff? Or been asked by a waiter in a restaurant what you want to drink before having a chance to look at the menu?

If it was £1000 for one drink would you happilly pay up and say "silly me, should have checked the price first"? After all that beer wasn't "essential", was it? The prices were published, but you ordered before checking.

TakeThis

DUTR wrote: »

There needs to be a price per mb as it clarifies your viewpoint, eg I would like a new car, with the options it would cost me just over £30k, right now I cannot justify spending £31k on a car (the one I have is running fine) but the new car is not a rip off, it's just that I cannot justify the price right now. I like your idea of the using the bundle, although I think the 20% mark up is a little too lean, O2 offer 4texts =1 for use abroad and that still seems to work well.
Look at it another way, if fewer people used data roaming then the price may drop to encourage usage, but if people are going to abuse it, then the networks are correct to keep the prices at a point where it prohibits that.
Ok what if the networks said, "ok you wanna use data abroad? " Pay the cap per week prior to travelling billing date and have unlimited use subject to FUP or pay the £/mb rate.
People would still moan.

Please, your argument is childlike.
I already suggested a sliding scale would be more appropriate. That way they can still make suitable margins from both high and low usage.
Your analogy is completely unsuitable.
Your statements pure conjecture. You assumption of networks keeping the prices high to discourage abuse for instance.
Can you link us to a written article that reinforces this stance by any of the networks?
I maintain that you are arguing for the sake of arguing and retain my earlier viewpoint as to your motive.

TakeThis

A post from a concurrent thread.

benjus

Going back to the original question, I bought a SIM card from Tre Italia (Three) at Milan airport. I had prepared a Codice Fiscale from the website, but they did not ask to see it. I can't remember what the rates for PAYG data were, but they were very reasonable.

DUTR

TakeThis wrote: »

Please, your argument is childlike.
I already suggested a sliding scale would be more appropriate. That way they can still make suitable margins from both high and low usage.
Your analogy is completely unsuitable.
Your statements pure conjecture. You assumption of networks keeping the prices high to discourage abuse for instance.
Can you link us to a written article that reinforces this stance by any of the networks?
I maintain that you are arguing for the sake of arguing and retain my earlier viewpoint as to your motive.

I'm not arguing, but if we are in a debate and have different viewpoints to a topic then we can continue, just spouting something is a rip off because we do not like the tariffs are not so, petrol is heavily above the production cost but we buy it have a little moan and get on with it. New years eve texting the networks get congested, I work in a city centre and between 1700-1740 it is difficult to get a data connection on certain days of the week (use the sat nav for traffic updates)

But as you asked for a link here is one popped up on a quick google search http://www.microscope.co.uk/blogs/network_noise/2011/04/relief-ahead-for-overloaded-3g-networks-says-juniper-research.html

TakeThis

benjus wrote: »

Going back to the original question, I bought a SIM card from Tre Italia (Three) at Milan airport. I had prepared a Codice Fiscale from the website, but they did not ask to see it. I can't remember what the rates for PAYG data were, but they were very reasonable.

The rates are on their website.

DUTR

zagfles wrote: »

Are you saying something can only be a "rip-off" if it is essential?

I think if people realised the costs then they would look to alternative methods, but most people don't memorise their phone tariffs to every single number and in every single situation. They assume reasonable charges - they know it's going to be more expensive roaming, but not 250 times as expensive! On a contract, paying in arrears, big charges can mount up without people realising and the networks seem to be taking advantage of this.

And before you come out with the predictable "they should have checked the charges", have you ever ordered a drink in a pub without checking the bar tariff? Or been asked by a waiter in a restaurant what you want to drink before having a chance to look at the menu?

If it was £1000 for one drink would you happilly pay up and say "silly me, should have checked the price first"? After all that beer wasn't "essential", was it? The prices were published, but you ordered before checking.

Yes, utilities like gas during winter like last December , we have to stay warm and are at ransom to pay the going rate for fuel.
Yes I have ordered in a restaurant before checking the price, a good example is when the waiter asks if you would like some bread, people often accept unaware that the charge is 70p per bread roll (and this was at a little chef in 1994), I have been in bars where the drinks are £8 a pint , one thing for sure is I wouldn't be getting another round in, I can't remember the saying fool me once twice fooled is you or something like that.
And yes when I do travel abroad one of the 1st things I do is check the prices and rates of local sims compared to what my host network is charging, I agree not everyone does that, but perhaps more should.

benjus

TakeThis wrote: »

The rates are on their website.

I'm quite sure they are... but I thought I'd leave that as an exercise for the reader, as the main issue was whether you needed proof of Codice Fiscale to buy a SIM card.

zagfles

DUTR wrote: »

Yes, utilities like gas during winter like last December , we have to stay warm and are at ransom to pay the going rate for fuel.
Yes I have ordered in a restaurant before checking the price, a good example is when the waiter asks if you would like some bread, people often accept unaware that the charge is 70p per bread roll (and this was at a little chef in 1994), I have been in bars where the drinks are £8 a pint , one thing for sure is I wouldn't be getting another round in, I can't remember the saying fool me once twice fooled is you or something like that.
And yes when I do travel abroad one of the 1st things I do is check the prices and rates of local sims compared to what my host network is charging, I agree not everyone does that, but perhaps more should.

We're not talking double or triple the expected price. We're talking 250 times. £8 a pint is a lesson learnt, maybe double or triple the expected price. What if it was £1000 a pint? Would you be complaining you'd been "ripped off"?