Maritime data roaming charges on internal UK ferry services - WARNING

star2007

I travelled back from Scotland to Northern Ireland today, catching the ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast.

Half way across the Irish sea I received a text message from my operator (O2UK) telling me that "using the web outside Europe costs £6 per MB". :eek: I also received another one saying I was connected to a ship's GSM network and would incur high call charges.

Fortunately I was using the ship's free wifi service at the time, but I dread to think what would have happened if I'd just left my iPhone in my bag and not realised. We all know how smart phones constantly use large amounts of data scanning and checking for Facebook notifications and updates from various apps and services.

I'm meticulous when I go abroad to make sure I have the data roaming switched off, and also switch off automatic updates/notifications from all my apps, and find a caf! with wifi for facebooking/ emailing. I just switch my phone to flight mode if I'm visiting the Giant's Causeway near the border so I don't get hit by RoI data charges. But it never would have occured to me to do this for an internal UK journey. I'm also thinking about how people may receive an incoming call and not realise it's on the maritime call tariff, rather than their usual UK network.

Obviously, if you go abroad, you consent to, and anticipate roaming charges. But if you're travelling within the UK you don't expect to be hit by them at the extortionate maritime rate. How much are the communications and ferry companies making from this by fleecing unsuspecting customers who keep their phones in their pockets? There aren't any notices up on board about this that I noticed, nor was there anything in the T & C of my coach ticket. Shocking that people are potentially being exposed to high data charges without their knowledge or consent. :mad:

Just thought I'd give people the heads up about this and recommend that you make sure that under the "carrier" settings you have automatic network selection switched off, so you don't automatically pick up the ship's GSM network. Also, wondering if anyone has been stung by this? Found a couple of old threads on here about North Sea/ Bay of Biscay ferries, but not Irish sea journeys.

NFH

star2007 wrote: »

Obviously, if you go abroad, you consent to, and anticipate roaming charges.

Indeed, you expect this when you go abroad but not when you go aboard!

System

Unless you have 'data roaming' activated on your smart phone all the time, I don't see it as an issue (for the data aspect).

Voice calls are more of an issue as someone could call you and you might think you are still using your home network. However, as you say they message you.

star2007 wrote: »

I travelled back from Scotland to Northern Ireland today, catching the ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast.

Half way across the Irish sea I received a text message from my operator (O2UK) telling me that "using the web outside Europe costs £6 per MB". :eek: I also received another one saying I was connected to a ship's GSM network and would incur high call charges.

Fortunately I was using the ship's free wifi service at the time, but I dread to think what would have happened if I'd just left my iPhone in my bag and not realised. We all know how smart phones constantly use large amounts of data scanning and checking for Facebook notifications and updates from various apps and services.

I'm meticulous when I go abroad to make sure I have the data roaming switched off, and also switch off automatic updates/notifications from all my apps, and find a caf! with wifi for facebooking/ emailing. I just switch my phone to flight mode if I'm visiting the Giant's Causeway near the border so I don't get hit by RoI data charges. But it never would have occured to me to do this for an internal UK journey. I'm also thinking about how people may receive an incoming call and not realise it's on the maritime call tariff, rather than their usual UK network.

Obviously, if you go abroad, you consent to, and anticipate roaming charges. But if you're travelling within the UK you don't expect to be hit by them at the extortionate maritime rate. How much are the communications and ferry companies making from this by fleecing unsuspecting customers who keep their phones in their pockets? There aren't any notices up on board about this that I noticed, nor was there anything in the T & C of my coach ticket. Shocking that people are potentially being exposed to high data charges without their knowledge or consent. :mad:

Just thought I'd give people the heads up about this and recommend that you make sure that under the "carrier" settings you have automatic network selection switched off, so you don't automatically pick up the ship's GSM network. Also, wondering if anyone has been stung by this? Found a couple of old threads on here about North Sea/ Bay of Biscay ferries, but not Irish sea journeys.

Netwizard

Alternatively people could always switch their bloody phone off and enjoy their holidays!!:beer:

Ive used the "onwaves" ferry network before to send a few texts and it cost me no more than normal.

If I did have a smartphone, I would leave it at home and take a nokia 100 instead! Costs £5 and no data charges to worry about.

star2007

Netwizard wrote: »

Alternatively people could always switch their bloody phone off and enjoy their holidays!!:beer:

Ive used the "onwaves" ferry network before to send a few texts and it cost me no more than normal.

If I did have a smartphone, I would leave it at home and take a nokia 100 instead! Costs £5 and no data charges to worry about.

But my point is I went on a short domestic break to Scotland by coach & ferry, and didn't expect to have to adjust my mobile settings. Obv if I'm travelling via RoI routes/going further afield I prepare my phone settings in advance to avoid unintentional data usage. A journey within the UK you don't expect this to be an issue! I just think maritime (and aviation, when GSM on planes is operational) roaming is something that needs highlighting in the same way that roaming charges on overseas networks has been.

ETA: with incoming phone calls you may not see the message, and just grab the phone out of your bag/pocket to quickly answer the call, not realising it's connected on the ship's expensive GSM network.

lazer

star2007 wrote: »

I'm meticulous when I go abroad to make sure I have the data roaming switched off, and also switch off automatic updates/notifications from all my apps, and find a caf! with wifi for facebooking/ emailing. I just switch my phone to flight mode if I'm visiting the Giant's Causeway near the border so I don't get hit by RoI data charges. But it never would have occured to me to do this for an internal UK journey. I'm also thinking about how people may receive an incoming call and not realise it's on the maritime call tariff, rather than their usual UK network.

Didn't realise the southern signal was available in the Gaints Causeway as I wouldn't really describe it as near the border, but i suppose you could pick up a signal from Moville/Greencastle but wouldn't think it would automatically go onto roaming as the UK signal should be stronger.

I just have Data Roaming switched off permantely (Don't know why you would have it on at all if you use wifi when abroad?) and if I am near the border switch my netwrok selection to manual so it doesn't automatically change so I know I am not on the southern signal when answering calls etc.

NFH

Netwizard wrote: »

Alternatively people could always switch their bloody phone off and enjoy their holidays!!

If I did have a smartphone, I would leave it at home and take a nokia 100 instead! Costs £5 and no data charges to worry about.

Some of us would like to use our phones, for which we have paid a lot of money, wherever we happen to be or whatever the purpose of our journeys. In fact, turning the phone off or being without it would spoil the trip. Whilst your comment may be appropriate when aimed at those with employer-provided Blackberrys, it doesn't make much sense for a personal smartphone.

boatman

Just to muddy the water a bit more... I'm aware of people from the UK with Apple products that have had the data switched on but NOT for roaming. But their phones have connected to data networks in the Channel Islands and they were charged for data roaming, the phone/ipad could not distinguish between the Channel Islands and UK networks.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1681578
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3387956

macman

As above, if you switch off data roaming then this cannot be an issue. Just switch it on when abroad (or aboard) and expect to pay accordingly.

NFH

boatman wrote: »

Just to muddy the water a bit more... I'm aware of people from the UK with Apple products that have had the data switched on but NOT for roaming. But their phones have connected to data networks in the Channel Islands and they were charged for data roaming, the phone/ipad could not distinguish between the Channel Islands and UK networks.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1681578
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3387956

Interesting information but I'm not sure it's correct. I'm sure that the iPhone does look at the Mobile Network Code as well as the Mobile Country Code. This was evident in the early days of Orange/T-Mobile free roaming, whereby you had to switch on data roaming in order to get a data connection on the network that wasn't your brand. The same would apply to networks in the Channel Islands which have their own MNCs, despite sharing the same MCC.

bxboards

This can happen on the UK mainland without even setting foot on a ferry. I live in Cumbria, and very occasionally my phone will roam to Manx Telecom and I'll get a welcome to Manx Telecom SMS message.