Quick bit of advice please...diverting before/whilst abroad

marlowtech

I have a horrible feeling I know the answer to this, but if someone could just confirm it for me.

I am currently in Greece. Before I left the UK I diverted all calls from my 02 handset to my roaming sim. (divert all calls option)

Now in Greece I have turned on my 02 handset to check for text messages.

Am I right in thinking that because I have now turned on my phone, any phone calls will be charged at roaming rates to me in greece, then back to the IOM roaming sim? ie - mega expensive!

I thought that because I did the divert before I left the UK it would be ok (any diverts would be out of inclusive minutes) - but now I seem to remember that if you activate your phone when abroad, the mobile operator (02 in this case) make a killing.

Am I also right in thinking that even turning off my UK 02 phone will not solve the problem?

Thanks in advance for your help.

redux

No. Diverted calls will come straight to the IoM SIM without roaming rate effects. Text messages will come to the O2 SIM as you expect; and sending from O2, your contract inclusive texts get used at 4 for 1

As an idea for cheaper outgoing calls, you might set up a callback service using the O2 number, for while it is forwarded. Voipcheap have recently introduced sms callback, and ReturnCall is also worth looking at

marlowtech

redux wrote: »

No. Diverted calls will come straight to the IoM SIM without roaming rate effects. Text messages will come to the O2 SIM as you expect; and sending from O2, your contract inclusive texts get used at 4 for 1

As an idea for cheaper outgoing calls, you might set up a callback service using the O2 number, for while it is forwarded. Voipcheap have recently introduced sms callback, and ReturnCall is also worth looking at

Thanks for this info - good news! I read this http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=324382&highlight=call+divert and thought that it meant that by turning on my 02 sim, I was effectively telling them I was abroad and therefore they could charge me roaming charges.

If I turned the divert on when I had landed in Greece would it then be a roaming setup (ie not out of inclusive calls)? I didn't - I remembered to turn it on in the UK before I left - but just wondered for future.

Thanks for the tips on the texting as well - that's good to know. I will read up about the sms callback.

Thanks again...

digp

can we call for free to an IoM number from UK mobile inclusive minutes? thanks.

marlowtech

digp wrote: »

can we call for free to an IoM number from UK mobile inclusive minutes? thanks.

This is a bit debatable! I called O2 and Virgin (have contracts with both) and both said no, it would not come out of inclusive minutes. However, I have made calls with both providers and it has come out of inclusive minutes!

I called 02 at carphone warehouse to ask again, and she said it looked like an ordinary uk mobile number so it should be ok - but then I didn't stress that it was an IOM number - it's 07924.

I don't think you're going to know for sure until you've had your bill.