Three 321 PAYG and Feel at Home

itm2

I just wanted to share some information I got from Three Customer Service which I didn't know before, and which is relevant to Three PAYG customers who want to use their phones abroad. It clears up a lack of understanding that I had regarding the "Feel at Home" service for PAYG users (I am a 3-2-1 SIM-only customer).

1. 3-2-1 PAYG customers do NOT automatically get calls/texts/data at their usual UK rates in "Feel-At-Home" countries. This will only happen if you have purchased a bundle (which will expire after 30 days). If no bundle is purchased, calls/texts/data will be charged at Three's normal roaming rates (e.g. 18p/minute for calls in Spain).

2. Whenever a 3-2-1 PAYG customer tops up they receive a 150Mb data bundle which is valid for 30 days. This data bundle may be used when travelling in Feel-at-Home countries - i.e. you will not be charged for data use in those countries during that 30 day period provided you do not exceed 150Mb usage.

So the main take-away from this for me was:
(a) remember to top-up before travelling to a Feel-at-Home country to get a data allowance for on the trip
(b) purchase a 30-day bundle before travelling if you plan to make extensive use of your phone for calls/texts.

redux

I didn't know about your paragraph 2. Well, I knew about the free data, but not that it would be usable abroad. Interesting.

lfc321

This is definitely correct - I do it often for short trips overseas. I don't buy a bundle, just top up £5 the day before I go = completely free roaming data (up to 150mb). Not a bad deal at all.

Given that bundles expire whereas normal credit doesn't, it's only worth buying a bundle for Feel at Home purposes if you'll also be making a number of calls/texts.

Space_Captain

Thanks for this information.

I won't make many calls abroad when I go away shortly but the occasional text and not much data so a standard £5 top up is good enough for me. I have a 321 PAYG tariff.

NiftyDigits

With Feel At Home you can use your allowances to call and text the UK from Feel At Home destinations. Calls and Texts within Feel at Home countries are not included

boatman

+44 7782 333 444
Is this number free to call when abroad in a feel at home country from a payg?
I am heading abroad but want to activete the all in one 20 while I'm there as I am going for more than 30 days and want the bundle at the end of my trip. I don't want to top up £20 before I go then find that I've paid for the phone call and won't have enough credit to buy the bundle, I know the easy answer is to top up £25 but I will throw away the sim after the trip so only want to pay minimum.
Or do I have to use the' my account' on the 3 website to activate the add on?

Im_just_careful

One other thing to note.

The "free" 150MB of data "stacks". If you top up £5 twice you get two lots of 150MB. Thus if you generally use PAYG data a few £5 top ups prior to departure might be a good idea.

joeluken

NiftyDigits wrote: »

With Feel At Home you can use your allowances to call and text the UK from Feel At Home destinations. Calls and Texts within Feel at Home countries are not included

Just to clarify calling a "UK" mobile number is also included even if the mobile is physically located in another country i.e keeping in contact with family members/friends groups when on holiday that may go off to do their own thing etc.

lfc321

Malcnascar wrote: »

If I top up either before or after I buy the add on, say £5 today and £5 tomorrow will the stacking then give me 500 + 150 + 150 totalling 800MB data lasting a minimum of 30 days from first transaction. This will also give emergency balance if needed and cover next top up.

Help much appreciated.

Yep. It should just queue the free data allowances.
Alternatively you could keep an eye on your remaining data allowance while you're away and top up when its running low. That way you'll get more out of your 30 days from the later top ups.

Roger1

lfc321 wrote: »

Alternatively you could keep an eye on your remaining data allowance while you're away and top up when its running low.

Not possible on 3-2-1 tariff. All I get is a credit balance with no usage detail, not split into calls or data.

I suppose I could check the balance, use some data and then check again. Unless there's an easier way ...

lfc321

Roger1 wrote: »

Not possible on 3-2-1 tariff. All I get is a credit balance with no usage detail, not split into calls or data.

That's not right - at least it isn't in my case.

When I log into My Account and look at balance I see at the top a section which tells me how much free allowance I have left and when it expires, and underneath that another section showing how many £s of normal credit I have left.

So I can log in and see how much free data allowance I have left, and top up before it runs out.