Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

buglawton

o2 has updated its site with the "o2 Travel" £2 per day data deal in Europe.
http://www.o2.co.uk/international/o2-travel/pay-and-go

..what's not clear is that the difference is between having this turned 'on' or 'off' (send a text to turn if off... what text?) - maybe they forgot to tell us how you turn it 'on'.

What is GOOD is that if in 1 day the 25MB runs out, can top up with another 25MB - no punitive rate for those over 25MB bits of data.

Anyway, ordering my SIM now as 2 trips to Europe planned for '12.

1jim

It also says on the page

Calls back to the UK and within Europe - 36p per minute.
Receiving calls in Europe - 11p per minute.
Texts sent to the UK and Europe - 10p (free to receive).
Sending a media message - 25p.
Data is £3 / MB.

So is the £3 /Mb if you use over 25Mb or is it £1.99 then £3 per Mb on top of that?

1jim

Ignore that.... Just spotted the £3 refers to standard charges.... Must read properly

reclusive46

1jim wrote: »

It also says on the page

Calls back to the UK and within Europe - 36p per minute.
Receiving calls in Europe - 11p per minute.
Texts sent to the UK and Europe - 10p (free to receive).
Sending a media message - 25p.
Data is £3 / MB.

So is the £3 /Mb if you use over 25Mb or is it £1.99 then £3 per Mb on top of that?

Your on the 25mb rate by default. If you go over the 25mb 3 days in a row they put you on the standard rate price.

buglawton

Really? But o2 let you top up within 1 day with a 2nd batch of 25 MB when you are Euro-roaming, for another £2.

Meanwhile, does anyone know a link to a clear page on O2 detailing their credit expiry policy?

Voda IE (which offers a £3 per day Europe/50MB data deal) has a crystal clear page:
https://support.vodafone.ie/system/selfservice.controller?CONFIGURATION=1003&PARTITION_ID=1&LANGUAGE=en&COUNTRY=ie&USERTYPE=1&TIMEZONE_OFFSET=null&CMD=VIEW_ARTICLE&ARTICLE_ID=2034&SOURCE=null

...is there equivalent page on o2 UK?

redux

confused_roamer wrote: »

Hi

Just wondering if anyone can help me - I recently bought a TravelTalk SIM as I'm travelling around Europe a lot. I was assured that the SIM is a UK (O2) mobile number and calls to it would be included in my wife's Vodaphone package.

My wife called me a number of times while I've been away and the calls were not taking from her minutes - they were charged at a pretty hefty rate and she got quite a large bill.

Can anyone explain this?

thanks in advance...

It's not an O2 number, but allocated to Swiftnet, which is the provider of the SIM, though I believe the actual roaming agreement is an arrangement with Manx Telecom

Some networks include these various non main network number series in their inclusive minute bundles, and some so not.

It's not a matter for Ofcom, as they don't decree what charges networks make for most calls, or include in bundles. Indeed the inclusion of any other network minutes in bundles didn't use to happen and was something the networks themselves brought in

Vodafone used to publish a list of the numbers it excludes from bundles and charge separately, but I haven't been able to find it recently. I suggest you point this out.

sgh42

Im going to the US for about 3 weeks & would like to know of any recommendations for a Pre-Paid Sim including Data. My brother lives in the US so could pick one up locally.
Cheers
Steve

grumbler

Taking phone to US

Some other threads:
Best PAYG sim for USA
Travelling to USA - advice please
Best SIM for USA?
Visiting USA, how to use the mobile?
Micro sim PAYG for Iphone 4 in the USA

jnm21

confused_roamer wrote: »

I don't get it - I thought all +44 78.... numbers were UK mobile numbers?

How can it be an international number, and how is anyone to know?

grumbler wrote: »

Ha-ha. Ofcom is the author of this mess with numbers.

I quite agree - it is a SHAME on OFFCOM - they introduced 03 numbers for anything that was to be charged local the same as 01/02 - to give the consumer clarity. Also they ban the use of 'local' in the description of 0845 numbers, so why can't they sort this? What I don't understand is how can IOM/Jersey/Gurnsey/etc. have +44 dial codes, when +44 is meant to be UK and they are not UK! Come on OFFCOM, do your job - at worst define ranges! I also think that this is something Martin should pick up on/campaign on - MSE MUST WARN PEOPLE ABOUT THE COSTS OF CALLING THESE NUMBERS - I HAVE ALREADY SAID I AM SURPRISED HOW BADLY THEY ARE ADVISING PEOPLE! (i.e. use the international call checker when the last time I tried it did not list IOM/Jersey/Gurnsey!)

grumbler wrote: »

AFAIK T-mobile is the only network that has the list of 'excluded' numbers.

Three also have them listed on the 3 price guide: http://www.three.co.uk/_standalone/Link_Document?content_aid=1214305748126 (see bottom page 25 & top page 26 or just search for your code).

redux wrote: »

It's not a matter for Ofcom, as they don't decree what charges networks make for most calls, or include in bundles.

You are missing the point again - this is exactly the point I made before & you dismissed - we are not asking OFFCOM to dictate which codes mobile companies include, but stating that they must re-allocate the codes so that consumers have a chance of realising what is & what isn't a UK mobile number! I believe that making things clear for consumers is one of their roles (and if not, they should not be deciding on codes)! They do it (to an extent) with freephone (0800/0808/0500), special numbers (which personally I still call premium as they often attract a premium to call & certainly can attract a profit - 084/087), premium (09), personal (070), etc. - why can't non-UK +44 numbers be given 04, 06 or specific ranges, e.g. 021-023 & 071-073?

Anyhow, for anyone travelling, I recommend the 0044.co.uk travel sim - it does come with (what appears to be) a UK number (07430). I tested it with my t-mobile contract & it was included. I suggested my dad did the same with his 3, but he didn't bother:eek:, so I'm hoping the 3 guide (linked above) is both complete & accurate!

EDIT: PS I thought I would copy/paste a list of the Three exclusions for info & ask confused_roamer if he can confirm if his code is listed? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that this list will change & vary by network, so look at the guide above or similar for your network(s) (indeed complain vigorously if they do not have a published list or it is hidden folks)!

Special codes:
074060 / 074061 / 074062 / 074067 / 074176 / 074181 / 074182 /
074185 / 074187 / 074189 / 074408 / 074411 / 074413 / 074414 /
074510 / 074511 / 074513 / 074514 / 074515/ 074518 / 074519 /
074570 / 075200 / 075201 / 075203 / 075204 / 075205 / 075206 /
075207 / 075208 / 075209 / 075370 / 075371 / 075373 / 075375 /
075376 / 075377 / 075378 / 075379 / 075580 / 075581 / 075582 /
075590 / 075591 / 075592 / 075593 / 075594 / 075595 / 075596 /
075597 / 075598 / 075599 / 075710 / 075718 / 075890 / 075891 /
075892 / 075893 / 075898 / 075899 / 077000 / 077001 / 077442 /
077443 / 077444 / 077445 / 077446 / 077447 / 077448 / 077449 /
077552 / 077553 / 077554 / 077555 / 078220 / 078221 / 078223 /
078224 / 078225 / 078226 / 078227 / 078229 / 078644 / 078722 /
078727 / 078730 / 078744 / 078745 / 078920 / 078922 / 078925 /
078930 / 078931 / 078933 / 078938 / 078939 / 079111 / 079112 /
079117 / 079118 / 079245 / 079246 / 079780 / 079781 / 079782 /
079783/ 079784 / 079785 / 079786 / 079788 / 079789

Non-UK:
074184 / 075090 / 075091 / 075092 / 075093 / 075094 /
075095 / 075096 / 075097 / 07624 / 077003 / 077007 /
077008 / 047781 / 077977 / 077978 / 077979 / 078297 /
078298 / 078299 / 047839 / 078391 / 078392 / 078397 /
078398 / 079240 / 079241 / 079242 / 079243 / 079244/
079247 / 079248 / 079370 / 079371 / 079372 / 079373 /
079374 / 079375 / 079376 / 079377 / 079378 / 079379

rapido

Just got a text message on my O2 mobile advising that:

"From July, we're changing the way you use your mobile in Europe. You'll pay a 50p connection charge to make or receive a call, then use your UK ca"

And that's where it cuts off!

Discuss.


Jnm21, +44 is not the code for the UK, it's the code for the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man. These countries share a numbering plan, just like the US and Canada do (and a whole load of island countries).

Although in my opinion, it's true that Ofcom have made a complete hash of the numbering system, but that's another issue.