MSE News: Vodafone unveils free roaming for new contracts 13 April 2017 at 4:45PM edited 13 April 2017 at 4:49PM in Mobiles 15 replies 3K views

Former_MSE_Nick

Vodafone has launched free roaming in 40 destinations for new and upgrading customers – but free roaming will be compulsory across the EU from 15 June anyway...

Read the full story:
'Vodafone unveils free roaming for new contracts – but soon everyone will have it anyway'

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Stevie_Palimo

Nothing wrong with being one step ahead of the competition though is there.

Ian011

This can be a method for testing billing systems with live information from a limited number of customers, a final chance to iron out issues before full rollout to all customers.

Frozen_up_north

At least this has started the ball rolling. Last week I was talking to Three Sales (phone to their Glasgow office) and the guy I spoke to said "we are leaving the EU, therefore nothing will happen in June", when I pointed out we would still be in the EU at that time, he changed tack and said "we will await instruction from OFCOM"... I guess he simply hadn't a clue.

Both Vodafone and EE offer local calls while roaming from your minutes bundle on some contracts, Three's feel at home doesn't. However, when last checked, neither Voda nor EE offer a spending cap (other than the EU roaming cap on data), Three have a zero overspend cap you can turn on or off yourself.

I think we will see quite a shake up of contracts by mid June...

Roger1

I'm keeping an eye open on what will happen with Togglemobile.

I'm getting 3p/minute rates to/from several Toggle markets (7p/9p to/from some others). As 3p is Three's Feel At Home rate back to the UK (but not local when roaming), Toggle suits us better when calling local numbers in Toggle countries.

ETA: Three's roaming rates for out of bundle calls are not bad, 3.2p/min IIRC and no contract.

rtho782

Interesting, so as of June I should get a foreign EU sim, and then I'll be able to roam onto any network in the UK, for perfect coverage....

ballyblack

so as of June I should get a foreign EU sim

But it might be more expensive than a UK contract and you will have a 'foreign' number

Frozen_up_north

rtho782 wrote: »

Interesting, so as of June I should get a foreign EU sim, and then I'll be able to roam onto any network in the UK, for perfect coverage....

I think you will find there are limitations on roaming, such as having to use the SIM in its home country from time to time.

Ian011

The system has been designed to make "permanent roaming" impossible.

redux

Roger1 wrote: »

I'm keeping an eye open on what will happen with Togglemobile.

I'm getting 3p/minute rates to/from several Toggle markets (7p/9p to/from some others). As 3p is Three's Feel At Home rate back to the UK (but not local when roaming), Toggle suits us better when calling local numbers in Toggle countries.

ETA: Three's roaming rates for out of bundle calls are not bad, 3.2p/min IIRC and no contract.

I'm not sure that Toggle will do anything, unless put some prices up again. Lyca don't seem to have bothered with it much for a while, for instance not yet adding their other countries.

3p/min is only for landlines in some countries; 9p/min for mobiles in those. Calls to all UK numbers from Toggle countries up from 3 to 7p/min. And in some EU countries receiving calls is much too expensive. On a trip to Lithuania I switched it off in Poland and only turned it back on on the way home.

O2 is now cheaper than Toggle in Europe for almost all calls. But FreedomPop and some other VoIP brands can be cheaper still.

Roger1

redux wrote: »

3p/min is only for landlines in some countries; 9p/min for mobiles in those. Calls to all UK numbers from Toggle countries up from 3 to 7p/min ...

Well, UK>UK mobiles, Spain>UK mobiles and Switzerland>UK mobiles are back to 3p/minute. I haven't checked other rates yet.

O2 is now cheaper than Toggle in Europe for almost all calls. But FreedomPop and some other VoIP brands can be cheaper still.

I'd be interested in trying FreedomPop in Switzerland and Spain (Canaries) but find their website difficult to navigate. The basic international plans exclude calls to Swiss mobiles (and others) and AFAIK calls from outside the UK. The link to purchase a WhatsApp SIM produces this:
... This limited time offer has expired. ...

Do you think that FreedomPop could help me? Thanks.