How can Vodafone flout the EU roaming laws?

EAB2

By offering cheaper plans that have no roaming they are effectively charging regular users for roaming.

The basics tariff for 500MB is £6 a month. The same tariff that allows roaming costs £11 a month, so people are being charged quite blatantly.

Currently arguing with vodafone about this as I was about to take up the offer in the weekly email but give that SIM to my son. I'd then need another vodafone SIM as no doubt the handset would be locked.

EAB2

boatman wrote: »

Here is a link from the EU website where it says companies don't have to offer roaming.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM%3Al24276

Key Points
"Operators do not have to offer roaming services; however, if they do, they must observe the 'roam like at home' principle and charge users only the domestic rate."

This refers to operators that don't offer roaming at all. Vodafone clearly offers roaming, so is in breach of this regulation.

pmduk

EABowden wrote: »

I think this refers to operators that don't offer roaming at all. Vodafone clearly offers roaming, so is in breach of this regulation.

You've misunderstood. Customers on this tariff cannot use roaming, whether they pay or not.

EAB2

I've understood perfectly. Vodafone charges most users to roam. This is made clear by the fact they sell non-roaming tariffs at a lower price

Jon_01

EABowden wrote: »

I've understood perfectly. Vodafone charges most users to roam. This is made clear by the fact they sell non-roaming tariffs at a lower price

Voda don't state that in their T&C's, so that is an assumption from your pov.

Any company can create any number of contracts or price plans and include/exclude what they like and charge what they like. It's the customers right to vote with their wallet. . .

EAB2

Jon_01 wrote: »

Voda don't state that in their T&C's, so that is an assumption from your pov.

Any company can create any number of contracts or price plans and include/exclude what they like and charge what they like. It's the customers right to vote with their wallet. . .

Actually it can't, as per boatman's post above.

"Operators do not have to offer roaming services; however, if they do, they must observe the 'roam like at home' principle and charge users only the domestic rate."

As vodafone offers roaming services, it must not offer tariffs that do not, because a customer would quite reasonably expect all the tariffs to abide by the EU legislation.

And the fact that the 500mb tariff with roaming included is £5 more than the one without, it is clear that is the (illegal) roaming charge.

Jon_01

EABowden wrote: »

Actually it can't, as per boatman's post above.

"Operators do not have to offer roaming services; however, if they do, they must observe the 'roam like at home' principle and charge users only the domestic rate."

As vodafone offers roaming services, it must not offer tariffs that do not, because a customer would quite reasonably expect all the tariffs to abide by the EU legislation.

And the fact that the 500mb tariff with roaming included is £5 more than the one without, it is clear that is the (illegal) roaming charge.

Any network can offer a none roaming plan as long as they state that. All the info I can see on the Basic plan state under 'Can I use my sim abroad?' that roaming isn't allowed and it's not in small print...

[Deleted User]

EABowden wrote: »

Actually it can't, as per boatman's post above.

"Operators do not have to offer roaming services; however, if they do, they must observe the 'roam like at home' principle and charge users only the domestic rate."

As vodafone offers roaming services, it must not offer tariffs that do not, because a customer would quite reasonably expect all the tariffs to abide by the EU legislation.

And the fact that the 500mb tariff with roaming included is £5 more than the one without, it is clear that is the (illegal) roaming charge.

You're not understanding at all I'm afraid, you're under the misapprehension that if a company offers 'roam like at home' on any tariff then they're obliged to offer it on all of their tariffs.

You can keep twisting it as many times as you like but the simple fact is that you are wrong and Vodafone are doing everything by the book.

EAB2

Jon_01 wrote: »

Any network can offer a none roaming plan as long as they state that. All the info I can see on the Basic plan state under 'Can I use my sim abroad?' that roaming isn't allowed and it's not in small print...

That's not what the EU regulation, adopted by the UK govt, says.

It doesn't say operators can offer roaming and non-roaming tariffs. It says if an operator offers roaming services, they must not charge extra.

"Operators do not have to offer roaming services; however, if they do, they must observe the 'roam like at home' principle and charge users only the domestic rate."

In law, the customer should reasonably expect all Vodafone's tariffs to include roaming, because broadcasters like the BBC told them there is no such thing as roaming any more

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40281013

And even if you think it's fair they have non-roaming tariffs, that's also in breach of the regulation as they are clearly charging users to roam, either by data/call charges when abroad, or by forcing them to take more expensive contracts that include the charge for roaming.

EAB2

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

You're not understanding at all I'm afraid, you're under the misapprehension that if a company offers 'roam like at home' on any tariff then they're obliged to offer it on all of their tariffs.

You can keep twisting it as many times as you like but the simple fact is that you are wrong and Vodafone are doing everything by the book.

Presumably you work for Vodafone's legal department. Otherwise I can't see why anyone could possibly support a company that rips off customers with tricks like this, not to mention how it avoids tax on an epic scale.