Pay to receive texts abroad

cbmaxyz

I'm kind of surprised by this, so I just want to check it's correct...

I have an Asda Mobile PAYG SIM, and at https://mobile.asda.com/bundles#europeanDestinations it says I pay 20p to receive texts when I'm abroad (outside the EU).

Can that really be true? I phoned Asda to confirm it, but still - can that really be true? I can't find any other networks that do this.

If so, I'll probably have to switch network before I go abroad in a couple of weeks. I receive loads of random texts and I can't easily control whether they're sent to me!

[Deleted User]

Looking at the link, I think it means that the place where the text originates from
As the 3 Headings are:

From EU From USA/Canada/Australia/New Zealand From rest of the world

Prices are
Receiving a text Free 20p 20p

So texts sent from the EU (therefore UK) are received for free regardless of where you are in the world.
Texts sent from anywhere else cost 20p to receive.

cbmaxyz

Ohhh! Thank you, that makes sense.

I even called Asda about this earlier today, but thinking about it I probably didn't make my misunderstanding clear. Oops, and thanks again!

eDicky

Asda seems to be guilty of unclear use of English by using the word 'From' (EU, etc) instead of 'While Roaming In'. I can't see how it can mean anything else, and it gives the price of making and receiving calls etc, while in those three zones.

So, yes, according to that info Asda appears to charge 20p for receiving a text message while roaming outside of Europe.

However this seems simply incredible and if true would make Asda Mobile unique among networks worldwide, in fact I doubt that there even exists a charging procedure to be able to bill incoming texts.

So I don't believe it until someone confirms that they have been charged, otherwise it must be a mistake or ambiguous use of the language. Somebody raised this as a side issue in a recent thread and it was not clarified.

PHK

eDicky wrote: »

Asda seems to be guilty of unclear use of English by using the word 'From' (EU, etc) instead of 'While Roaming In'. I can't see how it can mean anything else, and it gives the price of making and receiving calls etc, while in those three zones.

So, yes, according to that info Asda appears to charge 20p for receiving a text message while roaming outside of Europe.

However this seems simply incredible and if true would make Asda Mobile unique among networks worldwide, in fact I doubt that there even exists a charging procedure to be able to bill incoming texts.

So I don't believe it until someone confirms that they have been charged, otherwise it must be a mistake or ambiguous use of the language. Somebody raised this as a side issue in a recent thread and it was not clarified.

In several parts of the world (eg the US) they have always paid to receive texts and calls. This is why their bundles were traditionally larger because they were paying to receive.

cbmaxyz

I've just phoned Asda again and they confirmed that you DO pay to receive texts abroad.

I'm still SO surprised at this that I asked to speak to a manager. That wasn't easy (I had to push and I clearly irritated the guy on the phone) but eventually they agreed that a manager would call me back within 24 hours.

May I ask this forum what your consensus is? Can they REALLY charge me to receive texts?! Aye aye aye! I'm going to have to ask for my PAC code if so, which is annoying because I otherwise like Asda Mobile.

[Deleted User]

cbmaxyz wrote: »

I've just phoned Asda again and they confirmed that you DO pay to receive texts abroad.

I'm still SO surprised at this that I asked to speak to a manager. That wasn't easy (I had to push and I clearly irritated the guy on the phone) but eventually they agreed that a manager would call me back within 24 hours.

May I ask this forum what your consensus is? Can they REALLY charge me to receive texts?! Aye aye aye! I'm going to have to ask for my PAC code if so, which is annoying because I otherwise like Asda Mobile.

This came up a week or so ago:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5905141/autoforward-text-message-to-email-address

Of course they can charge you, it's there in black & white and always was. The downside of PAYG I guess although there may be contracts that do the same as far as I know.

cbmaxyz

I looked at all the other major networks over the weekend, and none of them other than Asda charges to receive texts. Boy, does that suck. Well, I've got my PAC code, so I guess I'll reluctantly have to use it.

The issue I have (and this'll be similar to most people, presumably) is that in just the last week I've received texts from:

• My bank(s), giving my balance.
• Friends and family (obviously). And that'll continue, for anyone who doesn't know I'm abroad.
• The latest PPI scam and a few others that I've deleted.
• Bupa ... the AA ... Parcelforce ... my dentist ... the local garage ... some random customer service survey ...
• Asda themselves !!

How am I supposed to stop all that lot? I could unsub from my bank texts but I'd still get the others.

eDicky

PHK wrote: »

In several parts of the world (eg the US) they have always paid to receive texts and calls. This is why their bundles were traditionally larger because they were paying to receive.

Do US networks charge to receive texts? Calls, yes, I know - in their system the subscriber shares the cost of an incoming call so that there's no difference in the price of calling landlines and cellphones.

Singapore has the same system, and incoming texts are not changed, including while roaming.

I once had an EE customer service agent who insisted that I would be charged for incoming texts while roaming, he only learned of his mistake after checking with a manager at my suggestion.

Although the Asda Mobile website appears to state the 20p charge, I still find it hard to believe. If true, they certainly need to be avoided for roaming outside Europe.

[Deleted User]

cbmaxyz wrote: »

I looked at all the other major networks over the weekend, and none of them other than Asda charges to receive texts. Boy, does that suck. Well, I've got my PAC code, so I guess I'll reluctantly have to use it.

The issue I have (and this'll be similar to most people, presumably) is that in just the last week I've received texts from:

• My bank(s), giving my balance.
• Friends and family (obviously). And that'll continue, for anyone who doesn't know I'm abroad.
• The latest PPI scam and a few others that I've deleted.
• Bupa ... the AA ... Parcelforce ... my dentist ... the local garage ... some random customer service survey ...
• Asda themselves !!

How am I supposed to stop all that lot? I could unsub from my bank texts but I'd still get the others.

Vodafone PAYG customers (for one) get charged 36p a minute to receive a phone call while in the USA from the UK. Which at least is cheaper than doing it the other way around (60p a minute).

cbmaxyz

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

Vodafone PAYG customers (for one) get charged 36p a minute to receive a phone call while in the USA from the UK.

But you can choose whether to receive a call. You can't choose whether to receive a text. That's why Asda's policy sucks!