Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

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  • mchale
    mchale Posts: 1,886 Forumite
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    Why didn't you/son do better research before the Nepal trip.
    ANURADHA KOIRALA ??? go on throw it in google.
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,574 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    edited 16 February 2017 at 11:27AM
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    GeoffJ wrote: »
    Having been advised by O2 that their O2 Travel scheme doesn't apply to Nepal, and having read various forums, we decided that it might be best to unlock my son's phone and use a local sim in Nepal. Unfortunately, the charity he is with don't do currency exchange at Kathmandu airport (poor rates and apparently you can be ripped off); therefore, there wasn't an opportunity to purchase a sim card from the local airport store.
    Of course there was opportunity, how else would the airport Ncell shop have any customers? If the shop itself doesn't take pounds there is bank counter. To avoid 'poor rates' you allowed a sixteen year old to roam outside EU on O2, and then blame O2 instead of yourself for the consequences..!

    As for data, I am sending this from a remote Nepali village on Ncell 2G, free messaging apps also work fine if not quite instant, cost is peanuts and voice calls to UK Rs.7/min (5p).

    Hopefully your son can get to town for a SIM, nobody can do it for him, one photo, thumbprints and passport required.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • craigmcdonagh
    craigmcdonagh Posts: 4 Newbie
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    I am on Tesco mobile and im going to vegas in 2 weeks and was looking at the charges for calling home and it was 89p per minute either making or receiving calls.
    I have 2 children who are staying at different relatives who I need to call daily.
    Anyone got any advice on a cheaper alternative ?
    Im going for 10 days !!
  • thefirs
    thefirs Posts: 699 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
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    Install the Tesco International calling app on your smartphone. You'll get a free £1 credit and calls to landlines/texts are free anyway.
    I'm sure free WiFi will be ubiquitous in a place such as Las Vegas, so make sure you connect through that, not mobile data.
  • Frozen_up_north
    Frozen_up_north Posts: 2,420 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
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    craigmcdonagh wrote: »
    I am on Tesco mobile and im going to vegas in 2 weeks and was looking at the charges for calling home and it was 89p per minute either making or receiving calls.
    I have 2 children who are staying at different relatives who I need to call daily.
    Anyone got any advice on a cheaper alternative ?
    Im going for 10 days !!

    If your phone isn't locked to Tesco, use a Three SIM using their "feel at home" (which includes the USA) should be 3p/min to make calls back to the UK, 2p per text and free to receive. Think you would need a top up before going and convert to a bundle of some sort. I have a Three contract so not familiar with the requirements for roaming on their PAYG, just ask in a Three Shop.

    Caution, feel at home doesn't include cheap local calls (or texts) it will cost the same as phoning the USA from the UK!

    You will need a 3G phone that's compatible with the USA too. Again the Three Shop people will advise.
  • diamonds
    diamonds Posts: 6,048 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 2 March 2017 at 4:40AM
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    Frozen_up_north wrote: »
    If your phone isn't locked to Tesco, use a Three SIM using their "feel at home" (which includes the USA) should be 3p/min to make calls back to the UK, 2p per text and free to receive. Think you would need a top up before going and convert to a bundle of some sort. I have a Three contract so not familiar with the requirements for roaming on their PAYG, just ask in a Three Shop.

    Caution, feel at home doesn't include cheap local calls (or texts) it will cost the same as phoning the USA from the UK!

    You will need a 3G phone that's compatible with the USA too. Again the Three Shop people will advise.

    Yup Three payg sim you wont find cheaper!



    Forward Tesco calls to Three sim, give childminder new number for calling texting




    http://www.three.co.uk/support/roaming/united-states#payg
    SO... now England its the Scots turn to say dont leave the UK, stay in Europe with us in the UK, dont let the tories fool you like they did us with empty lies... You will be leaving the UK aswell as Europe ;)
  • jillpad
    jillpad Posts: 2 Newbie
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    While my wife and I are on holiday in the USA, will my call to her O2 mobile count as a US to UK call on 3's Feel-at-Home or as a local call? Does anyone know, please?
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,574 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    edited 3 March 2017 at 3:28AM
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    jillpad wrote: »
    While my wife and I are on holiday in the USA, will my call to her O2 mobile count as a US to UK call on 3's Feel-at-Home or as a local call? Does anyone know, please?
    When a UK mobile is called, the caller is charged only for that call to the UK number, regardless of where the phone is located. Any roaming portion of the call is charged to the person being called. So your call will be included in your Three FAH, and your wife will pay any relevant charge to receive the call while roaming.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • Terry98
    Terry98 Posts: 1,155 Forumite
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    When I was in Spain one of the big advantages of using 3 was the ability to call anyone on my Whatsapp contact list free of charge.

    I would be interested to know how much data Whatsapp uses when doing this but I do not think it was very much.
  • boatman
    boatman Posts: 4,699 Forumite
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    edited 8 March 2017 at 3:56PM
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    Budget news on mobile roaming outside EU.
    http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2017/03/budget-2017-mobile-roaming-outside-the-eu-to-increase?_ga=1.236757825.1746449882.1480930863

    Mobile roaming outside the EU will be subject to UK VAT, the Chancellor has announced, in a move that's likely to result in millions of holidaymakers paying more to use their phone abroad.

    VAT - a 20% tax paid by the consumer - will apply to mobile phone roaming charges outside the EU as of 1 August.
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