Roaming charges are back

[Sailfree]

Many firms in history thought they could not fail.

Most failed by not seeing technology change.

Roaming charges will encourage more to use apps like "Whats App".

Potentially all our calls and messages from Portugal to UK (instead of as currently the majority) will be using the Internet and not the mobile networks.

Mobile networks have seen a massive rise in usage with many children now having a mobile phone but roaming charges may reverse this trend.

Having a Internet speed of 480GB in Portugal (fibre cable goes direct to router in the house) helps of course.

Our new house is on the outskirts of a small village here. UK has a long way to go to catch up at present with Internet speeds.

 

[Kelpie]

Aren't the majority of yachties going to be using mobile data rather than WiFi? In which case WhatsApp doesn't help, in fact it will cost more to use than a simple call.

 

[Bouba]

Many firms in history thought they could not fail.

Most failed by not seeing technology change.

Roaming charges will encourage more to use apps like "Whats App".

Potentially all our calls and messages from Portugal to UK (instead of as currently the majority) will be using the Internet and not the mobile networks.

Mobile networks have seen a massive rise in usage with many children now having a mobile phone but roaming charges may reverse this trend.

Having a Internet speed of 480GB in Portugal (fibre cable goes direct to router in the house) helps of course.

Our new house is on the outskirts of a small village here. UK has a long way to go to catch up at present with Internet speeds.

France has a long way to catch up as well

 

[Graham376]

Aren't the majority of yachties going to be using mobile data rather than WiFi? In which case WhatsApp doesn't help, in fact it will cost more to use than a simple call.

May depend where located and whether PAYG sims available. We have unlimited data with local PAYG sim for €1/day, all outgoing international calls on WhatsApp.

At the moment, friends can phone us on our (dumb) UK mobiles at no cost to us - will we be charged roaming for receiving or, just outgoing calls in future?

 

[Sailfree]

France has a long way to catch up as well

Just been visited by friends that live in Brittany.

He was upset that our upload speed in Portugal was many times greater than his fastest download speed.

In the 18months we lived on the boat we paid for a NOS (Portuguese telecom supplier) wireless router. Speed was OK for Whats App calls and watching Netflix via VPN over the Internet. Not ideal at €1 a day but only solution with boat berthed at deep end of pontoons far away from Marina office

 

[Beneteau381]

As someone who doesn't face the prospect of roaming charges when on the boat, RupertW makes a good point about online services.

Croatian Tourist Tax is now online, as are video tolls in Austria, and when sailing I rely on the internet for the weather forecast, map updates, etc. - all use an internet connection and it is not always possible to search out a free WiFi. All the Corona travel forms for UK, Germany, Croatia etc. are also all online, as are the EU wide Vaccination Passports and Corona Test system.

While a local SIM purchased in the country you are visiting is a possible solution, you either need a dual-sim phone or two devices to remain contactable on your normal number - especially important for services tied to your phone number which use SMS or other secure online authentication - like online banking, PayPal etc.

IMO, it is pretty sh!tty to have to book a 28 quid data roaming package for a 2 week holiday when it was previously free.

We nought a NOS sim card in Portugal, 1 euro a day, all you can eat

 

[jordanbasset]

For info of those who use Vodafone, they are the next to re-introduce roaming charges
Vodafone to bring back roaming charges from January
'Vodafone has become the second UK mobile company to reintroduce roaming charges for users travelling in Europe.
From January, new and upgrading customers will be charged at least £1 a day to use their mobile phone in EU destinations, on several tariffs.
It follows similar plans from rival EE, announced in June.
Initially, all operators said they would not reintroduce a roaming charge after Brexit, despite having the option to.'

 

[Sailfree]

For info of those who use Vodafone, they are the next to re-introduce roaming charges
Vodafone to bring back roaming charges from January
'Vodafone has become the second UK mobile company to reintroduce roaming charges for users travelling in Europe.
From January, new and upgrading customers will be charged at least £1 a day to use their mobile phone in EU destinations, on several tariffs.
It follows similar plans from rival EE, announced in June.
Initially, all operators said they would not reintroduce a roaming charge after Brexit, despite having the option to.'

We have a Portuguese SIM for local calls. We do have uK phones for our UK contacts to phone us but mosts calls are by Whats App these days.

If Three introduce roaming charges we will just reduce our mobile plans to the minimum for use during the UK visits.

I rather hope that any mobile provider that maintains free roaming to other countries (not just the EU) will enjoy a competitive advantage and get many customers transferring to them - we would!

 

[Caraway]

1st World problems. Don't you realise the planet is burning?

 

[longjohnsilver]

1st World problems. Don't you realise the planet is burning?

Has mobile reception reached the lakes yet?

 

[nortada]

We have a Portuguese SIM for local calls. We do have uK phones for our UK contacts to phone us but mosts calls are by Whats App these days.

If Three introduce roaming charges we will just reduce our mobile plans to the minimum for use during the UK visits.

I rather hope that any mobile provider that maintains free roaming to other countries (not just the EU) will enjoy a competitive advantage and get many customers transferring to them - we would!

Three has roaming in 71 countries so suspect they will keep this as their USP and clean-up on competitors who re-introduce roaming charges.

Currently Connect 3 (60GBs per month for £50 - overseas, unlimited in UK) and reasonable free internet in the marina, meet our needs but if Three reintroduced charging for roaming, we would go to NOS (€1 per day unlimited).

 

[nortada]

1st World problems. Don't you realise the planet is burning?

So are the wild fires but don’t quite see what this has to do with this thread

 

[Beneteau381]

For info of those who use Vodafone, they are the next to re-introduce roaming charges
Vodafone to bring back roaming charges from January
'Vodafone has become the second UK mobile company to reintroduce roaming charges for users travelling in Europe.
From January, new and upgrading customers will be charged at least £1 a day to use their mobile phone in EU destinations, on several tariffs.
It follows similar plans from rival EE, announced in June.
Initially, all operators said they would not reintroduce a roaming charge after Brexit, despite having the option to.'

Market forces always prevail so I have made other arrangements to use a phone for data and calls whilst in Portugal. A € a day isnt going to break my bank. As I understand it EE will only start charging if I renew or change the contract. I wont so that covers my banking security things if necessary. The king is dead, long livethe king?

 

[Beneteau381]

So are the wild fires but don’t quite see what this has to do with this thread

Indeed!

 

[longjohnsilver]

So are the wild fires but don’t quite see what this has to do with this thread

Absolutely sweet fa, but Lakey doesn’t like to feel left out even he’s no idea what’s being discussed. Mobile roaming in the lakes means a walk from Grizedale to High Nibthwaite. Foreign territory for him

 

[Koeketiene]

We have a Portuguese SIM for local calls. We do have uK phones for our UK contacts to phone us but mosts calls are by Whats App these days.

We use our French mobiles for almost everything (including free calls to UK landlines).
I kept my UK mobile in service as I need it from time to time to receive authentication SMS messages (banking, ... ).
A GiffGaff Pay As You Go SIM serves me just fine.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

As it's a change of contract, can you not cancel?

 

[john_morris_uk]

My mission is not to give comfort, merely perspective

From someone who lives in France and isn’t affected?

 

[nortada]

From someone who lives in France and isn’t affected?

Would suggest that those who are regularly overseas are far more affected than those who just have a couple of weeks a year abroad.

 

[nortada]

Double post.

System gone mad and generated 3x#59 and then #60, a duplicate of #59.

Logged out/in, duplicates disappeared but this #60 remained?