02 European charges

[Caladh]

Can I now assume that O2 is going down the same path as Vodaphone and will now be cancelling their 50p call rate from European destinations calling to the UK. It appears that from 07/04/2016 this will now be £1.99 per day (incl. data) or 16 pence per minute if you don't opt in to their O2 Travel "deal".

 

[bendyone]

It all changes in April this year with reduced costs

In April 2016 costs will be reduced to five cents per minute, two cents per SMS and five cents per MB. Roaming charges will not be completely removed until June 2017 and will require reform of the roaming wholesale market on which national phone operators across Europe trade services between each other.

 

[Koeketiene]

If you're in a position to do so, switch to 3 - no extra charges for using your phone abroad.
All calls/data consumption comes out of your UK 'allowance'.

 

[RobbieW]

If you're in a position to do so, switch to 3 - no extra charges for using your phone abroad.
All calls/data consumption comes out of your UK 'allowance'.

Provided you dont do so for too long

EDIT:
For those staying away for a while, O2 isnt a bad choice but not because of this change. Actually the 50p for up to an hour wasnt too bad a deal, 1.99/day is less good but it depends on usage. I like O2 because I can use TUGO wherever I have access to wifi. So far as I can find only EE have something similar and thats not app based but tied to some, the high end, of EEs phone range so presumably uses the IMEI or something to enable access.

 

[bendyone]

BT have Smart Talk and Three have Three to go. both app based and use wifi.

 

[sailorman]

Phone calls can be made via whatsapp too, so long as you have internet & the other party has whatsapp too

 

[RobbieW]

BT have Smart Talk and Three have Three to go. both app based and use wifi.

Interesting,thanks. Did a bit research:

It seems 3's service is called 'Three inTouch'. From 3's website "..Three inTouch is an app you can use to make and receive calls and send and receive texts when you’re connected over Wi-Fi in the UK...." - it doesnt give any help on using wifi not in the UK but the intent is clear.

The BT service appears analogous to O2's in that it allows calls made anywhere using a wifi connection to be counted against the UK allowance, though the BT one requires that you have a BT landline calling plan.

TUGo can also be used from within a browser so can be used on a laptop, I appreciate this sort of flexibilty.

 

[bendyone]

Interesting,thanks. Did a bit research:

It seems 3's service is called 'Three inTouch'. From 3's website "..Three inTouch is an app you can use to make and receive calls and send and receive texts when you’re connected over Wi-Fi in the UK...." - it doesnt give any help on using wifi not in the UK but the intent is clear.

The BT service appears analogous to O2's in that it allows calls made anywhere using a wifi connection to be counted against the UK allowance, though the BT one requires that you have a BT landline calling plan.

TUGo can also be used from within a browser so can be used on a laptop, I appreciate this sort of flexibilty.

I use BT Smart Talk, but I do have a BT line at home with unlimited minutes, one advantage is you can have up to 5 mobiles linked to this.

 

[Caladh]

Provided you dont do so for too long

EDIT:
For those staying away for a while, O2 isnt a bad choice but not because of this change. Actually the 50p for up to an hour wasnt too bad a deal, 1.99/day is less good but it depends on usage. I like O2 because I can use TUGO wherever I have access to wifi. So far as I can find only EE have something similar and thats not app based but tied to some, the high end, of EEs phone range so presumably uses the IMEI or something to enable access.

Yes I concur. I don't use my UK phone for the internet in Greece as I have a Cosmote dongle for that. What hacks me off is the fact that data and calls are effectively now tied together as if people can't do without data - hence an effective price rise to £1.99 (I'd would have had to make 4 phone calls per day back to the UK under the old 50p per call) . I guess they're looking a people going on holiday - a couple of weeks - could equate to over £40+.

 

[jimbaerselman]

If you're in a position to do so, switch to 3 - no extra charges for using your phone abroad.
All calls/data consumption comes out of your UK 'allowance'.

3 "Feel at Home" only good for 17 countries. Belgium, Holland, Germany, Portugal and Greece excluded. But WiFi app fills gaps.

 

[RobbieW]

.... But WiFi app fills gaps.

See post #7, according to 3s website the wifi app is only good for UK use - whether they'd actually restrict, or penalise, use outside the UK is another matter

 

[Mistroma]

See post #7, according to 3s website the wifi app is only good for UK use - whether they'd actually restrict, or penalise, use outside the UK is another matter

Three in Touch isn't a great app anyway. Lots of complaints about dropping calls. It worked on my wife's phone until an update before Christmas and wouldn't work afterwards. Lots of calls to 3 and they say that they are working on it. However, nothing happens and I believe that they aren't bothered.

Other minor quirks as well e.g. SMS appear in a list inside the app. if received when it is running and in usual place when it isn't. So you have to check texts in 2 places before replying to an old text. Of course you can then only see the reply either in the app or in usual sent location. Pretty certain that call log is also split in a similar fashion.

Three may arbitrarily cut you off in a "Feel at home" location after a couple of months. You might get a warning but probably not (I didn't). They will absolutely refuse to re-enable roaming until 12 months have elapsed without leaving UK. Doesn't matter if you pay full roaming costs instead of reduced "Feel at Home" rates as their rules apply whenever in a "Feel at home" destination.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Yes I concur. I don't use my UK phone for the internet in Greece as I have a Cosmote dongle for that. What hacks me off is the fact that data and calls are effectively now tied together as if people can't do without data - hence an effective price rise to £1.99 (I'd would have had to make 4 phone calls per day back to the UK under the old 50p per call) . I guess they're looking a people going on holiday - a couple of weeks - could equate to over £40+.

Simon - I think that O2 data is separate from Calls. However as you have a cosmote dongle, why dont you just down load TUGO app and make all your calls through your cosmote driven WIFI hotspot.or when ashore with taverna wifi. Works a treat.

The trouble with 02 data which is theoretically unlimited is that if you use quite a bit in a day - and they wont state how much - it goes VERY slow.

 

[syvictoria]

There's also Hangouts if you use an Android device. This can, I believe, make and receive calls over wifi or 3/4G.

 

[duncan99210]

We have EE and have found that the working of their via wifi calling system problematical. Doesn't work consistently and often seems to cause us to require to log in on email and FB accounts. So we don't use it. However, their deal for free incoming and cheap outgoing calls in Greece worked fine when I was last there.

 

[Caladh]

Simon - I think that O2 data is separate from Calls. However as you have a cosmote dongle, why dont you just down load TUGO app and make all your calls through your cosmote driven WIFI hotspot.or when ashore with taverna wifi. Works a treat.

The trouble with 02 data which is theoretically unlimited is that if you use quite a bit in a day - and they wont state how much - it goes VERY slow.

Having contacted O2 Customer Support.....I believe that from 6th April they now bundle the data and calls option together in the O2 Travel option. I have downloaded TU Go and will trial it over the Cosmote dongle when we get out there. See you soon.

 

[KellysEye]

The way to avoid any type of roaming charge is buy a Sim card in the countries you visit, they are cheap and you get local ratess for local calls and cheaper rates for calls home. We did that in 17 countries including Spain and Portugal.

 

[[3889]]

The way to avoid any type of roaming charge is buy a Sim card in the countries you visit, they are cheap and you get local ratess for local calls and cheaper rates for calls home. We did that in 17 countries including Spain and Portugal.

Not always. I had an Orange France sim and it was much more expensive than 3 Feel at Home, plus there is the disadvantage of having a different number.

 

[owen-cox]

I have EE running on an iphone 6 and it is absolutely faultless. It connects automatically and the fact that it is part of IOS instead of app based means you get none of the trange not being able to answer and confusing things that happen when your phone is in and out of wifi signal. I find it works perfectly and would thoroughly recommend it. facetime also works even better for inter apple calls and is absolutely clear as a bell and free on wifi.

 

[RobbieW]

Can I now assume that O2 is going down the same path as Vodaphone and will now be cancelling their 50p call rate from European destinations calling to the UK. It appears that from 07/04/2016 this will now be £1.99 per day (incl. data) or 16 pence per minute if you don't opt in to their O2 Travel "deal".

Nothing like being in the situation to focus the mind Having travelled to the boat in Spain I've twigged that sending 1 text will also trigger the new charge, so rather than paying 5p for 1 text I get to pay £1.99 from April 7th. I think I'll be cancelling the O2 Travel bolt on, returning or making calls can wait until I'm somewhere with WiFi.

What brought this on was having a card suspended because I'd paid a peage charge in France, then had the temerity to try and use it for another peage in Spain about 2 hours later. That required me to text Y to my provider to lift the suspension.