Anither mobile abroad query

[dgadee]

We have been with Smarty for a couple of years. £10 a month for 30Gb and would have recommended them. We are not big data users and 30Gb is way more than we use. However ...

they allow 60 days EU roaming and then dump you off the system till you return to the UK. No option to pay for a further few days. We will be in EU for 70 days total (slightly longer than usual) and will have to do without roaming for the last 10 days. I have no problem with limits but they have told me there is no possibility of paying extra. They just stop the service.

Can anyone suggest another service provider? Not keen on this lack of flexibility.

 

[Kelpie]

We're with PlusNet who in theory have a four month limit on roaming... but we've been in the EU continuously since early January and no sign of them cutting us off. So cautiously optimistic. We are however limited to 12Gb a month, even if our package is paying for more.
We also picked up a Lobster SIM card which is, rather embarrassingly, aimed specifically at Brits- meaning all the info and help is in English. EUR 24 for 70Gb, cannot roll unused data over. This is in Spain.

 

[dgadee]

Thanks. Smarty gave us only 12gb in EU too and that was plenty. I am in Greece.

 

[JFowler]

In Greece, Cosmote have a summer offer for a Data only Sim. The Sim costs €20 and comes with 12gb data. After that you can top up online using PayPal. The best option is 200gb data @ €80 valid for 12 months. You can repeat the top up year after year.

 

[Yngmar]

Might be worth having a look around here: Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki

 

[dgadee]

Thanks all. Where would I be without this forum?

 

[dgadee]

Another thought. Would a central sim router thingy be a good idea? If so, what?

 

[Yngmar]

Another thought. Would a central sim router thingy be a good idea? If so, what?

Depends on your crew! We stopped using it as someone liked to endlessly scroll various video feeds which gobbled up the data allowance really fast, especially if the video streaming player detects fast 4G internet speed and pointlessly defaults to 4k resolution ?

 

[[3889]]

We have been with Smarty for a couple of years. £10 a month for 30Gb and would have recommended them. We are not big data users and 30Gb is way more than we use. However ...

they allow 60 days EU roaming and then dump you off the system till you return to the UK. No option to pay for a further few days. We will be in EU for 70 days total (slightly longer than usual) and will have to do without roaming for the last 10 days. I have no problem with limits but they have told me there is no possibility of paying extra. They just stop the service.

Can anyone suggest another service provider? Not keen on this lack of flexibility.

I've been with Smarty since 2020. The only restriction I have is 12Gb EU roaming monthly from my 30Gb allowance. Stayed in EU for longer than 60 days without a problem. To get extra data I have a 2nd Smarty sim in an old phone and hotspot that when on board. If you have different t&cs with a 60 day limit that would work if you activated sim#2 towards the end of your stay. A lot of networks don't actually implement their roaming restrictions. A friend used a 3 sim continuously for three yrs in EU though he was supposed to get cut off after 2 months.

 

[dgadee]

I've been with Smarty since 2020. The only restriction I have is 12Gb EU roaming monthly from my 30Gb allowance. Stayed in EU for longer than 60 days without a problem. To get extra data I have a 2nd Smarty sim in an old phone and hotspot that when on board. If you have different t&cs with a 60 day limit that would work if you activated sim#2 towards the end of your stay. A lot of networks don't actually implement their roaming restrictions. A friend used a 3 sim continuously for three yrs in EU though he was supposed to get cut off after 2 months.

Thanks. Will wait and see.

Yngmar, crew not a video user. Guardian and adverts for clothing are her thing.

 

[Graham376]

This from moneysavingexpert.com - All say free roaming in Europe but only iD Mobile has decent amount of data.

Lebara (Vodafone) MSE Blagged	- 3GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£4.10 a month': It's £2.99 a month for the first five months, then £4.90 a month, so an average of £4.10 a month over a year. Though it's a rolling one-month contract, so you can cancel any time.
Lebara (Vodafone) MSE Blagged	- 5GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£4.27 a month': It's £1.99 a month for the first five months, then £5.90 a month, so an average of £4.27 a month over a year. Again, it's a rolling one-month contract, so you can cancel any time.
Plusnet (EE)	- 12GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£4.50 a month': It's £7 a month, but you're AUTOMATICALLY sent a £30 prepaid Mastercard. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £4.50 a month over the 12-month contract.
iD Mobile (Three)	- 100GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£9.84 a month': It's £14 a month, but you can CLAIM a £50 Amazon, Currys or Uber Eats voucher. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £9.84 a month over the 12-month contract.

 

[AndersG]

This from moneysavingexpert.com - All say free roaming in Europe but only iD Mobile has decent amount of data.

Lebara (Vodafone) MSE Blagged	- 3GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£4.10 a month': It's £2.99 a month for the first five months, then £4.90 a month, so an average of £4.10 a month over a year. Though it's a rolling one-month contract, so you can cancel any time.
Lebara (Vodafone) MSE Blagged	- 5GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£4.27 a month': It's £1.99 a month for the first five months, then £5.90 a month, so an average of £4.27 a month over a year. Again, it's a rolling one-month contract, so you can cancel any time.
Plusnet (EE)	- 12GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£4.50 a month': It's £7 a month, but you're AUTOMATICALLY sent a £30 prepaid Mastercard. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £4.50 a month over the 12-month contract.
iD Mobile (Three)	- 100GB/month data - Unlimited minutes & texts - Free roaming in Europe	'£9.84 a month': It's £14 a month, but you can CLAIM a £50 Amazon, Currys or Uber Eats voucher. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £9.84 a month over the 12-month contract.

Most likely non of them has free roaming in Europe. You always have to read the fair usage policy to find out the actual roaming limits.
iD Mobile does not only have fair usage policy but also a Open data policy.
EU Roaming Fair Usage | Help & Advice | iD Mobile Network

 

[srm]

Canadian friends on one boat and another Australian boat simply obtained a local sim card when they arrived and used it during their stay.

 

[bendyone]

1p mobile - let you have 12 GB and then 1p a MB for as long as you want.

Sign up here and we both get a Fiver. 1p mobile

 

[Sailfree]

The problem with local sims is that you will no longer receive calls on your UK number.

I have gone for a dual SIM phone, Samsung S20, so not the latest and new only £350 on e bay.

Then switched my SIM only contract from from "Three" to Virgin (uses O2 network) for receiving UK calls. Virgin offer free EU roaming but I assume fair use applies. I use Whats App for making calls to UK whenever possible and make lots of network calls when on short UK visits so hopefully am flying below the fair use policy radar.

For local calls and data I have a Portuguese Vodafone SIM.

Hence I receive local calls on my Portuguese SIM.

Before anyone starts shouting rules at me it's working OK for last 6 months.

I will investigate alternative for free EU roaming if Virgin do cut me off but hence I only use a Cheap SIM only contract for 12 months to minimise any potential loss.

Hopefully Virgin and O2 will get many more subscribers with there current free EU roaming policy.

 

[Gumpy]

I have been struggling with my Smarty over here in Ireland. Data works fine but cant make calls I have had to resort to my backup Giffgaff second sim .
Being a heavy data user I have had to buy a couple of top ups as the 12gb went watching F1 and Rugby last weekend.
On a positive note as its a UK sim I can stream BBC, BT sport etc on a local sim I can't.

 

[billskip]

Quote Sailfree...
have gone for a dual SIM phone, Samsung S20, so not the latest and new only £350 on e bay.....
Not from experience, but my reading seems to indicate the S20 is a good phone, some geeks say upgrade to S21,S22
Is of very little advantage.
I will look on ebay thanks

 

[Sailfree]

Quote Sailfree...
have gone for a dual SIM phone, Samsung S20, so not the latest and new only £350 on e bay.....
Not from experience, but my reading seems to indicate the S20 is a good phone, some geeks say upgrade to S21,S22
Is of very little advantage.
I will look on ebay thanks

Yes I read same reports that said the S21 was a retrograde step!

So far happy with S20 but guess what , I wanted a phone not 200million pixel camera that could do summersaults!

 

[billskip]

Yes I read same reports that said the S21 was a retrograde step!

So far happy with S20 but guess what , I wanted a phone not 200million pixel camera that could do summersaults!

Yes, but for 350 squid, you have got a lot more than a phone....its a good deal I think

 

[AndersG]

Hopefully Virgin and O2 will get many more subscribers with there current free EU roaming policy.

I don't know about Virgin but O2 has a roaming limit of 25GB after that they will charge you extra. All of them will eventually have roaming limits, after brexit they can't afford to keep free roaming.