Roaming charges are back

[bendyone]

EE to reintroduce Europe roaming charges in January

Mobile operator EE will charge new UK customers extra to use their mobile phones in Europe from January.
Those joining or upgrading from 7 July 2021 will be charged £2 a day to use their allowances in 47 European destinations from January 2022.
EE, which is part of BT Group, previously said it had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges in Europe.

 

[Poignard]

'David Davis brushed aside those concerns, declaring: “There will be no downside to (the elephant in the room), only a considerable upside.”'

 

[LittleSister]

This may also affect Virgin Mobile, Asda Mobile and BT Mobile, who also use the EE network.

 

[Graham376]

Is this announcement with delayed implementation a marketing ploy to get people to join up before 7th July?

 

[Bouba]

Common folks, it’s not like no roaming charges are a birthright. The mobile phone companies went kicking and screaming in giving up those charges and it wasn’t that long ago. So all that’s happening is that the situation is exactly the same as the first forty years of the Eu

 

[Bristolfashion]

Common folks, it’s not like no roaming charges are a birthright. The mobile phone companies went kicking and screaming in giving up those charges and it wasn’t that long ago. So all that’s happening is that the situation is exactly the same as the first forty years of the Eu

Er, it's not great news - I don't particularly want to change network, but I don't want to pay £180 more for a 3 month winter sojourn in Spain - the mobile plan is only £16/month.

 

[Bouba]

Er, it's not great news - I don't particularly want to change network, but I don't want to pay £180 more for a 3 month winter sojourn in Spain - the mobile plan is only £16/month.

For three months can’t you buy a local SIM card?

 

[Kelpie]

Common folks, it’s not like no roaming charges are a birthright. The mobile phone companies went kicking and screaming in giving up those charges and it wasn’t that long ago. So all that’s happening is that the situation is exactly the same as the first forty years of the Eu

That's about as comforting as telling somebody whose car has just broken down and who is continuing on foot, that they're just back in the position they would have been a hundred years ago.

 

[Bouba]

That's about as comforting as telling somebody whose car has just broken down and who is continuing on foot, that they're just back in the position they would have been a hundred years ago.

My mission is not to give comfort, merely perspective

 

[Graham376]

For three months can’t you buy a local SIM card?

Simple enough, we have second phones with local sims for use outside UK. but use whatsapp mainly via 4G data plan.

 

[nortada]

Understand that the going rate will a local pay as you go sim is about €1 per day for unlimited data so not a lot different from a standard UK contract and far less hassle.

 

[Caladh]

My mission is not to give comfort, merely perspective

Tbh seems that you need a new pair of spectacles !!!

 

[Bouba]

Tbh seems that you need a new pair of spectacles !!!

I’m waiting for my new pair from Specsavers to arrive. If I’m charged duty I shall be most annoyed at Brexit

 

[Caladh]

I’m waiting for my new pair from Specsavers to arrive. If I’m charged duty I shall be most annoyed at Brexit

I don’t think I’m going there with you. You won - I won blah blah blah. Have a great day.

 

[RupertW]

Common folks, it’s not like no roaming charges are a birthright. The mobile phone companies went kicking and screaming in giving up those charges and it wasn’t that long ago. So all that’s happening is that the situation is exactly the same as the first forty years of the Eu

And the perspective is that the EU dragged them kicking and screaming into abolishing roaming charges and we stepped away from that deal - into a world where so many more services are delivered online compared to 5 or 10 years ago, from checking into countries to booking marinas to getting weather forecasts downloading charts to chatting with friends.

 

[webcraft]

And the perspective is that the EU dragged them kicking and screaming into abolishing roaming charges and we stepped away from that deal - into a world where so many more services are delivered online compared to 5 or 10 years ago, from checking into countries to booking marinas to getting weather forecasts downloading charts to chatting with friends.

My experience of mobile phone companies of all breeds is that 'customer service' is an oxymoron. Expecting anything from them other than naked self-interest is a huge mistake.

- W

 

[RupertW]

My experience of mobile phone companies of all breeds is that 'customer service' is an oxymoron. Expecting anything from them other than naked self-interest is a huge mistake.

- W

Exactly - it takes a bunch of nations working together to overcome that - and then it takes a decade or more to make it actually happen.

 

[chriss999]

And a couple of years to dismantle it again.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

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.

 

[chriss999]

Yes but Mountain is happy to pay for us all. I’ll send him the bill when my roaming charges kick in again.