Mobile Roaming Costs - Cheaper than being in UK!

[Crossover]

Has anyone else found this?

I'm an Orange (EE) PAYG customer, and outside of the bundled texts I get when topping up, texts cost 12p (and in the case of texting a friend in another country who has a local (to that country) mobile number, 20p. Call costs are always 30p (rip-off in itself, I know, but I don't call much on it anyway) a min (or part of)

I was away with family in the Netherlands just over a week ago. I didn't actually check roaming costs at the time, as I knew I wasn't going to use it much, but did a bit of digging on my account at the texts I did send, which I have since verified on the website advertising. It appears all texts I sent to mobiles, both UK and another country, were charged at 8p. Call costs to UK numbers it seems are 24p min a minute to make.

So, roaming charges have now reduced to the point that its cheaper to text from abroad than in the local country! I wonder when they will stop ripping off UK customers when in their home country!

I'd love to have a whinge at them, but the only way to do it is by letter (make it as difficult as possible ) and at the end of the day, I doubt it would achieve anything useful

 

[All Line Rover]

Three 321. 3p/min, 2p/text, 1p/MB. Undercuts Giffgaff, Tesco and other MVNOs. A fantastic tariff for those who make a modest amount of calls and texts and use data sparingly (1p/MB might sound cheap but 1GB = £10!).

This tariff was released recently and IMO is an excellent addition to a market which has seen little serious competition in a long time.

 

[richw]

I am with Tesco. On a recent trip to Tenerife, my usage came out of my contract UK minutes. No extra charges were shown for these items, and my bill came at its normal £15. I therefore propose Tesco mobile to provide the best roaming charge.

 

[Crossover]

Three 321. 3p/min, 2p/text, 1p/MB. Undercuts Giffgaff, Tesco and other MVNOs. A fantastic tariff for those who make a modest amount of calls and texts and use data sparingly (1p/MB might sound cheap but 1GB = £10!).

This tariff was released recently and IMO is an excellent addition to a market which has seen little serious competition in a long time.

That does a rather good tariff - thanks for sharing

To be honest, I suspect had I been using the Orange phone as my main one, I would have seriously considered a change by now (my phone is ancient and only does WAP!)

 

[maniacmartin]

Roaming call, text and internet charges in the EU are now regulated by new EU legislation.

Domestic charges are not.

 

[Crossover]

Roaming call, text and internet charges in the EU are now regulated by new EU legislation.

Domestic charges are not.

Wonderful...just wonderful...

I wonder if the likes of what Three have, as posted above, will kick the other big players into knocking themselves into line...

 

[All Line Rover]

I wonder if the likes of what Three have, as posted above, will kick the other big players into knocking themselves into line...

The Three tariff is good for many UK customers but:

• They rip you off on non-geographic numbers (35p/min for 0844/0845/0870) unlike Giffgaff
• I haven't checked roaming charges - they might be higher than other PAYG tariffs

A panacea tariff would be the Three 321 + Giffgaff's free 0800 and 8p/min non-geographic rates + cheap data add-ons + reasonable roaming charges. I'm still waiting!

 

[jon0844]

Every tariff has to get you somewhere! For me, the Three tariff is awesome for data. You get 150MB free for every top up so do £5 top ups and you're even better off!

 

[Mojo]

Personally I avoid Three (like I used to avoid T-Mobile until they joined with Orange) due to their signal coverage being so bad from my own personal experience, so I think that they can only so much as there will always be others, like me, willing to pay a bit more to avoid the stress.

Nonetheless, I thought most companies give you such a high inclusive text allowance that it was almost impossible to go over it! I'm looking for a change of 'phone at the moment; I was on an 18 Month contract and have been on Giffgaff for the last 18 Months but my 'phone is getting on a bit now; and the companies offer far more than I need but I seem forced to take it because I want at least 750mb data.

 

[Crossover]

...but I seem forced to take it because I want at least 750gb data.

hock:

 

[starrymarkb]

I can use up to 17GB per month but 750!

 

[Crossover]

I can use up to 17GB per month but 750!

Even if that 750 is actually a typo for 75GB, hock: would still apply.

My work phone has 500MB/month and I didn't think that was all so bad!

 

[jon0844]

Personally I avoid Three (like I used to avoid T-Mobile until they joined with Orange) due to their signal coverage being so bad from my own personal experience, so I think that they can only so much as there will always be others, like me, willing to pay a bit more to avoid the stress.

Three does of course share cell sites with EE. It was originally Three and T-Mobile that began, with Orange joining later.

Only difference is for 2G, but my phone is locked to 3G to save battery anyway.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Harpers Tate]

The Three tariff is good for many UK customers but:.....
I haven't checked roaming charges - they might be higher than other PAYG tariffs

In the EU they cannot exceed the rates stated above. Roaming rates are capped by EU law. Outside the EU they can (and often do- all of them) charge whatever they like.

 

[jon0844]

Three once charged less than the capped rates. It also had its '3LikeHome' deal, so you just used your bundled minutes/texts/data anywhere in Europe.

Sadly, they axed this and went with the flow. It was later (much later) replaced with a £5 for 24 hours of unlimited data in the EU - but without tethering, which sadly makes it a lot less useful.

I do hope that we don't see any nasty tricks when the EU finally does away with roaming charges within the EU, but can already see how that's going to happen by looking at Vodafone's advertising that shows your bundles as 'UK only'. So, when roaming, you'll have to pay extra (technically) as it will be on top of whatever data you have already paid for.

In that respect, Three's 321 deal could be even better value.

I am with Tesco. On a recent trip to Tenerife, my usage came out of my contract UK minutes. No extra charges were shown for these items, and my bill came at its normal £15. I therefore propose Tesco mobile to provide the best roaming charge.

Are you sure about this? I am not aware of any network not charging anything for roaming (at least not without some extra subscription/add-on/bundle) - but it can sometimes take a month or two for the charges to show up.

 

[richw]

Are you sure about this? I am not aware of any network not charging anything for roaming (at least not without some extra subscription/add-on/bundle) - but it can sometimes take a month or two for the charges to show up.

Yep 100% certain
see attached screen print of my bill, personal info deleted.

 

[Deerfold]

Personally I avoid Three (like I used to avoid T-Mobile until they joined with Orange) due to their signal coverage being so bad from my own personal experience, so I think that they can only so much as there will always be others, like me, willing to pay a bit more to avoid the stress.

Nonetheless, I thought most companies give you such a high inclusive text allowance that it was almost impossible to go over it! I'm looking for a change of 'phone at the moment; I was on an 18 Month contract and have been on Giffgaff for the last 18 Months but my 'phone is getting on a bit now; and the companies offer far more than I need but I seem forced to take it because I want at least 750mb data.

I found my 3 connectivity very reliant on what phone I used. My Samsung S3 seems fine - I've just a couple of gaps on the EC line and oddly, a couple of low signal points on the Isle of Dogs. Great at home in rural West Yorkshire going on North Yorkshire.

I'm a big fan of their One Tariff (http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/All_about_The_One_Plan) but I really use the data (including specifically allowing use as a hotspot).
I've been on the contract nearly 3 years and my data usage has increased from about 1Gb in the first month I had it to 7.5Gb last month (and looking similar this month).

No-one else seems to do proper unlimited data.

 

[jon0844]

Yep 100% certain
see attached screen print of my bill, personal info deleted.

Awesome!

 

[WestCoast]

I have one PAYG phone on giffgaff (O2 network), which I use for work, and a contract phone on Three's One Plan for personal use. Three is clearly better for mobile internet, the coverage and speed is quite impressive considering it's the smallest (non-virtual) network. I find that O2 has better coverage for making calls/texts, and I sometimes struggle to get a decent Three signal inside buildings. I am sure others can explain the technical reason.

 

[HST Power]

I have one PAYG phone on giffgaff (O2 network), which I use for work, and a contract phone on Three's One Plan for personal use. Three is clearly better for mobile internet, the coverage and speed is quite impressive considering it's the smallest (non-virtual) network. I find that O2 has better coverage for making calls/texts, and I sometimes struggle to get a decent Three signal inside buildings. I am sure others can explain the technical reason.

I'm changing to 02 as soon as I can. I've had enough of Orange and I've had enough of Apple. I'll be switching to Blackberry (or Samsung) once I've paid for a few other things, most of which involve railway tickets!

I also struggle to get a decent signal. Remember that story about the woman in Sainsbury's who wouldn't get served because she was on her mobile? I don't know how she managed that, because I can never get a signal in Sainsbury's, and quite a few other shops as well.

 

[transmanche]

I sometimes struggle to get a decent Three signal inside buildings. I am sure others can explain the technical reason.

Higher frequencies don't penetrate buildings as well as lower frequencies.

Three's allocated 3G spectrum is in the 2100Mhz band. Whereas Vodafone and 02 have some 3G spectrum in the 900MHz band.

 

[jon0844]

Yes, and 4G also has some at 800MHz. Orange/EE has its 4G currently at 1800, reusing analogue spectrum.

 

[sonic2009]

If anyone is on Orange or T-Mobile and is under 24, then ask customer services about it. I get unlimited calls & texts to the EE family eg Orange, T-Mobile & EE plus an extra 1GB data.