Even though they said they wouldn't reintroduce roaming charges, from next year it'll be £2 per day to use your EE phone in the EU.
So, which operator goes next, and who do we trust not to do the same?
I'm sure the queues of knuckledraggers at Magaluf airport will be more than happy to receive that text message when they land for their week of drinking lager and getting sunburn - all part of the brexit bonus, right?
For context, I'm planning on a 5-7 week cycle tour through France next year 🤦🏻♂️
3 didn't have roaming charges even before everyone was made to get rid of them...
I’m sure the queues of knuckledraggers at Magaluf airport will be more than happy to receive that text message when they land for their week of drinking lager and getting sunburn – all part of the brexit bonus, right?
But now at least we are free to try and negotiate phone deals with Australia, oh no wait that was already free on 3 also 😛
O2 announced they were yesterday
they all will
it cost UK holidaymakers £350m a year in roaming charges before EU stopped it
so much win
O2 already announced a £3.50/gb charge for data outside your allowance or over 25gb used outwith the UK, what was not overly clear from the release I read was how long the 25gb limit is in place for, a week, a bill cycle, a year?
I'm on EE currently and expected this to happen. For a week away it'll be an extra £14 or so to carry on using the phone, sounds not too bad but for longer trips it'll be an annoyance. Add up everyone's bills and the companies will be taking it it (once we're allowed to go abroad en masse).
Another invoice I can send to those who voted Leave 🤬
Is that a flat rate or per country. Most of my foreign holidays seem to be on the French/Swiss/Italian border.
Just the other day I got a text from EE asking me to rate the service I've recieved. So I've replied telling them what I think of this.
hungrymonkey
Free MemberTime for a new SIM card
I wouldn't bother, they'll all do it very soon. Maybe with the exception of 3, but wouldn't even bank on that
For a prolonged holiday could you not just get a French PAYG SIM? (I know this is a pain but it’s what my Portuguese mate used to do when he went home before roaming charges were abolished)
Great, no doubt this will be reciprocal, so anytime I visit the UK I'll get hit with charges from (Spanish) Orange. Good old Brexit! 🤬
The O2 thing was a fair use policy, which they were allowed to set when we were part of the EU anyway; it was almost a non story
Naturally, a number of newspapers have thus described O2’s change as the “end of free roaming” or the “return of roaming charges,” but it should be said that data usage when roaming within the EU has always tended to be treated a bit differently from texts and calls, even when the UK was still within the EU. Indeed, O2’s rivals have long had fair usage limits, particularly for UK plans that offer unlimited data or large data allowances.
For example, EE’s Pay Monthly plans already include a 50GB roaming cap when within their own Europe Zone (i.e. if you have a usage allowance of that size or bigger) and “surcharges” will apply if you go over that (here) – this equates to 36p per MegaByte. It’s a similar story for other operators’ too, with Three UK enabling you to use up to 20GB of your data allowance at no extra cost when within their Go Roam in Europe destinations.
In short, O2 are largely just adopting the same approach as their rivals, which have long had FUP caps on data for EU roaming.
However, the EE thing is not, and that is a "benefit" of the sunlit uplands
FREEDUMB
(I know this is a pain but it’s what my Portuguese mate used to do when he went home before roaming charges were abolished)
kinda sums it up really doesn't it. Brexit continues to be a giant steaming turd in the middle of everyone's dinner
I spend a few monnths of each year at my other home in Madeira. This spring, i received for the first time a 'fair usage' warning from 02 saying that if i spent too much time outside of the UK within a given year, i will incur penalties. Never had this before.
I think the cost is reasonable it costs us a lot more when In the US x 4 phones, although we are on holiday so hardly use them.
I’m sure the queues of knuckledraggers at Magaluf airport will be more than happy to receive that text message when they land for their week of drinking lager and getting sunburn
Not sure why you felt the need to add this TBF
it cost UK holidaymakers £350m a year in roaming charges before EU stopped it
What's the problem That's just one week of what we used to send to the EU. I read it on a bus
EE will do 30days abroad for £10
it cost UK holidaymakers £350m a year in roaming charges before EU stopped it
Should give that to the NHS
It reads like it's a charge for new customers, so don't ditch that SIM just yet. Then as they said they wouldn't apply charges at all in Jan, I wouldn't be surprised if this was expanded to all customers in the near future.
But think of the blue passports! And the freedom! And taking back control of our laws! And all those hospitals we can afford to build! And the lack of those foreigners coming over stealing our jobs!
Surely that's worth £2 a day to call home from the Dog and Duck in Benedorm to moan about how the beans in your Full English aren't like back home?
Anybody?............
I’m sure the queues of knuckledraggers at Magaluf airport will be more than happy to receive that text message when they land for their week of drinking lager and getting sunburn
Not sure why you felt the need to add this TBF
Especially as I would assume the majority of people going to Magaluf on holiday are 18-30 and that age group were about 80% remain. The people off on their Saga cruises though.....
The people off on their Saga cruises though
Not their problem. The boat probably has WiFi...
Not their problem. The boat probably has WiFi…
😀
I wouldn’t bother, they’ll all do it very soon. Maybe with the exception of 3, but wouldn’t even bank on that
To be fair, 3 were doing free roaming since before EU rules came in forcing all providers to drop crazy roaming fees. It was one of thier, if not the biggest selling point for them, at least for me. So I would hope they would continue.
I’m sure the queues of knuckledraggers at Magaluf airport will be more than happy to receive that text message when they land for their week of drinking lager and getting sunburn
Not sure why you felt the need to add this TBF
Because I'm a bitter, angry remoaner, and I think that the vast majority of brexit voters are knuckdraggers...
Other European destinations are available.
🙂
For a prolonged holiday could you not just get a French PAYG SIM? (I know this is a pain but it’s what my Portuguese mate used to do when he went home before roaming charges were abolished)
Lots of phones with dual slim slots these days also.
Can you avoid paying it if you can prove you voted remain and charge leave voters double? Since the vote was pretty much 50/50 the net impact would be the same.
It reads like it’s a charge for new customers, so don’t ditch that SIM just yet. Then as they said they wouldn’t apply charges at all in Jan, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was expanded to all customers in the near future.
vote with your feet anyway. it costs extremely little to accept/make roaming calls for the network (couple of pence a day) - these charges are abusive.
I've never actually used a duel sim phone, how do they work... Do yo have to disable sim A and enable sim B or does it work automagiaclly?
What about remainers abroad like me who were denied a vote?!
it costs extremely little to accept/make roaming calls for the network (couple of pence a day) – these charges are abusive.
Who is actually calling people?
I want to use maps, possibly use some sort of language translator, upload my strava/skitrax, post pictures to insta, use the group whatsapp to coordinate the days activities.
And possibly, depending on my mood with work, check my emails once a day.
I’ve never actually used a duel sim phone, how do they work… Do yo have to disable sim A and enable sim B or does it work automagiaclly?
I dial a number and it pops up which SIM do you want to call from?
You can designate a primary sim.
Love mine.
It's only for new customers or people upgrading
It’s only for new customers or people upgrading
One of the reasons I moved my EE contract to sim only, to grandfather pre-Brexit terms (while they're allowing that). Anyone with a handset on an EE plan will be pulled into this at the end of their current contract.
I dial a number and it pops up which SIM do you want to call from?
You can designate a primary sim.
Love mine.
Interesting! Thanks.. How does that work with data/Internet though? I generaly use WhatsApp instead of regular calls abroad, mainly so people I call aren't hit with charges too
Brexshit - the most expensive way of changing the colour of UK passports we could ever have imagined.
Can I invoice a local Brexiteer?
I want to use maps, possibly use some sort of language translator, upload my strava/skitrax, post pictures to insta, use the group whatsapp to coordinate the days activities.
I've just been having that conversation about it with my dad. He said that I hardly ever use my phone for calls anyway so won't affect me but then I reminded him about how I used it for navigation, looking up attractions, paying for stuff (Euro pre-pay card linked to G Pay) and a few other things the last time we went abroad. All of that would cost me as data is classed as roaming.
He went a bit silent.
Thanks.. How does that work with data/Internet though?
on my galaxy s10 you configure it to use 1 sim for data at a given point in time. You might be able to tell it to use both (I've never needed to). you can't use a micro sd card at the same time as a second sim though
It's not really surprising. Most phone plans nowadays are free for calls and texts which happens to be regulated. The unregulated part - picture messages and data, seen as a luxury, is where they make the money.
The telecoms industry has a history of all companies following , for example, one off shores an admin role to India and before you know it all the others have had to do the same to remain competitive. No doubt the consultants are already working out how much they can charge O2, VF and 3 to tell them to do the same. I can imagine the only reason it's not already happened is due to sandbagging against this years targets.
I called in to Tesco's this week to renew my contract and I asked if there were any changes to using the phone in the EU. They told me no changes at all.
They told me no changes at all.
O2 will soon change that... EE may be the first, but they won't be the last, the main players in the industry (which I've worked in quite a bit) follow each other on these things quite quickly.
I would be surprised If Three do anything there pricing is excellent and really started the no roaming charge thing, even Three's 5G is no extra charge again different to all the other major networks.
Three work hard to get high value, low turnover, customers. I can see them keeping no roaming charges as a USP again once the others have brought them back.
O2 Virginmedia will soon change that
Especially as I would assume the majority of people going to Magaluf on holiday are 18-30 and that age group were about 80% remain. The people off on their Saga cruises though…
...and if they bothered to vote in the same numbers as the Saga bunch Brexit wouldn't have happened.
Interesting! Thanks.. How does that work with data/Internet though? I generaly use WhatsApp instead of regular calls abroad, mainly so people I call aren’t hit with charges too
How are the people you call hit by charges? That is utter nonsense of the highest order!
…and if they bothered to vote in the same numbers as the Saga bunch Brexit wouldn’t have happened.
Citation needed. I don't think this is true as there are just a lot more boomers.
I'm invested in this. I spend roughly 5 months a year in the French Alps. Curenntly have an Orange broadband pack which has decent speed at our little gaff in Villaroger. €37 pcm.
I've spent some time looking at 4g packages recently and I think we can get what we need for about £18 pcm over 4g via a roaming data sim which *promise* not to put up roaming charges or throttle the data.
We need high speed internet. We work whilst we are there. The kids watch TV. I watch TV. The data we use is pretty high.
We used to just rock up, plug in and work.
This is shit.
I’ve never actually used a duel sim phone, how do they work… Do yo have to disable sim A and enable sim B or does it work automagiaclly
TBH you don’t always need a dual sim phone, the later iPhones have an e-sim which will free up the single sim slot.
(You request an e-sim from your carrier)
You can then set up a primary and secondary line and set which ones used for data.
Citation needed. I don’t think this is true as there are just a lot more boomers.
from the first search i did
The Guardian:
The results found that 64% of those young people who were registered did vote, rising to 65% among 25-to-39-year-olds and 66% among those aged between 40 and 54. It increased to 74% among the 55-to-64 age group and 90% for those aged 65 and over.
Brexshit – the most expensive way of changing the colour of UK passports we could ever have imagined.
... that we could've done at any time anyway.
it cost UK holidaymakers £350m a year in roaming charges before EU stopped it
Yeah but we're saving 350m a week now though, aren't we?
The results found that 64% of those young people who were registered did vote, rising to 65% among 25-to-39-year-olds and 66% among those aged between 40 and 54. It increased to 74% among the 55-to-64 age group and 90% for those aged 65 and over.
So young people voted in similar numbers to everyone else under 55.
The comparison was 18-30 and Saga Cruises.
The comparison was 18-30 and Saga Cruises.
The comparison works for everyone under 55 vs. Saga cruises, so I'd prefer it if folk stopped using it as a stick to beat young people with. If nothing else, it's rank hypocrisy given most people on these pages are in that category.
The results found that 64% of those young people who were registered did vote, rising to 65% among 25-to-39-year-olds and 66% among those aged between 40 and 54. It increased to 74% among the 55-to-64 age group and 90% for those aged 65 and over.
That doesn't prove that Brexit wouldn't have happened if more young people voted though does it. Without numbers of those groups it's pretty meaningless. And given that young people have essentially been on the losing side of every election they've ever voted in it's understandable if they are rather jaded
The OP made the comment
the knuckledraggers at Magaluf airport will be more than happy to receive that text message when they land for their week of drinking lager and getting sunburn
I just pointed out that most people holidaying in Magaluf would be younger and (those that voted) in that age group they were massively pro remain, so maybe not the ones to be annoyed with.
Some of the people at the hypothetical airport were 13 in 2016.
Well, 2 things have since happened.
Vodaphone have joined the roaming charge party and...
EE messaged me to say that my (rolling since 2019) contact is now out of date and is coming to an end. But fear not, I can go on to a new contract without having to do anything!
Of course, roaming charges will apply... unless I spend more money per month on a contract that gives me 'gifts' each month - BT sport, some music thing or EU roaming. Oh, and it's a 24 month contract please.
****'em.
So, what network with no roaming charges, and decent coverage in the FoD and Cairngorms?
(yes, a new contract could cost me more than the extra £4-5 a month of the 'upgraded' one, but I'm leaving EE on principal, after 11 years of good coverage and fair prices).
I'm on Voxi, which is owned by Vodafone and piggybacks their network. Curiously they've said that the Vodafone announcement won't apply to them- I'd ahve expected them to have the same access costs as vodafone.
So, what network with no roaming charges, and decent coverage in the FoD and Cairngorms?
Not sure what coverage is like in FoD, but I've found Vodafone decent in the Cairngorms (specifically my experience is mainly around Loch Morlich / Aviemore area).
After seeing the Vodafone announcement yesterday:
"The rules will change for new and upgrading customers from Wednesday, 11 August, though the charges will not apply until January. Existing customers will not be impacted by these changes while they remain on their current price plan, and roaming in the Republic of Ireland will still be included for all customers," Vodafone said.
I cancelled my current Vodafone Basics (no roaming) package and took out a new contract that includes roaming - Vodafone wouldn't entertain a sensible upgrade for an existing customer, so *** 'em I've gone with being a new customer. With that contract starting today (10th Aug), I'll be classed as an existing customer and retain roaming as long as I remain on my current price plan (but with 100GB of 5G, unlimited mins/txts, £9.50/mth for 12 months then £16/mth thereafter I won't be changing).
Edit: https://www.mobiles.co.uk/vodafone-sim-only-deals?tariffcode=KBWCMFEB24
Good looking deal that - fair bit cheaper than EE...
still don't like companies that go back on their 'no roaming' promise though...
Should give that to the NHS
£350m is such an auspicious number. Someone should put it on a bus.
bt mobile and plusnet both use EE's networks if you don't want risk associated with moving network.
Otherwise, three have been pushing the boundries on roaming since they were established. I'd be extremely surprised if they change this approach.
I’d prefer it if folk stopped using it as a stick to beat young people with
... and I'd prefer it if people didn't use it as a stick to beat older people with. Quite a lot of us voted Remain and think Brexit is a disaster.
I've been eligible for Saga for 16 years, not that I would go on one of their holidays. Although I did use Saga insurance for fortnight's sea kayaking in Greenland; it was quite clear that Greenland was covered, and sea kayaking with a qualified guide was covered, but perhaps their pricing didn't anticipate both.
Otherwise, three have been pushing the boundries on roaming since they were established. I’d be extremely surprised if they change this approach.
Yep, Three have always been good regarding roaming. Just a shame their coverage where I live/visit is the worst of any I've tried.
