Best deals for roaming?

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mjr
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by mjr »

st599_uk wrote: 22 Jan 2022, 6:00pm
mjr wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 1:48pm You're welcome. It seems rare that two brands of the same company offer two such obviously comparable prices.

They're not the same company. GiffGaff have bought a block of access from 02 and sold it on. They're getting favourable wholesale rates. The question is when they next buy a block, will the roaming rights be retained.
Giffgaff and O2 are ultimately both brands of Telefónica. Their accounting and administrative splits between corporations are not important to me.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Jdsk
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Jdsk »

Advice from MoneySavingExpert updated on 1 February 2022:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobil ... ing-calls/

Jonathan
simonhill
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by simonhill »

Nothing much new there. I am waiting to see what will actually happen to me. I am on EE PAYG monthly renewed SIM only. I'll be away on crunch day, 3rd March for EE.

It'll probably be £2 a day for any day I use anything - so a bit pricey just to book a hotel, ring a GH to open up, or refresh a map. There is a £10 a month which is not bad, but I can't find out if that applies to me. Their webpage info is a bit contradictory and mainly details what the position is now. I went to an EE shop to clarify and all the bloke did was read the webpages that I had already seen.

Anyway, a bit of excitement for me on the 3rd.
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Navrig
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Navrig »

When I, eventually, get into Europe for my first tour I'll probably do what I did in Vietnam which is buy an EU SIM with a mountain of data for a fixed period. I won't make voice calls but will simply use WhatsApp, FB Messenger and email. I have a dual SIM phone so my Vodafone SIM will be disabled for everything except SMS which is needed for banking apps.
Jdsk
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Jdsk »

Navrig wrote: 19 Feb 2022, 3:33pm When I, eventually, get into Europe for my first tour I'll probably do what I did in Vietnam which is buy an EU SIM with a mountain of data for a fixed period. I won't make voice calls but will simply use WhatsApp, FB Messenger and email. I have a dual SIM phone so my Vodafone SIM will be disabled for everything except SMS which is needed for banking apps.
Have you spotted the comments upthread about different countries' restrictions on purchase?

Please let us know how it goes.

Thanks

Jonathan
Psamathe
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Psamathe »

Navrig wrote: 19 Feb 2022, 3:33pm When I, eventually, get into Europe for my first tour I'll probably do what I did in Vietnam which is buy an EU SIM with a mountain of data for a fixed period. I won't make voice calls but will simply use WhatsApp, FB Messenger and email. I have a dual SIM phone so my Vodafone SIM will be disabled for everything except SMS which is needed for banking apps.
A lot depends on what arrangement you are on with your network (and I don't know Vodafone's offers). But e.g. on EE PAYG is expensive and limited but Pay Monthly the most obvious solution they push is £2 per day but search a bit deeper and they also offer a £10 per month (plus if Pay Monthly they do have contracts that can include roaming within the contract as well). I suspect that other networks wont be too different.

Also although banking apps probably wont be sending vast numbers of SMS messages can you filter who can send SMS (e.g. from bank only)? On EE, without roaming in place (either under contract or via £2 or via £10) you pay to receive SMS when you are overseas.

Ian
simonhill
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by simonhill »

Ian, I think it's free to receive a text when abroad with EE. You need to dig deep to find the info and there's still little on what will be happening post 3rd March. You get a clue by checking on a non EU country, I did this for Thai and Vn. Both are free to receive texts.

I know it's true, cos I got a text in Vietnam on PAYG and it was free. Hopefully this will be the same for EU post abolition of roaming.

I hope so. I just got 3 texts from NHS tracing over 2 days that would have cost me 2 x £2 after March 3rd.
Psamathe
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Psamathe »

simonhill wrote: 19 Feb 2022, 7:37pm Ian, I think it's free to receive a text when abroad with EE. You need to dig deep to find the info and there's still little on what will be happening post 3rd March. You get a clue by checking on a non EU country, I did this for Thai and Vn. Both are free to receive texts.....
I checked with EE Customer Services (by phone) on 3 separate occasions over last 6 months and always same answer that outside roaming text msgs are charged. Not been away since pandemic start so I've no way of checking in real world (i.e. receive a text and check bill).

That said, all their costs and charges stuff makes no reference to cost to receive text.

I asked but the answer was not important as I use Signal for everything except OTP codes from banks occasonally whilst travelling so it''s not a massive issue for me.

Ian
Jdsk
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Jdsk »

Image

Interesting advertising campaign.

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simonhill
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by simonhill »

My roll over monthly PAYG EE renewed today.

In the text message it says I can use it for the next 30 days, including roaming in the EU. This is the standard message, but not sure if they will honour the roaming or end it on 3 March.

I'll wait and see, meanwhile investigating very cheap local Spanish SIMs. I'll report back later.
Slowtwitch
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Slowtwitch »

To be safe I usually get a Three pay as you go. It gives me 12gb per month anywhere in Europe and its cheap. Good service, relatively fast internet.
simonhill
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by simonhill »

Wrote before quoting.

Pasted original in below.
Last edited by simonhill on 1 Mar 2022, 3:03pm, edited 1 time in total.
simonhill
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by simonhill »

Slowtwitch wrote: 1 Mar 2022, 2:52pm To be safe I usually get a Three pay as you go. It gives me 12gb per month anywhere in Europe and its cheap. Good service, relatively fast internet.
Slowtwitch, see the link to moneysavingexpert about 6 posts up.

According to that Three are stopping roaming from May unless you had a contract before last October.

This is what this thread is about, most of the big providers have or will soon be stopping it.
Slowtwitch
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by Slowtwitch »

simonhill wrote: 1 Mar 2022, 3:01pm
Slowtwitch wrote: 1 Mar 2022, 2:52pm To be safe I usually get a Three pay as you go. It gives me 12gb per month anywhere in Europe and its cheap. Good service, relatively fast internet.
Slowtwitch, see the link to moneysavingexpert about 6 posts up.

According to that Three are stopping roaming from May unless you had a contract before last October.

This is what this thread is about, most of the big providers have or will soon be stopping it.
I see. It was an excellent service as well, we used it regularly in visiting Spain and Portugal. Another 'Btexit Bonus' :evil:
simonhill
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Re: Best deals for roaming?

Post by simonhill »

Rather surprised to report that my PAYG with ee which I have had continuosly since April 20, still has roaming.

I thought it was only proper monthly contracts that retained it. My PAYG isn't available anymore, so ee could pull it at anytime and I'd be on a new deal and would lose roaming, so let's hope they don't.

Nonetheless, in anticipation I did some research and there are plenty of very cheap PAYG SIM deals to be had in Spain. I was offered lots of gbs for €5, by a number of providers. You will need to get it registered within 2 (?) weeks but some shops can do this.

So if you're going to Spain, a local SIM may be your best bet.
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