o2 travel bolt on

[alcanadakid]

On recommendation I signed up to the travel bolt-on with O2 (my mobile provider). This limits the cost to £1.99 for each day you use the service in Europe. Previously it covered just data usage and therefore it represented good value if you needed to download data.

However 02 now say for that price it covers data AND CALLS.

That means that for every day that you use your phone, whether data or calls the price is £1.99.

Depending what your usage it could prove very cheap or very expensive.

If you do short calls most days then it is very expensive.

If you have wifi it is far better to use whatsapp for calls and then they are free

 

[romanb]

Up until fairly recently I had vodafone passport this was £3 a day, the internet was very hit and miss in the house we were staying in over New Year and every time I sent one text in a day I was charged £3, the bill for that month worked out £24 more than normal.

I cancelled the passport and used the phone for texts and calls paying normal charges at Easter and my bill was less than £3 more that month. Unless using the phone for lots of calls I do not think these packages are worthwhile at all.

 

[ragdollabbi]

On recommendation I signed up to the travel bolt-on with O2 (my mobile provider). This limits the cost to £1.99 for each day you use the service in Europe. Previously it covered just data usage and therefore it represented good value if you needed to download data.

However 02 now say for that price it covers data AND CALLS.

That means that for every day that you use your phone, whether data or calls the price is £1.99.

Depending what your usage it could prove very cheap or very expensive.

If you do short calls most days then it is very expensive.

If you have wifi it is far better to use whatsapp for calls and then they are free

Just checked my bill and yes...I have been charged £1.99 per day for the duration of our break in April. I wasn't aware that this had changed to include telephone calls

 

[alcanadakid]

I wouldn't have known either except I heard it on the BBC Moneybox programme

 

[eleanor]

Isn't there a connection charge of 50p per incoming and outgoing calls? I believe after this 50p the call comes out of usual data.
I downloaded O2's Tugo app which works via wifi. I have used quite often but found that calls and texts made via this app can appear on your bill and charged. It is also difficult to answer calls via this app especially if you have a code on your phone. By the time the code has been put in the ringing stops!!

 

[alcanadakid]

Isn't there a connection charge of 50p per incoming and outgoing calls? I believe after this 50p the call comes out of usual data.
I downloaded O2's Tugo app which works via wifi. I have used quite often but found that calls and texts made via this app can appear on your bill and charged. It is also difficult to answer calls via this app especially if you have a code on your phone. By the time the code has been put in the ringing stops!!

I also use tugo which just allows you to access your phone calls when there is no phone signal but you have a wifi connection. It is great for us in the UK where we hardly have any reception at home, but I agree with your comment about being difficult to answer quickly. Not sure about the connection charges in Spain., but since part of the call is made through the provider I can understand there being a charge.

We use Whatsapp as much as we can and then there is no charge. You need wifi though.

 

[Mark]

Roaming will get cheaper now as from 30th April 2016 there are new EU rules

BBC article
Mobile phone roaming charges cut within EU - BBC News

From June 2017 roaming charges will be completely abolished apparently, not sure what will happen if the UK leaves the EU though....

So it does look like the days of paying daily £2 or £3 extra bundle charges are nearly over

 

[its cd]

use 3

all calls and data completely free within terms of your normal contract in a number of countries ( basically its just as though you are at home ) - Spain, Italy, USA, Hong Kong and Australia for certain

Even available on a one month contract so if you are tied into someone else contract at home but are going to be in one of these countries for a while the just sign up for a sim and serve notice immediately -

 

[alcanadakid]

Roaming will get cheaper now as from 30th April 2016 there are new EU rules

BBC article
Mobile phone roaming charges cut within EU - BBC News

From June 2017 roaming charges will be completely abolished apparently, not sure what will happen if the UK leaves the EU though....

So it does look like the days of paying daily £2 or £3 extra bundle charges are nearly over

As a cynic I just wonder whether these packages such as tugo and passport get round the EU ruling?

 

[clinkham]

use 3

all calls and data completely free within terms of your normal contract in a number of countries ( basically its just as though you are at home ) - Spain, Italy, USA, Hong Kong and Australia for certain

Even available on a one month contract so if you are tied into someone else contract at home but are going to be in one of these countries for a while the just sign up for a sim and serve notice immediately -

Currently this must be the most straightforward way of maintaining communication links with home.

Just don't fall for the hard sell when you try to cancel after your hols.....I couldn't refuse the deal I was pressured to accept. My fault entirely - just greedy - unlimited calls, texts and 4 Gb of 4g data for £12, if I stayed with 3

After a while I realised that 3 coverage was extremely patchy in this neck of the woods and all the data/calls in the world were useless if there was no signal .

However no problem in PP, so I intend to get my moneys worth (and revenge on 3) by ringing friends and family continuously and be permanently connected to the internet whilst on hols in PP...

(Later)

Just been thinking about that last paragraph........perhaps not... switch all the gadgets off and just relax and enjoy PP is probably a better option.

 

[clinkham]

Tesco Mobile roaming in Europe

Tesco Mobile customers can avoid roaming rates in Europe this summer

"..The (Tesco) 'Home From Home' promotion will run from Monday 23 May until 11.59pm on Saturday 3 September and will allow Tesco Mobile's 4.6 million monthly-contract and pay-as-you-go customers to use their usual UK tariff allowances when holidaying in parts of Europe without being hit with hefty roaming costs...."


See Martin Lewis link for details. I like the idea you don't have to apply for roaming - you are automatically switched to it as soon as you fetch up in a European country.