Intl call forwarding with Intl Saver 100

[dandreye]

Hi All,

I'm planning to go abroad (outside the UK) for an extended period of time and would like to be able to have all incoming calls and ideally also texts to my VF UK number automatically forwarded to a local number at my destination as intl roaming would cost too much even with roaming extras. There's an extra called Intl Saver 100 currently available for £5 on VF Pay Monthly plans. If I add it and activate unconditional intl call forwarding to that local number at my destination (which is on the list of 100 destinations available with that extra) will I thereby get up to 100 minutes worth of "free" incoming calls landing on my local number? Has it ever been tested and seen working? Will it also make texts forwarded besides calls by chance?

Many thanks in advance!

[AnnS]

It's a clever idea @dandreye but it won't work. The Extra you mention is for calling abroad from the UK to a list of included countries.  You can't divert texts messages, they are sent to the message centre for forwarding onto the number.

You may find you can only set up a divert from the local number to a number in the same country, if you were able to set up a divert, it would be mean paying for the diverted part of the call with the network roaming charge, depending on the country you are visiting and the plan you are on may need a roaming bundle from here: Charge Checker , 

There shouldn't be any charge to receive a call on your VF number.   You could consider leaving a voicemail message for callers on the local number for when the call is unanswered to call your UK number. but to listen to the message would be charged as a roaming call to you and charged as making an overseas call for your callers.

The other point to mention is unless things have changed VF have a FUP for roaming, you are expected to return to the UK before being considered as permanent roaming.

[dandreye]

@AnnS :

Thanks for your reply. Let me ask a few more Qs to ensure I fully understand it:

Q1: With a VF PM plan can I set call fwd to an intl number? (I understand the answer is no, so just double checking) 

Q2: If the answer to Q1 above is a yes does a call forwarded to an intl number get charged same as a normal call to that number? (I understand the answer is yes)

Q3: If the answer to Q2 above is a yes do you mean that even with the Intl Saver 100 extra my forwarded calls would still get charged normally as per normal intl call pricing, just 'cos that extra is only applicable to normal and not forwarded calls? 

[dandreye]

Sorry forgot to mention above that no roaming is implied in all those questions, i.e. assume my UK phone stays in the UK and/or is just turned off.

[AnnS · Accepted solution]

You can only forward calls from a UK number to a UK number, if it was possible the diverted call may not be received by the roaming network and would be charged as an international call. If you try and set up forwarding to an overseas number you will receive an error message. 

I am sure someone from the Social Team will be able to confirm this for you and give a better explanation that I am able to do.

[dandreye]

@AnnS :

Thanks for your reply: got it now.

Btw if I take this phone abroad will I have to pay that daily roaming charge even when my mobile data is turned off and so the phone is in the "voice only" roaming mode? 

[AnnS]

Quite simply @dandreye you can only divert calls UK to UK.

Vodafone will only make the daily roaming charge for anything outgoing, turn off your data roaming and mobile data on your UK number and you are able to receive incoming calls and texts at no extra charge.

A lot will depend on the country and the plan you are on and have extra benefits added, if you are not on an inclusive plan, you should be able to add extra benefits to any plan.  Check the charges from the link in the first post.

[dandreye]

@AnnS :

> Vodafone will only make the daily roaming charge for anything outgoing, turn off your data roaming

> and mobile data on your UK number and you are able to receive incoming calls and texts at no extra charge.

Ah, so it seems like it's data roaming implied under those roaming charges shown by the Charge Checker tool then? At first I was surprised to see "It's always free to receive standard rate calls and texts" mentioned among the bullet points underneath the roaming charges there (for Pay Monthly plans), but if that's the case indeed I'll be perfectly fine with (free) intl voice/text-only roaming all that time as I need no data roaming whatsoever. Carrying 2 phones will be the only nuisance.