cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
1

Ask

2

Reply

3

Solution

Roaming Charges Return from January

ewanrw
11: Established
11: Established

That didn't take long...

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58146039

 

21 REPLIES 21

donnyguy
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

So take your deal before the 11th if you don't want to pay the new EU roaming charges on this contract. If you leave it till after the 11th then you will pay the new charges but they've made it clear that they don't apply to roaming in the Republic of Ireland. So you'll have no issue roaming on vodafone IE

Just to add, it's probably safe to say that more networks will be joining EE and Vodafone in re-introducing the roaming charges. It's probably more a case of when, not if. 

But the good news is, these changes (both on EE and VF) don't affect people in term. Both of them have introduced it for provisions and regrades after a certain date. I assume the same will apply to Three when they make their move.

chistery
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

Whilst I suspect Three will keep roaming free, they will go back to severely throttling data and denying it like before.

EE is already kicking people off plans when out of contract and so you end up being forced to pay for EU roaming even if you do nothing.

simax
14: Advanced member
14: Advanced member

After the 11th August you’ll still get inclusive EU roaming on the Unlimited Xtra plans….. 

Didn’t take long to update the plans. Checked just now and even the UNLIMITED MAX plans have NO roaming included anymore. 

Was bad enough when the new EVO plans came in dropping the 81 free roaming on the Max plans to 51, but from today dropping to 0 to make you have to move to a much more expensive Xtra plan is shocking. 


 

There's nothing max about the max plans any more is there! MAX plans, with added nothing.

XTRA plans just seem such a rip off with added features that most won't want. Device care on a SIM only plan? How will that work with my Global Mi 11 Ultra? Unlimited MMS - never send them. £3.50 off smartwatch connectivity - so pay slightly less to use data you already pay for on a watch.

Vodafone tried to claim that those who don't go away will pay less, what a load of rubbish, you just don't pay more.

 

... and only on Wednesday I received an SMS from Vodafone saying "You're probably expecting a text about roaming charges - but no! You're in one of our roam free destinations..." LOL. But, no! It's not funny..

 

I thankfully have 18 months left (since when has anyone been happy to have signed up for a 24 month contract?) but as I travel often to Europe from the UK, I'm going to look to whichever provider can maintain roam free at a decent speed. This feels like the dark ages to me, along with all the other disastrous added tariffs to sending/receiving goods to and from Europe (many online sellers I know of have had to pack up their now non-viable businesses..).

 

I mainly resent a blanket charge per day 'to use OUR allowances' - I have a 60GB RED plan, and when roaming, maybe only use a few MBs a day here and there to play some radio/emails when not on a WiFi. A 'fair' cap seems by far the most agreeable, and even THREE's (15GB?) new reduced allowance still seems pretty good to me.

 

I do feel hoodwinked by Vodafone as havinf frequently stated that they have NO plans to surcharge for roaming, and have previously stated that as they are a 'serious global telecommunications company' it would not be appropriate for them to do so.

 

Let's see how customers react, but Vodafone seem to be spinning this as "very few of our customers actually use roaming..." which may be true depending on how you interpret them, but those that do use roaming, tend to be vehemently opposed to being charged to use their own data outside of the UK.

 

A big step backwards.

simax
14: Advanced member
14: Advanced member

In 18 months time, I’d be surprised if any UK operator or MVNO apart from Three offered inclusive EU roaming anyway (and even then I wouldn’t use them as their UK network performance is shocking).

 

Plus, you’re charged for roaming in every other country in the world outside the EU so you can’t claim this is unusual. There is a world outside the EU you know!

 

I started holidaying in Turkey pre-Covid and was on EE at the time. Bought bundles to mitigate the cost but still ended up paying over £40 for data and about £10 for call and text bundles. I’ve since moved to Vodafone and am on a plan where Turkey is included, so next time I go I don’t have to worry about cost. If Vodafone decide to remove Turkey or other destinations from their top end plans, then yes I’d be annoyed, but I’d accept it and just change behaviour to mitigate cost again. It must cost Vodafone a fortune for out of EU rates for some of these countries but I understand economics.

Three have joined the party...

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58501527

 

 

"The change does not affect roaming to Ireland or in the Isle of Man."

 

Thankfully 3 following Vodafone and EE and  excluding Eire.

 

 

If roaming charges are forced upon us in January, will Vodafone let the customer leave free of charge?