Roaming Charges

[Larrettp]

With the new price rises, I think the fact that Roaming Charges are being resumed is pretty poor. Unless Vodafone follow the example of other companies in scrapping Roaming Charges, I will (after nearly 30 years) have to switch provider. This affects me on an almost constant basis as I work in Jersey, close to France, and regularly get switched over to their signal. 

[AnnS]

Hi @Larrettp 

If you work in Jersey, but have a UK account, you will still be roaming in Zone B on Airtel Vodafone.  It sounds like you may be an Airtel Vodafone customer, this is a different network to Vodafone UK, the forum here can only deal with UK enquiries, and you would need to contact Airtel in Jersey.

Try going into your settings > connections >mobile networks > network operators and select manual Vodafone Airtel,  this will prevent accidentally connecting to a French network.

[Larrettp]

I am a UK account holder but I pay for 100 minutes to the EU, just in case I am on the part of the island the switches to France. Remember, phone signals don't recognise geographical borders.

As it is, I only call Jersey numbers when I am on WiFi as Jersey costs extra because it never was in the EU but doesn't come under UK tariffs. It is a bizarre set of circumstances and, while roaming never did count over here, at least we were free of the perils of switching to France.

Roaming charges are the most obscene rip-off which are cynically charged to literally make money out of fresh air. They should have been abolished decades ago. The EU kept their promise. Brexit failed us all yet agin in this.

[AnnS]

If you mean the international saver here: Extras this is only for calling abroad from the UK, this won't work for you roaming in Jersey.

Roaming is only intended for short periodic travel as mentioned here Long Term Roaming the only thing Vodafone would be able to sell would be a 15 day roaming pass at a cost of £15.00.

If you are working in Jersey, surely a local SIM would work out cheaper than paying expensive roaming charges, just keep your UK number for receiving calls from the UK.  Most phones are now unlocked and you shouldn't have a problem.

[Larrettp]

Having a local SIM is just another way of the Telecoms companies ripping us off for more money. Plus, I would need to inform everyone of my alternate number, which may or may not be online. Then I would have to go through the trouble of changing it over at the airport. All that extra effort just to support the money grabbing telecom companies that aren't doing the decent thing and abolishing this obsolete, free-money, charge.

[AnnS]

Getting a local SIM is a way of avoiding roaming charges, you just pay the local charge, the same as you would back home in the UK and it's surprising you are using a UK SIM when you are working in a roaming destination.  It also shouldn't be a big problem letting anyone know the number to be used when you are working in Jersey but as I mentioned it's still free to receive.

Have you ever though about setting up an extended absence greeting on your voicemail?  You would then be able to leave a message for callers with your Jersey number, just call121 and follow the prompts and set up procedure.

To finalise this will be my last reply to this thread, you are obviously just here for a rant about the now unregulated roaming charges.

Goodbye.

[Larrettp]

Thanks for the input and sorry about the 'rant'. I'm really just trying to find out if anyone thinks the re-introduction of Roaming Charges is a good thing and I thought this forum might be able to apply some pressure on Vodafone to rethink their policy.

[simax]

It makes me laugh - anyone would think the world ends at the EU’s borders… you’ve always had to pay for roaming outside the EU - and forcing the EU operators to include roaming in their plans simply means other domestic charges go up as a result. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Also, by your definition - all companies are money grabbers - how do you think they stay in business?

[Getafix]

Hi @AnnS

Slight correction,
If you have EU Minutes/International Package that will apply when roaming.
eg. If you have EU Minutes, and roaming in USA. Call France, (£6 per day or Free if included in package) and Call to UK will be from your Plan minutes and to France use EU Minutes. This is always been the case when I have called numbers in Europe while Roaming Further.

@Larrettp 

What you need to do is when you land in Jersey, make sure you manually select the Network you want to Roam on. That will ensure that it will not pick any other Network.

[Larrettp]

Hi,

Thanks @AnnS. The is a really good tip that I wasn't aware of. I'll make sure I do it next time I'm over.

Cheers,

Pete