topic Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe in Pay Monthly

Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Thu, 13 May 2021 19:33:14 GMT

I have been hit with an additional charge. This is what it says on the 02 website.

"Travelling in our Europe Zone

If you’re travelling within our Europe Zone, your data, minutes and texts allowances will work just like they do in the UK. That includes calls you make and receive within our Europe Zone and back to the UK, texts you send within our Europe Zone and back to the UK, and any data you use in our Europe Zone. See the list of destinations included.

What's included?

Included:

Making calls and sending texts within our Europe Zone (excluding the UK), to any other country in our Europe Zone (including the UK).
Receiving calls and texts in our Europe Zone.
Using your monthly data allowance whilst in our Europe Zone."

This is obviously not the complete situation. However, I have searched the website to try to discover what is, and am unable to find any information.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Cleoriff — Thu, 13 May 2021 19:48:35 GMT

@henry_law

Not sure where you travelled to but these are the areas in O2's Europe Zone

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/pay-monthly/roaming-in-europe

Also, there is a restriction on the length of time O2 class as Roaming. It's only free for up to 63 days in any 4 month period.

https://www.o2.co.uk/termsandconditions/mobile/o2-consumer-fair-usage-policy

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Bambino — Thu, 13 May 2021 19:54:37 GMT

@henry_law Adding to what @Cleoriff has asked, were you at any time on a cruise ship?

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Thu, 13 May 2021 20:24:22 GMT

I used it on 48 days between 14 January and 13 May ie 15 days less than the 63 day free period. 18 Days since 1 March, all from Sweden. Cannot get out of the country, let alone go on a cruise ship!

How is the charge and useage period calculated?

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Thu, 13 May 2021 20:39:27 GMT

Used 48 days between 14 January and today. Not been anywhere out of Sweden. The only boat I have been on was the ferry across the river in Gothenburg. When the phone is not in use it is normally in airplane mode.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Cleoriff — Thu, 13 May 2021 20:42:32 GMT

Hi @henry_law

Then you need to call O2. You haven't exceeded the 63 day limit. (It's up to 63 days within a 4 month period)

All numbers for O2 are in this guide

Guide: Coronavirus Community Help and Support

Advice from an O2 Guru regarding a way to get through:

When you call, you will be asked for the reason you are calling,

Stay silent for 15 seconds and you will be taken to the keypad options.

Press 2 for Everything Else

Press 5 for More Options

Press 7 for Anything Else which will put you though to an advisor.

Press Upgrade, Lost/Stolen or Fraud if you have to.

8am is the best time to call

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Bambino — Thu, 13 May 2021 20:50:07 GMT

@henry_law If there was WiFi on the ferry, and you mistakenly didn't put the phone in airplane mode, it could have connected to that. WiFi charges on ferries and cruise ships is outrageously expensive.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

madasaf1sh — Thu, 13 May 2021 21:01:08 GMT

@henry_law

I think you have fallen foul of the regulations, as the phone has not connected to the UK network for around 120 days and this isn't based on usage.

From the Regs:
As part of their fair use policy, your operator can monitor and check your roaming use over a 4 month period. If, during this period, you have spent more time abroad than at home AND your roaming use exceeds your domestic use, your operator may contact you and ask you to clarify your situation. You will have 14 days to do so.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-telecoms/mobile-roaming-costs/index_en.htm

This is set in EU Law and UK Law.

So in this instance o2 can charge you for EU usage, as per the Terms and Conditions.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Thu, 13 May 2021 21:22:23 GMT

Thanks for clarification. Typical EU complexities. I normally spend about 6 weeks a year in the UK and use the number then quite a lot, which is why I keep it. The last time I was in the UK was in December 2019 and planned to travel again in February 2020 but cancelled the trip at the last minute as I was expected that a travel ban would be introduced immediately due to Covid and that I would not be able to get back. And being in a risk group I have not been further than I can walk from my home since then (I live in Sweden) and naturally my UK useage has been nil.

If this information is on the web site it has been well buried.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Thu, 13 May 2021 21:23:04 GMT

@Bambino wrote:
@henry_law If there was WiFi on the ferry, and you mistakenly didn't put the phone in airplane mode, it could have connected to that. WiFi charges on ferries and cruise ships is outrageously expensive.

The phone was at home.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

madasaf1sh — Thu, 13 May 2021 21:34:57 GMT

@henry_law

Its even hidden on the EU page, but can be found quite easily on the o2 website

But i agree very complex but it is only meant to be for occasional visits.

https://www.o2.co.uk/roamfairuse I found it by googling o2 roaming fair use page which links to the EU rules

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Cleoriff — Thu, 13 May 2021 22:46:29 GMT

@henry_law wrote:
Thanks for clarification. Typical EU complexities. I normally spend about 6 weeks a year in the UK and use the number then quite a lot, which is why I keep it. The last time I was in the UK was in December 2019 and planned to travel again in February 2020 but cancelled the trip at the last minute as I was expected that a travel ban would be introduced immediately due to Covid and that I would not be able to get back. And being in a risk group I have not been further than I can walk from my home since then (I live in Sweden) and naturally my UK useage has been nil.

If this information is on the web site it has been well buried.

This is where I misunderstood your query. I was under the impression you were based in the UK and travelled to Sweden and was calculating on the fact that you were now back in the UK and had been overcharged for spending less than 63 days in Sweden. (Whereas you were actually in Sweden and had not returned to the UK during that time).

A bit late back to the thread but obviously January to May is a lot longer than 63 days. Whether you used the phone or not, it wasn't connected to O2 during the time you were away.

The links I posted did mention the fair usage policy WHEN ABROAD. Meaning holidays etc.

Had you returned to the UK for a week or so (allowing the phone to be used on the O2 network) the 63 day limit would have restarted once you returned to Sweden.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Bambino — Thu, 13 May 2021 22:57:40 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
Had you returned to the UK for a week or so (allowing the phone to be used on the O2 network) the 63 day limit would have restarted once you returned to Sweden.

Alternatively, you could have sent just the sim card to a friend in the UK and had them use it in their own or a spare phone. They would have had to hold onto it during the lockdown and could then send it back once the travel ban is lifted.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Fri, 14 May 2021 05:22:26 GMT

Not very practical. The sim card would have been lost in the post or damaged, or the phone would have been damaged. It does not usually work if it is removed and replaced, in my experience.

Basically they are punishing me for NOT using their service in the UK due to the pandemic. Probably have to lodge a complaint with OFCOM. My usage of data has been NIL since December 2019.

The bureaucrats who made the rules had not reckoned with pandemics which restrict travel. We are still not allowed into the UK from Sweden. They have not sorted out vaccination passports. The people who work for these companies should get out of their bunkers and understand what is happening in the world. Are O2 executives the only people in the world who are unaware that it has been almost impossible and unsafe to travel for the past 15 months?

Never had any problem before and I have had the same useage pattern (apart from not being in the UK due to the pandemic) since 2012.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Fri, 14 May 2021 05:26:38 GMT

There is a pandemic on. Sweden is not on the green list due to mismanagement of the vaccination programme due to the government "relying" on the EU to procure the vaccine. They are punishing me for NOT using the service!

Something for OFCOM if they don't sort it out. Whoever drafted the regulations can not have had pandemics, lockdowns and travel bans in mind at the time.

It is also sharp practice on the part of O2 not to put this information in a prominent place on the website.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

henry_law — Fri, 14 May 2021 05:43:34 GMT

Thanks. It sounds as if this will need to be dealt with in writing on paper. Somewhere on the website there is probably an address to write to but I could not find it. The dispute will probably end up as a complaint to OFCOM.

Do you happen to know what it is?

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

MI5 — Fri, 14 May 2021 06:03:38 GMT

@henry_law

Correspondence address and complaints process on this link

http://www.o2.co.uk/contactus

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Cleoriff — Fri, 14 May 2021 06:33:44 GMT

Whilst I agree with everything you say about O2 making contingency plans for those people who are stuck abroad through no fault of their own @henry_law, I'm not sure Ofcom will support the complaint.

They will say the fair use policy is all in the terms and conditions which you should have read blah blah blah.

You also had the option of using a local payg sim whilst abroad. which would have cut down the usage of your O2 sim.

Of course all this is with the benefit of hindsight so I wish you the best of luck going forward with a complaint (Ofcom wont be interested in hearing any of it, unless you follow O2's complaints policy first)

https://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain

You may decide you need the help of Resolver whilst making the complaint. It's free and independent of O2.

https://www.resolver.co.uk/companies/o2-complaints?territory_id=5

I wish you all the best and let us know how you get on.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

MI5 — Fri, 14 May 2021 06:47:15 GMT

Ofcom are the regulator and don't deal with consumer complaints.
You need to escalate to the ombudsman as per the information in the link I gave you, if you don't get a resolution directly with O2.

Re: Roaming surcharge within Europe

Cleoriff — Fri, 14 May 2021 07:13:09 GMT

According to this, Ofcom DO deal with consumer complaints

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/complaints/complain-about-phones-or-internet-services

Either way there is a complaints process to follow via O2 before Ofcom or the Ombudsman will get involved. I was also bringing Resolver to the attention of @henry_law

They will give him all the guidance he needs.