topic Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network in Tech Support

Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

sunmat — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:00:13 GMT

I'm traveling in Rhodes, Greece. While I'm supposed to be able to roam free in Europe, I just realized that my phone has connected to Turkish operators from time to time and I have been charged for it. I have O2 Travel bolt on, so I see a 5€ extra charge for each of the past 3 days (basically since I arrived in Greece).

Is there a way to prevent my phone from connecting to Turkish networks?

I tried to manually select a Greek operator and while it works for data, my phone notifies me every 10 seconds (by vibrating) that the selected network is unavailable, so I just can't leave it on manual network selection.

I assume if I disable O2 Travel it's going to be even worse?

Also do you think I could ask O2 to cancel those charges since technically I was in the Eurozone?

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

madasaf1sh — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:04:41 GMT

@sunmat

No, as your phone has connected to a Turkish Network, and Turkey is not part of the EU, and I am afraid o2 have no way of knowing you where in Greece.

so the charges stand, and o2 wont wipe them..

The only way to make sure you connect to a Greek network, is to not use automatically connect and use Manual Network Selection.
You can always try a different Greek network, but it could be a localised issue, especially if the Turkish Network is stronger.

Disabling boltons will just make no difference..

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

Megs12 — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:42:08 GMT

Thanks for raising this issue as we are actually in Turkey and I thought they were in Europe zone and have been charged £5 for 3 days! I too have O2 Travel and was surprised to see this charge.. so do I just need to turn off roaming and just connect with Wi-Fi.. am a tad confused on all the details!! Any help would be great.. thanks Margaret

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

madasaf1sh — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:49:49 GMT

@Megs12

Turkey is not part of the EU or EEA, and as such is chargeable at £6 per day for using your phone.. Just put the phone in Airplane mode, and then connect to WiFi to avoid the charges.. As any phone calls or SMS count towards the £6 per day

https://www.o2.co.uk/eu-roaming

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

pgn — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 21:44:22 GMT

The advice keeps mentioning Travel Inclusive AND Travel, confusingly. Turkey needs O2 Travel, at £6 per day if you make or receive a call or send a txt that day.

O2 Travel INCLUSIVE should not be being mentioned in the screenshot, @Dave-O2 tagged for info. Here is the list of countries in O2's Travel INCLUSIVE zone, note Turkey is not mentioned - despite the screenshot in @madasaf1sh's post referring to Travel INCLUSIVE Zone:

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

Megs12 — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 05:01:03 GMT

Thanks for clarifying @madasaf1sh I will make sure I have phone in flight mode from here on in as we’re In Turkey for 2 weeks it would have been a big shock to receive that bill on our return! Appreciate your assistance.. Megs

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

Megs12 — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 05:06:55 GMT

Thanks @pgn - I do have O2 Travel and Inclusive zone bolt ons so did think I was covered for Turkey but sadly no.

My husband however is also with O2 and has O2 travel yet hasn’t been charged the daily fees I have gotten.. while I am happy about that but it is slightly confusing why he didn’t get charged where I have been.. but we have both now turned phones to flight mode so there’s a solution to that. Thanks for the help! Megs

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

pgn — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:06:32 GMT

It is confusing when O2's own help pages give inconsistent info - turning on flightmode should save you the daily £6 fee in Turkey - good luck @Megs12.

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

Dave-O2 — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:40:59 GMT

Thanks for making me aware @pgn

This will be passed on to the relevant contacts.

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

sunmat — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 09:44:07 GMT

Strangely I have been charged 5£ pay day for the use of the Turkish network, not 6 (at least there is that...). I have O2 Travel bolt on, and I also have a contract that includes free roaming in some other countries like the USA (though it doesn't work and O2 could not figure out why, but that's another story).

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

MI5 — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 09:46:53 GMT

@sunmat

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the £5 charge is subject to vat which makes it £6

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

pgn — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 09:54:38 GMT

@Dave-O2 wrote:
Thanks for making me aware @pgn

This will be passed on to the relevant contacts.

Just to note, the current "international" price checker for travel gives it correctly:

https://www.o2.co.uk/international/using-your-phone-abroad

The "eu roaming" one @madasaf1sh referenced is incorrect in several ways:

https://www.o2.co.uk/eu-roaming

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

madasaf1sh — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 10:43:41 GMT

Am I missing something @pgn as to my eyes, both look the same??

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

pgn — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:23:07 GMT

@madasaf1sh wrote:
Am I missing something @pgn as to my eyes, both look the same??

For Turkey, Travel Inclusive Zone bolt-on does absolutely nothing:

As shown here:

Turkey is just "O2 Travel" at £6 per day, pure and simple.

Having, or not having, Travel Inclusive Zone bolt-on makes absolutely no difference in this case, @madasaf1sh - see it now? 🔎

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

Cleoriff — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:31:49 GMT

Exactly. O2 Travel Inclusive should not be mentioned in relation to Turkey as it's not one of the eligible countries. Only O2 Travel can be used for Turkey.

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

madasaf1sh — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:52:52 GMT

@pgn

What a complete cluster

I see it now

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

pgn — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 07:56:31 GMT

@madasaf1sh wrote:
@pgn

What a complete cluster

I see it now

And those same Bubl-bearing eu-roaming pages get it wrong for EU roaming on PAYG also, as I pointed out some while back: https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Discussions-Feedback/Roaming-and-5G-on-PAYG/m-p/1647324/highlight/true#M127455

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

Dave-O2 — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 08:28:35 GMT

Good morning everyone.

Just an update on this one, the above was flagged and now a fix has been put in place for this.

This can be checked out ➡️ https://www.o2.co.uk/eu-roaming

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

Cleoriff — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 08:41:55 GMT

Good to hear @Dave-O2 😊

Re: Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

pgn — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 09:12:19 GMT

Looks good, and not confusing.

However, pick Norway and PAYG and it still says 5G is available - but it isn't to O2 PAYG Customers (Yet!), @Dave-O2

Ditto for Greece, where there is no 3G any more: