International Favourites bombshell

[jtuk]

Outrageous news regarding o2 stopping the International Favourites add on.
Currently we pay £10 per month to call 3 overseas numbers and it allows 3000 minutes. It is an excellent deal. I never use all those minutes but use it every day to call my mom.
Now they are discounting this service and we revert to paying 5p/minute. If you used 3000 minutes at that rate out would cost you£150!!
This is enough to make me considering leaving o2. How can they treat their customers like this???

[Anonymous]

Just when the EU roaming cost craziness had sorted this is a new complication. What is with O2 that they want to be less accomodating than other networks?. The crazy £5 a day USA roaming charge they already levy if you have the temerity to want to switch on your phone there and read a text (ironically they send you one when you get there!) is another example of how this company just does not think. I have kept with O2 so far because they had the best signal in my area - no longer true - this issue alone will drive me to find another supplier. Vodaphone does this international favourites service too you say?

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 Vodaphone does this international favourites service too you say?

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No Vodafone do an International Saver. A bolt on which costs you either £3.00 or £7.50 a month @Anonymous

https://support.vodafone.co.uk/Using-our-network/Going-and-calling-abroad/Calling-and-texting-abroad-from-the-UK/38949575/What-s-the-best-way-to-call-and-text-abroad-from-the-UK-on-Pay-monthly.htm

[Anonymous]

Thanks Cleoriff!! Will take a look!

[California]

I am very disappointed about the International Favourites closure. Honestly, I am shocked. I have used this service for years. Also, the ''Call Me'' number is so helpful and useful. Could you advice what is going to replace this, please? Will I be able to keep the ''Call Me'' number?

[Anonymous]

I am also extremely disappointed by this news and will look to other providers. I have been with o2 for 6 years and despite there being better phone plans with other companies (and reception!) I have stayed with o2 because of the superb o2 international favourites plan. It is the only way I talk to my parents and friends from Home, and it is so convenient for them to have a LOCAL number to call. I call my mom everyday and even with the likes of FaceTime and Skype, nothing provides the ease and quality of a phone call; To be able to call whilst walking somewhere where you’re data is dropping in and out, and the other person might not have plans with a lot of data to be able to have non-wifi FaceTime.

Even though o2 is providing new long distance rates, as pointed out, these are extremely high if you were to spend a long time on the phone each month, as do I. Furthermore, it costs the people you are calling additional charges to receive a long distance call - that was the previous beauty of international favourites. 

Really disapointed by o2s change in service and I’m sure it will

lead to a loss of many customers.   

[jonsie]

They do not care. This is the start of the O2 belt tightening period and no doubt there will be further money costing features coming in. 

[Anonymous]

It's a terrible PR move. I too use the "call me" for a US number which I've had for years. I have it on all my stationary and business cards. O2 are not remotely interested in compensating me for costs of reprinting. like most people I think it's time to look else where. Has anyone found another network offering a similar service?

[stnicholas]

I am extremely disappointed and also very annoyed that O2 have dumped the 'International Favourites' option.  This was a life-saver for me as my G/F is from Oklahoma and on her frequent trips back to the US to visit her family we could converse everyday on the phone via the International Favourites.  What on Earth is the reasoning behind this decision?  I guess that's a silly question as the only reason would be that as IF was superb value for money then someone on the O2 chain of command decided that it must cease.  Money Money and MORE money seems to be the Raison D'Etre in 2018 for O2 and to blazes with customer needs.

[darrengf]

O2 have probably been looking at everything they have and use and looked at what isn’t bringing. In revenue.

when Eu free roaming came in all Mobile networks suddenly lost revenue.  I’m afraid as the saying goes,

give with one hand, take with the other. So something has to give.