O2 and backward approach to mobile data roaming

[NetworkNorm]

Nearly made an expensive mistake this afternoon.

Popped into an O2 store to upgrade to a new iPad ( I’m still on the iPad 4, on Theee, which has served me well over the last 5 years but is just too slow now and stuck on iOS 10)

Anyway just before we got to the end of the process I mentioned my upcoming holiday to which the advisor informed me that I wouldn’t be able to use my device abroad as O2s mobile broadband tariffs were exclusively for U.K. use unless you were a business customer.

Needless to say I declined to proceed with the purchase and left the store feeling dissapointed.

When I got home I did some research and was surprised to see the other 3 main networks in the U.K. ( EE, Vodafone and 3 ) all allow data roaming on their mobile broadband tariffs ( admittedly only in the EU on EE )

I don’t understand why O2 would be so out of step with everyone else? Seems a very backward approach to me.

Alas I won’t be using my iPad with O2 anytime soon because of this, which is a shame...

Any thoughts on why this would be the case?

[MI5]

We've asked many times and never got a satisfactory answer.......

[NetworkNorm]

As my iPhone is now out of contract, I’m wondering if I’ve found a solution to my problem, and would appreciate the guidance of the knowledgeable people here.

What I’m thinking about doing is getting the iPad on a new refresh contract with 50gb of data. Then putting this on a sharer plan as the lead device.

At the same time, move my phone to the cheapest possible data tariff and use the shared data from the iPad.

Then when I’m abroad, simply tether the iPad to the phone and hey presto...

Or am I missing something?

[NetworkNorm]

Sorry I meant cheapest possible tariff with lowest inclusive data for the phone ( but still with inclusive minutes and texts )

[MI5]

Yes, any normal tariff will work abroad anyway. It's only the data only tariffs that weirdly don't work.
If you choose a sharer plan for the ipad, the phone also needs to be on a shared tariff so you don't need to tether, but if a standard tariff, tethering is the only way.

[NetworkNorm]

And reading the small print on the sharer plans his will only work on plans up to 19gb in data but this would potentially still serve my needs...

[NetworkNorm]

But the iPad won’t work abroad as data tarrifs from O2 can’t be used outside UK?

[MI5]

Refresh call, text and data tariffs will work abroad, it's just the data only tariffs that won't.

[NetworkNorm]

O2 in store, their Twitter account and indeed from what I can see online all say that a refresh data only tariff , which is what would come with the new iPad, can only be used in U.K. ??

[MI5]

Yes, as I've said, data only is UK only, but you can use a call text and data sim in the ipad and use it abroad.