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EU Roaming Changes from 15th June 2017 "PAY AS YOU GO ONLY“ edited 19th March 2018

darrengf
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Roaming Changes from 15th June 2017 PAY AS YOU GO ONLY

 

For Contract Info https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/Roaming-Changes-from-15th-June-2017-CONTRACT-ON...

 

 

From the 15th June 2017 all EU networks have to offer “free” roaming from one EU country to another (Only when roaming in another EU Country other than your own, for us this would be UK.)

However there a number of things that people need to be made aware of and what it all means to them.

Which Countries are included in the new rules from the 15th June 2017

 

PAY AS YOU GO ONLY, Do not include, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, Monaco and Switerland These will be chargeable

 

Austria

France

Liechtenstein

Romania

Azores

French Guiana

Lithuania

Saint Barthelemy

Belgium

Germany

Luxembourg

Saint Martin

Bulgaria

Gibraltar

Madeira

San Marino

Canary Islands

Greece

Malta

Slovakia

Croatia

Guadeloupe

Martinique

Slovenia

Cyprus

Hungary

Netherlands

Spain

Czech Republic

Iceland

Norway

Sweden

Denmark

Ireland

Poland

Vatican City

Estonia

Italy

Portugal

 

Finland

Latvia

Reunion Islands

 

*Canary Islands include Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura

*Spain Includes Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza.

*France includes Corsica.

*Italy includes Sardinia.

*Portugal includes Madeira

 

*Cyprus ** Southern Cyprus only is part of the EU

**Northern Cyprus is Turkish and therefore normal rates will apply.  Please check the article below for more info on charges to Turkey and Northern Cyprus

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-guides/Roaming-in-Turkey-and-Cyprus-On-PAYG/bc-p/1106608#M947

 

There may be other little Islands that I could have missed, but if you are not sure, please ask.

 

The EU only brought the law in if you were roaming in another EU country then to call another EU country.  Ie Roaming in Southern Ireland back to Northern Ireland. This will come out of your allowance if you have one or any left.

 

You can call people in the EU as long as they are registered with a UK network.  Ie you are calling a friend in Spain but there network is Vodafone in the Uk, this is classed as a normal call to you as you are not ringing a foreign number

 

Ringing any foreign number like Southern Ireland from Northern Ireland ie +353 and then the number is classed as a international number.  If your in Souther Ireland and calling a Southern Ireland number, then it is covered as long as you have mins etc.

 

Note if you are calling a friend / family who live on Isle of Man and Channel Islands and have a SIM card from one of their networks there. Then you will be charged as this is classed as international roaming from the UK as they don’t have UK networks.

 

it can get a little confusing

 

 

Now this is one of the myths that people are miss understanding “Free” or “No Extra Charges”

When you are roaming in one or the above places, you now take you own home free allowance. This is Mins, SMS and DATA if you have one. If you don’t have any allowances, then you will be charged international roaming charges. You will need to check the O2 website for more info as the Charges are subject to change at any time and are depending on the tariff you have. Normally In the EU you take your UK tariff with you.

 

 

If you do however have an allowance like an O2 Big Bundle for example and you only have 500 MINS, 1000 SMS and 500mb of data, then this is all you would be able to use before charges apply.

But what if I’ve already used some Mins from my 500 MIN allocation for example – Then you can only use what you have left before charges apply.

 

Always check your allowance using the MY o2 App or the O2 internet *Note Data will be used to check the allowances”

 

 

What is included with Mins and SMS

You can call/SMS the country you are visiting (Or one of the above countries) and back to the UK.

It’s the same with what you can use your MINS/SMS for now. Premium Calls/SMS are chargeable as they would be in the UK, so would 0845, 0870 and other Chargeable numbers as per the UK list.

 

 

Data Services Abroad - Currently O2 has 5 x 4G Roaming agreement abroad.

These are Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Isle of Man and Australia.

We know in Germany it’s with O2-DE.

4G in Spain is probably be on Telefonica?

4G in Czech Republic is probably be on O2-CZ

 

 

“The 2 Countries below are just for info only on which countries have 4G networks.

Isle of Man and Australia are not part of the EU roaming.

4G in Isle of Man may be on Manx Telecom? As Telefonica used to own them.

4G in Australia.  Not sure on this one?

If any one knows could you please PM me and I will update the info.  Thanks”

 

 

 

All other roaming networks you connect to will be either a 3G or 2G signal depending where you are, so Data may be slower than it is in the UK. You can use all the services as you would do normally in the UK, but O2 won’t guarantee the speed or if the services will work

 

How much Data is included – At present, the max you can use is 10GB in any giving Allowance Month. Even if your O2 Bundle gives you more, you cannot use more than 10GB, after this, Data roaming charges will apply.

 

Picture Messages are chargeable as they would be in the UK

 

 

Why all of a sudden for the changes The EU made it law that Mobile Networks in the EU were to abandon charges to each other for Mobile customers when overseas. It’s been about 10 years in the making with charges being slowly wiped out over the last 10 years.

However, there are caveats and if your own Mobile network things you are abusing the service then they can remove it and charge you for everything when roaming.

The services are for when you are going on holiday or short breaks. If you are going to be in a country for longer than a month or 2 then this is not classed a holiday or short break, so you need to be careful or you could receive a bill. O2 will SMS you first if this is about to happen and I would suggest you to speak to O2 customer care on 4455 (from abroad on you o2 mobile 25p charge applies as it would in the UK) to verify or check anything.

 

Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland – Are part of the EEA, but are included in the No Extra cost roaming from O2

 

Countries that are not a part of the EU or are EEA.

O2 only have to cover EU/EEA countries in the agreement which they have done

 

*** Countries not included ***

Switzerland, Monaco, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey are not part of the EU / EEA and therefore O2 Travel will apply if you have this activated, or normal roaming charges will apply otherwise.

 

 

O2 Travel gives you a 100MB allowance, if you want more, then it will be £1.99 per another 100MB, o2 will send you an SMS when you have either run out or nearing your allowance to allow you to purchase more

 

 

Roaming in Turkey and Cyprus On PAYG

Please read the below article North, South Cyprus and Turkey.

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-guides/Roaming-in-Turkey-and-Cyprus-On-PAYG/bc-p/1106608#M947

 

 

More Info on Roaming from the 15th June can be found here

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/pay-as-you-go/roaming-in-europe

 

To Learn more about Roaming itself, visit here

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/International-Roaming-and-Whats-it-all-about/m-...

 

For any Roaming charges visit here https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/international 

 

** Please remember that this is a customer forum run by the Public so we would not be able to answer any billing questions etc, but a lot of people on here including myself are very knowledgeable on Roaming, so for any questions please ask. 

 

There are no stupid questions ask, if you have to ask it then we have either not covered it, or we may not have made it clear somewhere else.

 

 

*** Please note that the above information was correct as of 29th May 2017, it is your responsibility to always check for the correct information and or charges that may apply ***

 

Versions

5th Feb 2018 - Further updates about Cyprus / Turkey, 1 x 4G roaming network added and slight changes in wording.

 

19th March 2018 - Added the 5x 4G roaming partners and changed 1 link which was showing to Pay monthly and not PAYG for roaming help. Picture inserted regarding update on Brexit and DSM (Digital Single Market)

 

 

We also do not know what will happen when we leave the EU. but while we are still in Europe the above will apply. But this is the current info that the networks are giving out

Website for the info below

 

https://fullfact.org/europe/roaming-fees-brexit/

undefined

75 Comments
jonsie
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Very useful, well done @darrengf

darrengf
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Thanks @jonsie

Im hoping it will answer some questions that are otherwise not on the Website.  I know roaming is one of the big things that gets asked alot in the Forum.

Cleoriff
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Excellent work @darrengf.

MI5
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Good job again mate.
@Martin-O2 can both of Darren's guides be added to the index page please?
Martin-O2
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Fantastic work on these guides @darrengf It's great to have the updated information available on the community slight_smile

 

@MI5 Sure I'll update the index today! 

MI5
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Thanks Martin
MercedesS
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Thanks a lot for the amazing guide @darrengf!!! 

Anonymous
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can i roam free in corfu
MI5
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Yes.
It's Greece.
Beenherebefore
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Well.......it's not exactly free is it

jonsie
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In Corfu I would advise you to select network manually. 

MI5
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@Beenherebefore wrote:

Well.......it's not exactly free is it


Free of additional charges wink

darrengf
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I've asked for my guide to be editable so I will update Greece with the Greek islands i.e. Corfu etc.

 

hopefully try and capture the info to update it on the go as well.

 

👍

 

thanks everyone for the kids words.  Always happy to help out where possible. 😄

darrengf
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Please remember that it's not free roaming in Europe but only the EU which the is European Union.

 

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. Are part of Europe but are "NOT" part of the EU free Roaming agreement.

 

You will need to check o2 website for any roaming costs for these countries which are not cheap.  Do NOT assume these countries are free. I can not stress this enough

 

o2 also don't have to offer the free roaming to Jersey, Guernsey, Monaco, Switzerland and Isle of Man. To which they don't offer free roaming on PAYG but they do on Contract.

 

Only the countries that are apart of EU and EEA are obliged to offer free roaming to each other, nothing more and nothing less. These countries are listed in the first part of the page at the top.  

 

Please do not assume that all European countries are included.  Always check first before you travel on the o2 travel pages.

 

it is always you responsibility to check if you will be charged for visiting any Country etc.  

 

The above info info is correct as per 31st May 2017 and all info is freely found on the Web or O2 Web site

 

 

Anonymous
Not applicable
Can roam I for free in benidom
Anonymous
Not applicable
Can i roam for free in bendiom
MI5
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Of course you can.
Anonymous
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Thanks that great
MI5
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Enjoy your holiday slight_smile
Anonymous
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Will do 🌞
darrengf
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@Anonymous Yes have a great holiday. Just remember free roaming only applies from 15th June 2017 onwards.

 

 

jonsie
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I picture Benidorm and imagine drunken nights, long lie inside and burning on the beach. Oh no, that was me.... LOL

Have a great time 🌞🌞🌞

Anonymous
Not applicable

Very informative post.

 

Re payg, you mention the Big Bundles as being included for EU roamining in terms of the EU-enforced changes.  In my case I have an old Talkalot tariff with the 'All Rounder' Bolt-On, with the Bolt-On giving '500Mb UK data'.  Do you know if that 500Mb Bolt-On will be usable (come June 15) within the EU territories or whether O2 can claim that it isn't part of a bundle (although it is paid for monthly)?  Can't seem to see anything specific in their literature, I guess because Talkalot isn't offered anymore(?)  Thanks!

MI5
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Any tariff you have in uk now is applicable to the new rules.
Anonymous
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I live in Germany and bought a o2 pay as you go SIM-card for holyday use in the UK.

 

However that SIM works fine in Germany too.

 

I did never care what tariff I am on.

 

Until June 15 O2 UK charged me 1 penny for SMS and 4 pence per minute for calls within in Germany

(The roaming SMS was cheaper than SMS with a German SIM when you do not have a flatrate)

 

 

But now they charge me 14 pence for SMS and 30 pence per minute and data use has been switched to 1 Pound per 50 MB per day.

 

I have looked up my tariff which is O2 unlimited, I haven't topped up for a while.

Are the 14 / 30 pence the uk to foreign networks charge when not topped up?

 

Bert

 

 

adamtemp64
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MI5
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@Anonymous If you look in your MyO2 http://www.o2.co.uk/myo2 it will tell you what your standard out of bundle rates are for your tariff. 

Now the rules have changed you might benefit from a different tariff which you can also change in your MyO2. 

adamtemp64
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@Anonymous remember there is a time limit on usage of an o2 uk sim in the eu zone for holidays and short brakes only not permanent usage

MI5
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blixxi
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I spend a lot of time in France (not short break but for work) and I have a payg sim, on a contract that I have had since 1999. I use and pay texts at 'ordinary international charges', ie., as I dont top it up evey month.

 

My texts cost me 1p each up until a couple of days ago. Now they are 14p each.

 

I had no notification of this increase at all.

 

 

jonsie
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I don't have O2 Travel and in May texts cost me 1p each from Finland before the new legislation came in. Are O2 changing people's tariffs?

undefined

 

MI5
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The older tariffs are probably not competitive now so it seems wise for anyone in that situation to assess if they are on the best tariff or not now.
adamtemp64
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@blixxi wrote:

I spend a lot of time in France (not short break but for work) and I have a payg sim, on a contract that I have had since 1999. I use and pay texts at 'ordinary international charges', ie., as I dont top it up evey month.

 

My texts cost me 1p each up until a couple of days ago. Now they are 14p each.

 

I had no notification of this increase at all.

 

 


This is down to the fact that before the 15th there was a cap on charges when roaming now it is the cost of at home sms calls and data so as @MI5 says time to revisit your tariff charges 

 

changes listed here https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/roaming-tariffs over the years rates have dropped but if not on an inclusive tariff now standard uk rates apply 

Cleoriff
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Mmmmmm...not sure people were aware of this sort of price rise...or the need to revisit their tariff? Is it tucked away somewhere in theT&C's??

@adamtemp64I posted just as you added your edit.... I will check that out

blixxi
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Thanks. At least I understand now why it has changed. 🙂

 

It is not worth me changing tariff or even topping up monthly to obtain a bundle as I only use this phone for emergency texting. I am more peeved by the fact that I was not informed of the increase, or at least increase to my particular situation.I had only one text about the changes which said absolutely nothing about this roaming charges change applying only to 'short breaks' in Europe and so not applicable to people like me, who spend more time in Europe than that for work.

 

 

Anonymous
Not applicable

I understand that 02 charges £2 per day to use data in Europe - that doesn't seem to be free?  If I have 2gb data on my 30 day contract do I still pay £2 per day as well?

MI5
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No that was the old o2 travel charge. This has no been replaced for countries in EU so you can now use whatever data you have on your tariff for no extra charge.
jonsie
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No you don't. You use your UK allowances and once used up you are charged your standard out of allowance fees. The daily £1.99 charge was for O2 Travel which no longer applies. 

Anonymous
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What a confusing nightmare !!!! I bought a friend who is going to greece for 2 1/2 months (tomorrow) a PAYG cheap phone ... I did my best to get my head around the tarrifs but went to an O2 shop to make sure and the sales assistant confirmed I would be able to call him as normal on this phone (from my O2 mobile) and that he would not pay for incoming calls. But according to the info at the beginning of this thread unless he has a big bundle he will be paying international charges ? And also O2 will cut off his roaming rights at some indeterminate point based on a descision as to what a "short stay " might be perhapes one month or maybe two? After doing my best to read through tarrifs and forums and speak to someone in the shop I have no idea whatsoever what any of this means in real terms as I'v been given contradictory advice . could anyone here help ? 

adamtemp64
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@Anonymous http://www.o2.co.uk/help/pay-as-you-go/roaming-in-europe "And for our Classic Pay As You Go tariffs, you’ll be charged in our Europe Zone in the same way as you would be at home." at home you are not charged for incomming calls so no charge for incomming it means you will be charged for sending sms and calling back to the uk and data at standard rate .

 

The eu has a guidelines on the time and its is contained here https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/faq/frequently-asked-questions-roam-home

faq 3

 

I.e. if the mobile is abroard more than in the uk o2 can suspend and then charge at normal rates

 

The uk requlators faq as well https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/using-your-mobile-abroad

adamtemp64
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to add this as well o2 state 60 days in 4 months source http://www.o2.co.uk/termsandconditions/mobile/o2-consumer-fair-usage-policy

 

 "If you use our services outside the UK in our Europe Zone for 60 or more days in any four month period this is likely to be deemed to be an unfair use of our services."

MI5
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I would suggest that on that tariff you will be ok as you are not benefiting from anything free in the same way as bundle or contract customers.
You can call them without additional charges and they can receive for free but they will still be charged for making calls and texts back to the UK.
adamtemp64
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@MI5 but the sim abroad is getting free incoming as part of the eu roam rules and that sim may fall foul of the rules . 

Anonymous
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Dear Adam and MI5 , thank you very much for your reply and help on this matter. That has cleared it up.
MI5
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@adamtemp64 wrote:

@MI5 but the sim abroad is getting free incoming as part of the eu roam rules and that sim may fall foul of the rules . 


It always was free to receive in EU since the 2015 changes.

adamtemp64
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@MI5 Yes but that could be construed as a breach of the roaming rules as that was also part of the legislation @MercedesS could you get clarification 

MI5
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It could be I guess but my point is that there is no advantage with the new rules.
pgn
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Very useful, thank you.
paulbacon
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Anyone know why i was charged £6.55 for using data in Norway (was only a few mb)? I thought Norway was in the list of countries you can use your UK data allowance?
MI5
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Yes it is included but were you on a cruise ship or ferry as these often route through Norway but are on completely different networks.