Help! Expat trying to keep my PAYG phone alive in the USA

[Mark-USA]

OK, O2 is proving a real challenge. Like many expats I like to keep a UK phone number for return visits that everyone knows and PAYG is the cheapest way. I know about the 6 month rule etc so I have it on my calendar to make a chargeable call every 5 months. Last time I did this was December 1st so this is at the 5 month point.

So, I try to do this today and I can't. It says I don't have enough credit, a nonsense, as both of the phones we use have £20 or so. My O2 says my phone has zero credit, and my wife £19. Either way, both SIMS give the same message (last time I looked online both reported with the balances mentioned). 

This is frustrating - everything is set up to roam in the USA where I live but things just don't seem to work and the SIM balances are inaccurate. I saw this same kind of thing last December and had horrible trouble (interestingly the balance showed as zero and eventually corrected itself and I bumbled through eventually)

Does anyone have any suggestions? I want to keep the numbers, and I want to keep the credits. Help!! Please!! Oh, and I can't simply top up here (which would be fine) as the system is set up for UK credit/debit and it all falls apart when I provide my zip code instead of postcode. Grrr...

The only thought I have is that O2 here on the West coast seems to roam on T-Mobile and my house gets a pathetic T-Mobile signal and I wonder if this is confusing things. I'll try taking a quick drive to see if I can get a better signal somewhere but I don't know what this would affect  the balance for my phones shown in MyO2.

Frustrated as heck, even more so as these work so well when I'm in the UK.

Please help folks!

[Mark-USA · Accepted solution]

Right I have the scoop! Following a long conversation at 2.30am my time where O2 were nice enough to restore my balances, I got an explanation that makes sense.

(1) The limit is 6 months to keep the phone alive so I can confirm that. The three month notion is probably because of some version of the next thing giving that impression, but it's definitely 6 months.

(2) The reason my balances plunged to zero is DATA. Putting a SIM in an otherwise active US phone, even if you don't use the internet, uses data just on the background apps. If you stroll away from your wi-fi to get a mobile signal, so you can make a chargeable call, even for a couple of minutes as I did on my driveway, and when I took the car on a drive for a stronger signal, this gets you.

(3) Hah, you say, that's just a few Meg, max, no biggie, right? 

(4) Then you find out 1M of data in the USA is charged at £7.20. Yes, £7.20 - 720x the UK rate. That's shocking beyond belief and, I have to say it, unjustified under any circumstances. All you need is a few minutes of cellular data roaming and that's it, your account is emptied! That's what happened to me.

(5) for the curious, O2 PAYG does not allow wi-fi calling so you'd be racking up calls at £2.00 a minute regardless of strong wi-fi. Curiously O2 txting does work on wi-fi.

So, to avoid the issue, it's imperative that anyone making chargeable call every 6 months make sure that their cellular data setting is OFF. Since I have spare, recently retired iPhones, I'm just going to set them up that way and leave the SIM card in. If I need data in the UK, I'll turn it on then but never when I'm in the USA.

So, to make those calls every 6 months, you have a choice: make a quick 1 minute call costing £2, or send a quick txt at £0.50 but risk data usage (as you seem to have to be outside your wi-fi for it to be chargeable) which could cost you way more given it's £7.20 a meg. Personally I'll going to make a call as £2 once or twice a year is a bargain to keep the phones alive.

So, now I get what's going on, this is the scoop. I hope someone finds it helpful.

PS. I fully intend to try the PayPal idea if I'm ever stuck with no credit - which might happen if I'm rushed for time as I fly out of the UK.

[MI5]

Thanks for updating us

[jonsie]

Thanks for the detailed clarification @Mark-USA I thought it strange that you still had signal because when it's disconnected for insufficient usage there's no network and you can't attempt to make a call.

I guess some advisers just make it up as they go along.

[Cleoriff]

Thanks for that detailed update @Mark-USA 

Pleased to hear the cut off point is 6 months and not 3months

It all makes sense now and I'm so glad that ringing at 2.30am gave you an advisor who knew what they were talking about.

Lovely to chat to you. Keep safe xx

[gmarkj]

Well done for persisting.
Never considered that your credit was disappearing for data, but yes the o2 roaming rates are daylight robbery!