Living permanently abroad

[EuropeanNomad]

Hello,

I am moving permanently to Poland and I might not be able to visit UK frequently (e.g. only once per year).

Is there some O2 service which would allow me to retain my UK mobile number and use it while living abroad (mostly sporadic incoming calls and texts)?

I know that Three Mobile has been cutting off their customers stranded abroad due to covid on the basis of violation of "fair usage policy"...

From what I have read so far, it seems like:

1. O2 PAYG + £10 should be OK to be used long-term abroad

2. O2 pay monthly will likely NOT be ok to be used long-term abroad

I would appreciate if you could please confirm :-). Thank you for your kind help!

[MI5]

@EuropeanNomad 

On PAYG you just need to make a chargeable call at least once every 6 months.

If you're on a bundle, this will mean you have to top up every 6 months too.

Otherwise, top up every 999 days.

[EuropeanNomad]

Thank you very much.

This link refers to this link which states:
"You may only use our services in our Europe Zone (excluding the UK) for periodic travel, like holidays or short breaks"... "we reserve the right to impose further charges or disconnect your SIM card or your tariff at any time"

Are you saying that O2 does not enforce Fair Usage Policy on PAYG? Or are you saying that the only "penalty" for not using it regularly in the UK are slightly elevated charges? (the policy states "For Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go customers the Surcharges are £3.50/GB for data, 3.3p/minute for calls and 1p/text for texts.")

To be fair, I don't mind paying slightly more, as long as O2 doesn't behave like Three Mobile and suddenly terminates the service altogether, when I merely use it for texting, just because I haven't been in the UK recently...

[MI5]

@EuropeanNomad 

You said your intent was sporadic use.

In which case, you will be fine.

The penalties only apply for continuous use over 63 days in any 4 month period.

[EuropeanNomad]

Hmmm let's clarify:

1. The simcard will be continuously active (in a mobile phone connected to the network) out of the UK for months (e.g. 6 months) without being in the UK

2. It will, however, only receive some bank-related text messages once per week, and possibly a short call once per week; it will be hardly ever used to make any calls

I'm not sure how the above would be viewed? Once again, I don't mind "higher price" penalties, I do mind "now you can't receive a text message from your bank at all" penalties :-). 

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

@EuropeanNomad 

If the system detects "abuse" you will me sent a text message informing you of increased charges until you return to the UK.

There's no way of knowing when or how this will be triggered but worst case is higher costs, not disconnection.

[EuropeanNomad]

Understood, super helpful, thank you!

[MI5]

Most welcome

[CC82]

Is it ok to come back to the UK just for a few days (less than 63 days in Europe), then back to Spain. Will that mean fair usage charges are avoided?  

[Cleoriff]

It should be OK @CC82 but I would give it two weeks back in the UK before you return to Spain....and a lot of usage