O2 Travel Changes 7/4

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

I have been usng the free O2 Travel bolt on since 2016 as I travel to European countries quite often. I use it primarily to browse for when wifi is unattainable. I browse and I get charged £1.99 for the day. In terms of of making phone calls and text messages. If I text a UK number whilst in a European country I get charged 4p. So the overall current setup is:

"While travelling in Europe just pay a 50p connection charge to make and receive calls between European countries then talk for free for up to 60 mins. You'll pay just £1.99 for the days you use data in Europe & there’s no upper limit, but traffic management steps apply. £40 monthly spending limit for data outside Europe."

An email has been sent out from O2 stating changes to how O2 travel works. It now states that:

"From 7 th April 2016, we’ll be adding calls and texts sent back to the UK and within O2 Travel destinations, to the data you already get with our O2 Travel Bolt On. This will give you data, up to 120 minutes and 120 standard texts, per daily charge within selected destinations in Europe. With O2 Travel you’ll only be charged for the days that you use it."

My udnerstanding is that from 7/4 if I am in a European country and I text a UK number, rather than being charged 4p like I used to be, I will be charged £1.99.  Is this correct? I appreciate they are saying you can send up to 120 messages and still get charged £1.99 but I never send 120 messages. I usually send just a couple. By this logic, the £1.99  charged that was activated only when you used data, will now also be activated by sending a text message. If I send one text per day for 3 days I will end up paying £5.99? 

Can someone please verify tell me if I have misunderstood the change?

Thank you.

PS: I am not asking to be told about the different options to circumvent sending a text.. I just want to know that I have understood the changes correctly.

[GrahamW]

I will certainly investigate TuGo.  It sounds like it will help with calls made back to the UK whilst in an apartment or cafe.

However, about half of my calls are those made between myself and my partner whilst we are both out and about in Spain.  That is almost by definition when one or both of us are out of WiFi coverage.  We often SMS each other too (again, whilst not on WiFi).  So TuGo won't help there.

As for using TuGo :-

The O2 site seems to say that you will be charged as if your phone were in the UK - using your UK allowances.  But what if I call up the local restaurant in Spain (as I often do for home delivery pizza) ?

Using TuGo, if I understand correclty, I will be charged the "calling Spain from the UK" rate of £1 per min.

Or have I misunderstood ?

I've just researched the rates.  Unless I'm wrong, it only costs 16.5p per min to make calls to Spanish numbers whilst in Spain.  So for local calls I am better off NOT using TuGo.  And of course, I must be opted out of  "O2 Travel" to avoid incuring a £1.99 "daily" charge !

As an aside, if I have "O2 Travel" enabled and then call the local pizza delivery guys, will I trigger a £1.99 charge AND then pay the UK to Spain rate of £1 per minute too !

[jonsie]

Calls via TuGo on wifi will come from your allowance and won't trigger the £1.99.

Calling via TuGo to order a pizza will cost you the same as the standard international rate.

Why do you need to call your gf....she should be with you 

[Aircub]

Does this change of Travel Allowance mean a change of contract so can you cancel becasue of the change.

[MI5]

I think your question regarding the charge for calling local numbers needs clarification tbh.

[Cleoriff]

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@Aircub wrote:

Does this change of Travel Allowance mean a change of contract so can you cancel becasue of the change.

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I doubt it. O2 Travel is something you can opt in or out of....Not part of your contract..

[jonsie]

Definitely not a reason that you can cancel. Opt in or out, you have a choice and it doesn't change your terms and conditions. 

[GrahamW]

<< Calling via TuGo to order a pizza will cost you the same as the standard international rate. >>

So, to clarify/confirm my understanding ...

When ordering a pizza (whilst in Spain and calling a Spanish number) I will be charged the same 16.5p per min ... whether I am using TuGo or not (as long as I have opted out of "O2 Travel").

And of course if I have not opted out, it will cost me the £1.99 daily fee followed by .... what exactly ?

[MI5]

I don't know, it's not clear, that's why I think it needs clarification.

[jonsie]

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@MI5 wrote:
I don't know, it's not clear, that's why I think it needs clarification.

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That ^^^^

[PhoneDoc]

The £1.99 includes 120 minutes to the UK and local numbers in any O2 Travel destination. You can call local spanish landlines or mobiles with that 120 minutes - you won't be charged extra.

You'll only get charged if you go over 120 minutes, at the standard per-minute roaming charge for whatever number you're calling.