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.

[MI5]

Well I doubt o2 will be changing anything back to how it was or introducing any "lite" tariffs so everyone needs to reassess what works best for them from now on.....

[Anonymous]

@GrahamW you've echoed my sentiments from a few posts back about the possibility of having a light and heavy user o2 travel options. I think we can safely assume that will not happen though. This whole malarkey is too far gone.

@Martin-O2 in light of the changes to o2 travel, are you privy to the information of when/if o2 will release their new roaming charges, if any? I believe a user posted the new charges vodafone will be introducing in April. 

[MI5]

Not o2 specific but the EU directive states this https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/roaming-tariffs

[Cleoriff]

@Anonymous I believe O2 changes are effective from the 7th April as well...

[MI5]

O2 travel is changing then but the tariff standard rates don't have to change before April 30, however, we are only assuming the standard rates will drop. There may be an "agreement" that because o2 (or any other network) offers a package that fits the new regs then the standard off package charges don't have to meet the requirements........?

[Cleoriff]

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@MI5 wrote:
O2 travel is changing then but the tariff standard rates don't have to change before April 30, however, we are only assuming the standard rates will drop. There may be an "agreement" that because o2 (or any other network) offers a package that fits the new regs then the standard off package charges don't have to meet the requirements........?

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Do they sell a personalised wifi hat I can use at all times whilst in Spain? I will even wear it when sunbathing....

[MI5]

Yeah but the plug is a bit painful to insert

[Anonymous]

Hey @Cleoriff I wasn't referring to the o2 travel changes that take effect from april 7th

@MI5 I know it's a European directive that does not have to ake effect until April 30th for all networks. However, @darreng posted a few pages back a link showing Vodafone's updated charges as of April 30th. What I was asking Martin was does he know of/when o2 will be posting a similar thing to let users know of the changes to roaming rates as of April 30th.

Regardless of whether o2 package offers what may appear to be cheaper deal, o2 are still obliged to post new roaming rates as per 30 directive. I'm hoping Martin can shed a light of the timeline we can expect the email / txt / website update.

[Cleoriff]

Hi @Anonymous I realised after I posted that wasn't the date you were looking for...Sadly I was out of time to edit.

I must have had a senior moment

I would also like to know the updated charges. I will be 'lucky' this time. I go back to Spain on the 22nd March and return to the UK on the 8th April (the day after the changes to O2 travel)

[Anonymous]

Well Thanks 02 really good of you Try to force me to pay £1.99 per day while im on my Holiday.I was ok with being charged £0.50 for a connection charge and a small fee for texts as i use the free WIFI in bars and Resturants.So i can opt out of the Travel and Pay Around £1 per minute and £0.20 per text,Or i can use an app and try a wifi call,Thats convenient on the beach.You need to look around at other service providers and you will realise that you are expensive on your Tariffs already,So this isnt for the good of most customers as you might be finding with this disscusion.Over the last 12 month i have moved my wife and my daughter to other providers & yes its going to cost me £400 to leave, but i wont be back so that is about 14 month at my current tariff charge then you have no more money coming in from me.Looks like im off to THREE saving £16 a month and guess what they wont charge me to use my phone abroad at all.WELL DONE 02 Thanks For That