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. 
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@MI5 wrote:
Question has already been raised and I believe @Martin-O2 or @Toby is looking at it for us http://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/O2-Travel-Changes-7-4/m-p/968807#M112491 ?
Thanks for the mention @MI5
We are waiting for an update on this query, apologies for the delay. Anyone who is waiting on this information please keep an eye on this thread and I will post an update as soon as I have news.
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No problem - it's jogged Martin's memory at least 
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what about vodafone's rates without eurotraveller? did ask on the their forum but didnt get the answer i was after any ideas?
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This is all quite interesting.
I have only just learned of this change to O2 Travel via an O2 advert on an easyJet boarding pass that I've just downloaded after doing the online check-in! I didn't get any email about this change.
I had a three-day business trip to Rotterdam in early May since O2 Travel changed, and although looking back at the text I got on arrival which mentions calls and texts as part of the £1.99, I didn't read it closely at the time as I thought it was the same as ever. The only thing that I thought was odd was that I was sure I hadn't turned on mobile data on the final day, but I still got charged. No great shakes at just £1.99 though. The thing that irked me most about the old O2 travel was the exorbitant 50p cost of receiving a 10-second call from phone-happy travelling companions ("DON'T PHONE ME! Send a text!" They never listened ...).
With the new standard rates at much MUCH reduced prices now, I'm considering whether to turn off O2 Travel for a forthcoming 9-day trip to Spain (5 days business, 4 days long weekend). Thankfully I've had my latest bill and looking at the PDF I can see exactly what I used in the three days in Rotterdam.
Day 1: -- 7 MB, 9 texts, no calls
Day 2: -- 48 MB, 8 texts, no calls
Day 3 -- 0 MB, 15 texts, 1 call received (17 secs)
I'm not sure if the new roaming rates are inc. or excl. VAT, but playing safe let's just assume they don't include it ... with the new O2 travel it cost me £5.97 inc VAT but had I just used standard rates it would have cost me £3.30 inc VAT. On balance, I think I'll save money over the course of nine days by just using standard rates. £18 isn't ridiculous for nine days' unlimited data abroad, and it's perhaps worth it for people who don't want to have to worry about roaming costs, but I really doubt I'll use it given that the new standard rates are so much cheaper. I only really use the data abroad for emails and a bit of web searching about local places to eat etc.
Although I can understand people's annoyance about being stung for sending a few texts, I still marvel that I can go abroad for two weeks and come back to a phone bill that is still cheaper than an Orange UK contract used to be in the mid/late 90s ...
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To be honest @GJD I go to Spain frequently and have opted out of O2 Travel. I have wifi in my apartment and so many other places are equipped with WiFi that it made sense for me to opt out. I can use TuGo over Wifi which is good as the cost is taken out of your normal allowances (mine is unlimited calls and texts)
So all looking good at present...though the proof will be when I return from Spain in the middle of June
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@MI5 wrote:
I'm happy to pay £1.99 a day and know that's all it will be.
No need to faff about and wonder if wifi is connected - just use the phone without restrictions.
Indeed but when I opted out my circumstances were different. It may be more appropriate for me to opt back in for the June trip 
