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.

[Anonymous]

That comes across as quite patronising @MI5 ...
I think you will find people are just expressing their thoughts/feelings on the changes.
As I said, the reason this thread was stated was to verify the changes.

It's through this discussion that hopefully, people can weigh up their pros and cons of opting out or staying 😉

[MI5]

Totally agree. It wasn't intended as patronising but some peoples blinkered attitudes are quite irritating.
They are usually the kind of people who know everything and never listen so short succinct statements usually get the message across

[Anonymous]

When I first got the email I thought oooh this is news...then that changed to "hold on.., hold on.. what if ive just sent a message that day? I have to pay £1.99? I used to pay 4p for text, now its going to be £1.99??"

Hence the reason I called O2 and they weren't forthcoming at all, and were giving me the wrong information. Obviously, this is was because they themselves had not been aware of the changes.

Overall, a good and beneficial change in the long run. One just has to get used to the idea and get into the mind frame of using one's phone abroad more to justify that £1.99 charge you will get every day. Which is really what O2 is clearly trying to encourage. 

For many like me who were used to how it worked, £1.99 charge per day adds up if you are mostly using the o2 bolt on for texting and calling. Of course it has been pointed out that for people like myself, it would probably be better to opt out and take the standard charge when abroad.

Anyhoo, many thanks for the discussion and clarification. Hopefully, people can make a nice informed decision.

[MI5]

and thank you for bringing it to our attention.
It has been a useful discussion......

[Anonymous]

I`ve had the email today too.  I can`t see me continuing with my Travel Bolt On because it wouldn`t be worth it.  I pay the 50p connection per call at the moment because I use WhatsApp for messages when away as the apartments I go to have WiFi, so it makes sense.  Oh dear O2 . . .what have they done!  When my phone contract is up for renewal I will consider going with another provider if I can get a better Travel deal.  

[MI5]

You can make calls over whatsapp too.

[jonsie]

In all honesty I'm not sure of any financial benefit to O2 in this. I'm sure they would have made as much profit with the 50p connection charge. They must have decided this new business strategy will yield nore dividends for the shareholders.

[jonsie]

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@MI5 wrote:
You can make calls over whatsapp too.

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As indeed you can with Skype, messanger, Line and Viber etc with the added advantage of video calling.

[MI5]

Yes, but whatsapp was specifically mentioned as in use by @Anonymous

[jonsie]

Just pointing out the many alternatives. Most people have one or more of these apps.