Texting the US from UK

[EmmyW]

Hi,

My daughters have been texting a friend in the US. I've got a zero spend cap on their monthly contract, so does this mean texts to the US are free on a monthly unlimited texts plan as it's allowing them to text her.

I can't find the answer to this anywhere, so hoping someone here may know.

Thanks! 

[Bambino]

@EmmyW Texts to the US from the UK are chargeable. I'm not sure how your daughter is able to do that if you have a zero spend cap.

If you want to avoid charges, download WhatsApp on your daughter's phone and make sure the person she's texting in the US has the app too. If she uses the app over a WiFi connection she can call, text, and video call the US number with the app for free.

[EmmyW]

Their friends mum won't allow WhatsApp. I'll be ringing 02 tomorrow to find out what's going on

[Enlli]

To my knowledge it is 6p per text to the USA. It certainly isn't free.

Any extra charges should show in My O2.

Message O2 on 

Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB)  

Twitter (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG) ,

 they should be able to help you.

If both parties used WhatsApp and have WiFi access they could text and talk for free

[Bambino]

@EmmyW There's nothing wrong with WhatsApp. The friend's mum is making a mistake not allowing it. Texting from the US to the UK will be chargeable too without the app. Your daughter and her friend could also use Facebook Messenger or Skype over WiFi for free.

[EmmyW]

My two daughters have WhatsApp. It's the other girl that doesn't. 

[Bambino]

@EmmyW If the other girl's mum won't allow it then suggest Messenger or Skype. WhatsApp is much more secure though, so I don't get why they won't allow it.

[EmmyW]

 Nothing showing in extras and she's been texting for the last two days?

[pgn]

One question, @EmmyW - is the friend who is in the USA using a UK mobile?  Then SMS would come from the monthly allowance of the sender (free in this case, on Contract with unlimited texts to other UK networks), and receiving the SMS in the USA would be free anyway.

Just a thought...

[EmmyW]

It's definitely a US number.

Quite strange 

I've sent a message to the O2 support desk, so hopefully someone will enlighten me shortly. Definitely will be refusing to pay for any of the texts as that's why I added a zero spend cap!