Prevent phone from connecting to Turkish network

[sunmat]

I'm traveling in Rhodes, Greece. While I'm supposed to be able to roam free in Europe, I just realized that my phone has connected to Turkish operators from time to time and I have been charged for it. I have O2 Travel bolt on, so I see a 5€ extra charge for each of the past 3 days (basically since I arrived in Greece).

Is there a way to prevent my phone from connecting to Turkish networks?

I tried to manually select a Greek operator and while it works for data, my phone notifies me every 10 seconds (by vibrating) that the selected network is unavailable, so I just can't leave it on manual network selection.

I assume if I disable O2 Travel it's going to be even worse?

Also do you think I could ask O2 to cancel those charges since technically I was in the Eurozone?

[madasaf1sh]

@sunmat 

No, as your phone has connected to a Turkish Network, and Turkey is not part of the EU, and I am afraid o2 have no way of knowing you where in Greece. 

so the charges stand, and o2 wont wipe them..

The only way to make sure you connect to a Greek network, is to not use automatically connect and use Manual Network Selection. 
You can always try a different Greek network, but it could be a localised issue, especially if the Turkish Network is stronger. 

Disabling boltons will just make no difference..

[Megs12]

Thanks for raising this issue as we are actually in Turkey and I thought they were in Europe zone and have been charged £5 for 3 days! I too have O2 Travel and was surprised to see this charge.. so do I just need to turn off roaming and just connect with Wi-Fi.. am a tad confused on all the details!! Any help would be great.. thanks Margaret

[madasaf1sh]

@Megs12 

Turkey is not part of the EU or EEA, and as such is chargeable at £6 per day for using your phone.. Just put the phone in Airplane mode, and then connect to WiFi to avoid the charges.. As any phone calls or SMS count towards the £6 per day 

https://www.o2.co.uk/eu-roaming 

[pgn]

The advice keeps mentioning Travel Inclusive AND Travel, confusingly. Turkey needs O2 Travel, at £6 per day if you make or receive a call or send a txt that day.

O2 Travel INCLUSIVE should not be being mentioned in the screenshot, @Dave-O2 tagged for info. Here is the list of countries in O2's Travel INCLUSIVE zone, note Turkey is not mentioned - despite the screenshot in @madasaf1sh's post referring to Travel INCLUSIVE Zone:

 

[Megs12]

Thanks for clarifying @madasaf1sh I will make sure I have phone in flight mode from here on in as we’re In Turkey for 2 weeks it would have been a big shock to receive that bill on our return! Appreciate your assistance.. Megs

[Megs12]

Thanks @pgn - I do have O2 Travel and Inclusive zone bolt ons so did think I was covered for Turkey but sadly no.

My husband however is also with O2 and has O2 travel yet hasn’t been charged the daily fees I have gotten.. while I am happy about that but it is slightly confusing why he didn’t get charged where I have been.. but we have both now turned phones to flight mode so there’s a solution to that. Thanks for the help! Megs

[pgn]

It is confusing when O2's own help pages give inconsistent info - turning on flightmode should save you the daily £6 fee in Turkey - good luck @Megs12.

[Dave-O2]

Thanks for making me aware @pgn 

This will be passed on to the relevant contacts.

[sunmat]

Strangely I have been charged 5£ pay day for the use of the Turkish network, not 6 (at least there is that...). I have O2 Travel bolt on, and I also have a contract that includes free roaming in some other countries like the USA (though it doesn't work and O2 could not figure out why, but that's another story).