Short Q: Which provider best if abroad a fair bit

Hmm_Messiah

Hi - I am on meteor but have never managed to use the phone on my last few trips abroad , despite them telling me its set up etc etc

I'm told its possible its a issue with the actual phone and settigns but I've been using two differenct handsets

I wonder can any one advise overall which provider is best as I think being in Berlin / East Europe is goign to bne a reasonable common occure over the next while

so best for service and/or tarriffs I guess (I've looked at comreg site)

my mum is ill, and among other thigns I want her always to be able to reach me if possible

thanks

Davy

http://www.3ireland.ie/international/euroaming.htm

http://www.3ireland.ie/international/country_de_2.htm

Sam Vimes

i'd recommend vodafone. 3 just can't be relied on for roaming. They're great if you're in a country with a 3 network but shaky elsewhere. I'm just back from new york and it didn't work. Last year i was inter railing in eastern europe and the only place it worked was italy, which has a 3 network

in germany it worked but had a problem where texts i sent weren't acknowledged so they sent hundreds of times. This is a common problem that i'm sure people will confirm.

in a lot of countries vodafone charges 79c to connect a call and then charges at irish rates, so free to receive a call. It's called vodafone passport, look it up. But of course vodafone can be expensive in ireland so i just keep a vodafone sim in a drawer for when i'm abroad
Posted via Mobile Device in heathrow where 3 works thankfully

scary

i'm with 3 and have travelled all over Europe both east and west and the states and never had any issues with roaming.

Walkman

Im also with 3 and never a problem with roaming. Between holidays and work been to France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Czech Rep and US
In last two years and always had coverage. Im on bill pay, but I think pre pay with 3 can be ropey in the US.

1huge1

I'm with 3 and most of the times had no problems except eith spain and germany where like vimes said my texts sent over and over again (got annoying for the other person but only cost me once).

To be honest if you gonna be in eastern europe id recommend vodafone.

Random

Vodafone supposed to work in Russia but the network they use don't seem to exist! Could only receive calls and texts.

I like O2 for roaming - they always seem to work in my experience and never not worked for me (I have a bill and prepay so use bill if prepay not setup - check their website for the countries you're going to). The one downside being they cost more than some of the others .. but they're getting better.

grey squirrel

It's down to what countries you're visiting. Check websites and determine what's best.

Personally I was In Italy last week and used 3pay. Brilliant including the mobile broadband. I am also with Vodafone and had unsubscribed from Passport because my calls are usually short so the normal EU rates are much cheaper than using Passport. I'm in Turkey next week and will switch back to Vodafone Passport - the alternative is the Vodafone "world rates"

If you visit one country a lot I would consider getting a local SIM there and diverting a geo number from here to the foreign number. Costs are usually less than 20 c/minute to receive calls

c - 13

I've been able to use vodafone in all the countries i've been too with no problem. Their roaming charges aren't cheap though.

apollodjs

Sam Vimes wrote: »

i'd recommend vodafone. 3 just can't be relied on for roaming. They're great if you're in a country with a 3 network but shaky elsewhere. I'm just back from new york and it didn't work. Last year i was inter railing in eastern europe and the only place it worked was italy, which has a 3 network

in germany it worked but had a problem where texts i sent weren't acknowledged so they sent hundreds of times. This is a common problem that i'm sure people will confirm.

in a lot of countries vodafone charges 79c to connect a call and then charges at irish rates, so free to receive a call. It's called vodafone passport, look it up. But of course vodafone can be expensive in ireland so i just keep a vodafone sim in a drawer for when i'm abroad
Posted via Mobile Device in heathrow where 3 works thankfully

I was in new York last April using 3Pay and it didn’t work called them about it and they just denied it, funny thing was it worked down on Brooklyn bridge and out in jersey gardens but once I got back into Manhattan I lost all coverage.

Sam Vimes

apollodjs wrote: »

I was in new York last April using 3Pay and it didn’t work called them about it and they just denied it, funny thing was it worked down on Brooklyn bridge and out in jersey gardens but once I got back into Manhattan I lost all coverage.

i was in manhattan and it didn't work. i didn't try it anywhere else so it may well have worked elsewhere. the same thing happened to me in amsterdam a few years ago. i got coverage at the airport but nowhere else

h57xiucj2z946q

Sam Vimes wrote: »

in germany it worked but had a problem where texts i sent weren't acknowledged so they sent hundreds of times. This is a common problem that i'm sure people will confirm.

This happened for me on 3 back in March when roaming in Berlin.