New EU roaming rates?

Quackster

snaps wrote: »

Can someone please confirm that all packages (Contract or PAYG) should include the bundles in EU roaming?

Example if you get free sms, calls and data then you should at least get a percentage of those bundles.

My provider (Orange) in Poland have confirmed that PAYG customers will not be able to use their bundles in the EU whilst roaming.

I thought that this agreement covered both PAYG/Contract?

If you've free any-network calls and/or texts at home, then they have to provide the same when roaming in the EEA. No limits or other restrictions.

If your free calls/texts are own-network only, then these do NOT have to be provided when roaming.

MBSnr

snaps wrote: »

Can someone please confirm that all packages (Contract or PAYG) should include the bundles in EU roaming?

Example if you get free sms, calls and data then you should at least get a percentage of those bundles.

My provider (Orange) in Poland have confirmed that PAYG customers will not be able to use their bundles in the EU whilst roaming.

I thought that this agreement covered both PAYG/Contract?

Some operators across Europe look to be trying to pull a fast one..

https://www.neweurope.eu/article/eu-roaming-free-dream-crumbling/

Bob24

MBSnr wrote: »

Some operators across Europe look to be trying to pull a fast one..

https://www.neweurope.eu/article/eu-roaming-free-dream-crumbling/

That article actually says Orange Poland is applying the roam like home rule fully, which is at odds with what snaps is saying.

But interesting though predictable summary of what's going on. Really it is difficult to blame networks who are operating in countries where market conditions and local standards of living impose generous data packages for the likes of 5 euros per month for trying to get away form what is obviously a money pit for them. I have much less sympathy for networks which operate in markets with much higher ARPU figures though! (Finland, seriously??)

flexcon

Bob24 wrote: »

That article actually says Orange Poland is applying the roam like home rule fully, which is at odds with what snaps is saying.

But interesting though predictable summary of what's going one. Really it is difficult to blame networks who are operating in countries where market conditions and local standards of living imposes generous data packages for the likes of 5 euros per month for trying to get away form what is obviously a money pit for them. I have much less sympathy for networks from markets which operates in market with much higher ARPU figures though! (Finland, seriously??)

I agree. On another thread I have seen, a customer is leaving Meteor and going to Vodafone as they offer the full 30GB they have at home - whilst roaming.

Meteor are only offering 6.3GB as my minimum allowance in this EU roaming law.

However, as I explained, if Meteor gave the full 30GB - Meteor would be paying close to 210euro to whatever network they roamed on, where as you can bet, vodafone would not.

CiniO

Bob24 wrote: »

That article actually says Orange Poland is applying the roam like home rule fully, which is at odds with what snaps is saying.

Orange Polska is applying roam like at home fully - so all package minutes, texts, and limited data calculated in the same manner as Irish networks like Meteor or Three did. However it's only for bill pay. PAYG can't use their packages, and will be charged regular out of package prices for minutes, texts and data (still very cheap though - ?0.07 per minute, ?0.05 per text, and around ?0.02 per MB of data).

But indeed they seem to be only Polish network which actually applied proper roam like at home at least to bill pay customers... Other networks seem to be really taking the p1ss.

But interesting though predictable summary of what's going one. Really it is difficult to blame networks who are operating in countries where market conditions and local standards of living imposes generous data packages for the likes of 5 euros per month for trying to get away form what is obviously a money pit for them. I have much less sympathy for networks from markets which operates in market with much higher ARPU figures though! (Finland, seriously??)

I actually have a bill pay plan from Polish network Plus. It includes unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 5GB data, and 120 minutes to use in roaming or for international calls when in Poland.
All those for ?6 per month.

But from what it looks like currently, they won't give me any of those unlimited calls, texts or data when roaming.
After using the 120 minutes roaming allowance (which is included and was always included since I had this contract nearly 2 years ago), they will charge their normal out of bundle prices for every minute, text and MB used when roaming (similar to Orange prices quoted above).
They also give limited allowance for receiving calls for free when roaming. They say their fair usage policy on receiving calls is something like 300 minutes per year. After that they will charge out of fair usage policy price for receiving calls. Sound's bit ridiculous to me.

BlinkingLights

Hopefully they actually start competing on roaming and finding better deals and alliances.

It's weird how roaming until now has been almost just like de facto price fixing where everyone charged exactly the same rates to everyone else.

You would expect the smaller networks to cut deals with each other so that they could complete against the ones with border European footprints.

No network, not even Vodafone or Orange have total EU coverage. They all have one or two big markers without a better and several smaller ones. For example, Vodafone has no network partner in France and their tie up with SFR is long since over

Bob24

BlinkingLights wrote: »

For example, Vodafone has no network partner in France and their tie up with SFR is long since over

I was in France last week and while the strong ties they used to have are indeed long gone, I was wondering whether they don't still have some kind of mutual preferential agreement for roaming with cheaper rates. My Vodafone SIM was on the SFR network 95% of the time and clearly the phone was only connecting to Orange or Bouygues when it couldn't access SFR.

snaps

@Cinio

I think now Orange have included their PAYG packages in the EU?

Its not as clear as the contract page though.

My Polish has much improved and im sure this says after my "subscribed packages have finished I will pay a low rate"
"są rozliczane z uwzględnieniem limitów GB, przyznanych dla dodatkowych płatnych pakietów lub według jednej, niskiej stawki "

I'm trying to log onto Orange Slovakia to try, as I can get coverage on my 4th floor, but today there must be some conditions there is no Slovakian data coverage.

Its strange as my Irish Vodafone can log and see Slovakia networks but my Polish Orange cannot.

http://www.orange.pl/kid,4002412976,id,4002768574,title,Roaming-Orange-Travel,helparticle.html

Fred Swanson

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mickmackmcgoo

Fred Swanson wrote:

If I go to another EU country I understand I can call numbers in Ireland at no extra charge as if I was in Ireland. My question is can I call domestic numbers in the host country on the same basis? So if I roamed to Germany with an Irish number, would my calls to German domestic numbers count as part of my 1000 minutes? Or would they simply gouge me as they do at present?

Any calls to anywhere In the EU will come out of your 1000 minutes unless they are premium rate etc so you won't be charged additional

flexcon

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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No they won't gouge you. In your example yes, you will have your inclusive minutes used up instead of being charged.

Bob24

flexcon wrote: »

Fred Swanson wrote: »

I am a little confused as to what I can use my included minutes for.

My contract gives me 1000 minutes a month for domestic numbers.

If I go to another EU country I understand I can call numbers in Ireland at no extra charge as if I was in Ireland. My question is can I call domestic numbers in the host country on the same basis? So if I roamed to Germany with an Irish number, would my calls to German domestic numbers count as part of my 1000 minutes? Or would they simply gouge me as they do at present?

No they won't gouge you. In your example yes, you will have your inclusive minutes used up instead of being charged.

And it even applies to EU number outside the country where you are roaming.

Which is actually pretty confusing for customers: call an Italian number from Ireland and you're be charged separately from your national minutes allowance. But call than same Italian number while roaming in Germany and it will be counted as part of you Irish national minutes allowance.

Fred Swanson

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Quackster

Bob24 wrote: »

And it even applies to EU number outside the country where you are roaming.

Which is actually pretty confusing for customers: call an Italian number from Ireland and you're be charged separately from your national minutes allowance. But call than same Italian number while roaming in Germany and it will be counted as part of you Irish national minutes allowance.

The European Commission wanted to extend the regulation to calls from one's home network to other EEA countries a few years ago but the European Council and European Parliament vetoed it.

flexcon

Looking at how the roaming charges were abolished, I think the next task is forcing banks to reduce charges for taking out money in another country. Was charged €3.50 at the machine in Spain last week. I have an N26 card and I forgot to top up this account so used my Irish bank card.

Fred Swanson

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flexcon

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Interesting, it was Santander branch.

now unless I was charged €3 by Santander?

Fred Swanson

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flexcon

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Food for thought, Will look into it. Wasn't aware they couldn't charge you within another Europe country. I know here in Ireland we are lucky that 99% of the time there isn't a charge for cash back or at an ATM. Even in the UK they often charge 50p.

Anyway back on topic!

TheDriver

US is only place I ever paid for ATM use

Bob24

TheDriver wrote: »

US is only place I ever paid for ATM use

I can recall the exact list but it definitely happened to me in other countries.

In Vietnam at the moment and a number of Vietnamese banks seem to be adding their own fees for ATM withdrawals (on top of your own bank's fees)

Charles Babbage

flexcon wrote: »

Looking at how the roaming charges were abolished, I think the next task is forcing banks to reduce charges for taking out money in another country. Was charged €3.50 at the machine in Spain last week. I have an N26 card and I forgot to top up this account so used my Irish bank card.

The EU have already abolished this, at least within the Eurozone. The ATM may charge you itself, but as noted it should warn you about this.

Stevek101

I got a message about a €3.50 charge before I took cash out... A Sabadell ATM I think, just went to a different bank. Wouldn't start accepting that carry on.