New EU roaming rates?

PAKNET · 17-05-2017 5:59pm

JaCrispy wrote: »

If you cannot use the 15euro free credit to buy another month for free then what can you spend the 15euro on?

Texts
Calls in excess of 300 minutes
Calls not covered under 300 minutes (1850,1890,0818,1580,etc.)
Calls, texts, data outside your 30 days

JaCrispy · 17-05-2017 6:02pm

Ah I see. Fairly crap then. Lycamobile will allow you to use your 15euro credit to buy another plan....doesn't have to be spent on add-ons.

snaps · 18-05-2017 5:18pm

Orange in Poland have announced their roaming rates for June. Contract subscribers seem to get a great deal here with using your allowance anywhere in the EU. PAYG though seems to be same as before a complete rip off. I'm glad ive kept alive my Vodafone PAYG.

But saying that clicking Oranges link on their homepage takes you to a page selling all in one products (Orange love). So finding the small print is very hard.

MBSnr · 19-05-2017 10:04am

3 Ireland to reverse plans to offer tiny amounts of EU roaming data
http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/3-ireland-to-reverse-plans-to-offer-tiny-amounts-of-eu-roaming-data-35732903.html

http://www.three.ie/service-notification/service-notification-19052017/

Bob24 · 19-05-2017 10:26am

Good to know they didn't manage to get away with it.

Having said that if I was still a Three customer I wouldn't get carried away. Knowing their usual practices I am sure they'll fine other means to get what they want. What I already see comming is them heavily throttling data speeds while roaming, which is probably not against the regulation and is sure to reduce the average data roaming usage (when the network is slower people tend to do less things and to feel less inclined to use their phone).

TheDriver · 19-05-2017 11:54am

Bob24 wrote: »

Good to know they didn't manage to get away with it.

Having said that if I was still a Three customer I wouldn't get carried away. Knowing their usual practices I am sure they'll fine other means to get what they want. What I already see comming is them heavily throttling data speeds while roaming, which is probably not against the regulation and is sure to reduce the average data roaming usage (when the network is slower people tend to do less things and to feel less inclined to use their phone).

Its great to see THREE backing down over this as Meteor/Eir are holding tough and observing alongwith tesco et al.
I don't see how three will have any control over speeds plus they can't be any slower abroad than on their own home network.

Bob24 · 19-05-2017 12:40pm

TheDriver wrote: »

Its great to see THREE backing down over this as Meteor/Eir are holding tough and observing alongwith tesco et al.
I don't see how three will have any control over speeds plus they can't be any slower abroad than on their own home network.

Their network can definitely diferentiate a user which is in Ireland from one which is elsewhere and apply speed restrictions for the second category (don't forget that when you are roaming all your data traffic is routed back to your home network before reaching the internet rather than being routed directly to the internet by the guest network). Very simple to implement and others have done it before.

stoksyXL · 19-05-2017 1:25pm

Bob24 wrote: »

Their network can definitely diferentiate a user which is in Ireland from one which is elsewhere and apply speed restrictions for the second category (don't forget that when you are roaming all your data traffic is routed back to your home network before reaching the internet rather than being routed directly to the internet by the guest network). Very simple to implement and others have done it before.

I've actually experience this when I used to be with 3.
I used their "three like home" roaming in Sweden and Denmark in the past and was using their 3G network, I'd have basically full signal, but you'd be able to tell that your data speeds are being limited. Used to only be limited to very basic 1-2mb speeds.

jimmynokia · 19-05-2017 5:55pm

Lyca mobile new rates https://t.co/Efsgkp1EqN

mickmackmcgoo · 19-05-2017 6:02pm

jimmynokia wrote:

Lyca mobile new rates

Surely those rates are in breach of the new regulations?

dubrov · 19-05-2017 6:17pm

mickmackmcgoo wrote:

Surely those rates are in breach of the new regulations?

They are trying to argue that the same rates apply at home as abroad.

However, there is clearly a difference when bundles don't apply abroad so they are in breach.

ComReg seem to be doing their best to ignore this issue

jimmynokia · 19-05-2017 6:20pm

I hear there is one way for the mvnos to get around this, If they do not offer roaming they are not subject to fines..

mickmackmcgoo · 19-05-2017 6:24pm

dubrov wrote:

However, there is clearly a difference when bundles don't apply abroad so they are in breach.

So 29c a minute is their out of bundle charge , but on their 15 euro top up you get unlimited national calls and they are saying people can't use those calls abroad ? That's definitely not roam like home, they won't get away with that

TheDriver · 19-05-2017 7:33pm

Lyca have made their deals worse by not being able to use bundle abroad

Bob24 · 19-05-2017 9:29pm

jimmynokia wrote: »

I hear there is one way for the mvnos to get around this, If they do not offer roaming they are not subject to fines..

Correct (and not specific to MVNOs).

But it doesn't seem to be what Lyca is doing here. They are saying data roaming is offered, but bundle allowances cannot be used. To be allowed not to let customers make use of their bundle allowance while roaming in the EU, they would have to disable roaming altogether for those customers (i.e. do away with that 9c/MB option listed on the webpage).

If I understand their new pricing correctly they seem to be in breach with the regulation.

jimmynokia · 20-05-2017 2:44am

True. Not for specific to an MVNO but across the board but the MVNO's playing this card. And yes they are breaching guidelines.

ED E · 20-05-2017 6:42pm

Dont lyca change your number to the local network while roaming? Then it could be claimed you arent roaming at all.

Fred Swanson · 20-05-2017 6:47pm

This post has been deleted.

castle2012 · 20-05-2017 6:48pm

ED E wrote: »

Dont lyca change your number to the local network while roaming? Then it could be claimed you arent roaming at all.

I think you've hit the nail on the head , It could be there way of getting round it , A foolish way to get rid of customers id expect a big exodus of their customer base as there a sim free network, people can just leave whenever they want ,

TheDriver · 24-05-2017 5:18pm

https://www.meteor.ie/simply-eu/
Meteor prepay

Bob24 · 24-05-2017 7:09pm

So basically as long as they have a plan which fits your needs in terms of base data allowance, the best friend of roamers is Vodafone as it is the only one which lets your use your whole allowance while roaming.

TheDriver · 24-05-2017 7:51pm

True except most vf users will still have less than meteors allowance

Charles Babbage · 24-05-2017 9:56pm

From Virgin Mobile (I have the TV, they are trying to sell me the mobile).

That's unlimited 4G data, unlimited calls, and unlimited texts all for €5 a month for 5 months. €25 a month thereafter on a 30 day contract. What's more from 1st June you will be able to use your unlimited calls, texts and 5.5GB of your data allowance while travelling in the EU at no extra cost.

snaps · 05-06-2017 11:06am

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?

Bob24 · 05-06-2017 12:29pm

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?

What proportion of your home bundle they have to let you use for free will depend on how much your plan costs and how the tariff structure. But if they are planning to give you nothing at all they are most likely in breach of the regulation as I don't think there is any case on which they are allowed to do that.

Bob24 · 05-06-2017 12:31pm

Btw good news for Vodafone prepaid customers. I have been using roaming a good bit in France and Switzerland over the past couple of days, and in spite of them still send gin text messages to inform me of a roaming rate, no credit whatsoever has been taken from my account.

BlinkingLights · 05-06-2017 12:36pm

I'm on meteor SIM only 30GB and unlimited calls & texts.

7.4GB roaming.

I've s similar plan on 3 for my business phone which only offers 2GB.

I'll be porting the second line tomorrow

Adios Three! Didn't like you anyway.

flexcon · 05-06-2017 2:31pm

BlinkingLights wrote: »

I'm on meteor SIM only 30GB and unlimited calls & texts.

7.4GB roaming.

I've s similar plan on 3 for my business phone which only offers 2GB.

I'll be porting the second line tomorrow

Adios Three! Didn't like you anyway.

2GB was the old offering. They are updating this so you should get equal data as with meteor. To repeat / that 2gb is gone.

BlinkingLights · 05-06-2017 2:35pm

Well they managed to charge me over €100 for domestic data this month erroneously. So they can get stuffed.

Quackster · 05-06-2017 6:17pm

Bob24 wrote: »

Btw good news for Vodafone prepaid customers. I have been using roaming a good bit in France and Switzerland over the past couple of days, and in spite of them still send gin text messages to inform me of a roaming rate, no credit whatsoever has been taken from my account.

Yep, it's been like that since May last year!

Quackster · 05-06-2017 6:20pm

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 · 06-06-2017 10:52am

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 · 06-06-2017 9:37pm

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 · 06-06-2017 11:01pm

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 · 06-06-2017 11:13pm

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 · 07-06-2017 7:52am

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 · 07-06-2017 9:02am

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 · 16-06-2017 2:48pm

@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 · 18-06-2017 11:31am

This post has been deleted.

mickmackmcgoo · 18-06-2017 12:02pm

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 · 19-06-2017 9:27am

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

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

Bob24 · 19-06-2017 2:19pm

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 · 19-06-2017 2:55pm

This post has been deleted.

Quackster · 19-06-2017 2:59pm

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 · 19-06-2017 3:50pm

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 · 19-06-2017 4:04pm

This post has been deleted.

flexcon · 19-06-2017 4:09pm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Interesting, it was Santander branch.

now unless I was charged €3 by Santander?

Fred Swanson · 19-06-2017 4:15pm

This post has been deleted.

flexcon · 19-06-2017 4:28pm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

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 · 20-06-2017 8:24am

US is only place I ever paid for ATM use

New EU roaming rates?

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