Pickles Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I changed over to the Three mobile phone network in the UK last year. One of the things that they tout is a "Feel at home" charging system by which, in 16 countries, they allow you to use your monthly allowance as if you were in the UK. If you are on PAYG, (like me) then it says that you must buy an "add-on" to avail of this. It also says that if you spend 3 complete months abroad in a year then they will remove your roaming priviledges.I don't use the mobile phone very much, so was quite happy not to buy the add-on and thus I have paid normal EU-sanctioned rates for sending and receiving calls.We have spent time in several different EU countries, returning to the UK, and never being abroad over a month.Now I have received a text from them giving me a few days' notice that they are stopping my roaming service - so I can't roam at ANY price! The reason given is that I have been abroad in "Feel at home" destinations more than 3 months in the last 12. It doesn't matter that I didn't avail of the "Feel at home" service. It also doesn't matter that I haven't spent complete months in any destination. It seems that my case is not unusual. Back to GiffGaff ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I feel the "Unfair Contract" Clause needs to be explained to 3's legal department, They cannot insist you take the add on unless that is explicit in their T&C's I was going shopping for a 3 sim this weekend, yes really. How much is the "Feel at home" add on for PAYG? OK if your on contract as it's included but is that also 3months in 12?As you say I will stick with Giff Gaff but I did buy a PAYG card from LeClerc which I took the round the world calling option so calling the UK from France was about 1 cent per minute or similar very low cost option. I couldn't find a free sim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Oh crumbs, guys! I am with Three mobile, but on a monthly contract, and am delighted to have the free roaming for my trips to France.I make regular visits to France of about two weeks' duration, though overall spend more time in the UK. I must check the Ts&Cs again....When are roaming charges due to be abolished generally? It keeps being deferredAngelaEDITHmm, just checked here:http://www.three.co.uk/Privacy_Cookies/Terms_Conditions?content_aid=1220482374514....the following limits per month shall apply: Data: 25GBSMS: 5,000Voice 3,000 minutesThree may contact the customer if the above limits are exceeded in any given month.Three reserves the right to suspend the international roaming when in a selected destination if the customer’s use exceeds any of the above limits for two (2) months within a twelve (12) month period.......Three reserves the right to suspend the service in the event the UK allowance is used exclusively abroad for three (3) months within a twelve (12) month period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 [quote user="Loiseau"]Oh crumbs, guys! I am with Three mobile, but on a monthly contract, and am delighted to have the free roaming for my trips to France.I make regular visits to France of about two weeks' duration, though overall spend more time in the UK. I must check the Ts&Cs again....When are roaming charges due to be abolished generally? It keeps being deferred[/quote]The latest info is that instead of abolishing them this December, the industry lobby groups have succeeded in deferral to at least 2018 (and at that point it will simply be "reviewed"). This means that the home country use price rises that the service providers have been putting in place to cope with the abolition of roaming will stay in place whilst the cause of them will not happen. Similarly, having pretty much killed the market for "Alternative Roaming Partners" (another way of reducing your roaming costs, which was supposed to be mandatory from June 2014), the service providers get to keep the high roaming costs. The service providers get to win both ways ... at the cost of both roaming and non-roaming customers.[quote user="Loiseau"] EDITHmm, just checked here:http://www.three.co.uk/Privacy_Cookies/Terms_Conditions?content_aid=1220482374514....the following limits per month shall apply: Data: 25GBSMS: 5,000Voice 3,000 minutesThree may contact the customer if the above limits are exceeded in any given month.Three reserves the right to suspend the international roaming when in a selected destination if the customer’s use exceeds any of the above limits for two (2) months within a twelve (12) month period.......Three reserves the right to suspend the service in the event the UK allowance is used exclusively abroad for three (3) months within a twelve (12) month period.[/quote]Yes, I was well aware of the Ts and Cs. How they apply to PAYG customers is not quite as transparent, but Three has decided that despite my not having a "UK allowance" to use abroad, and despite not using the service exclusively abroad for 3 months in 12, they have still pulled the plug on my roaming service. Incidentally, I posted on their blog about this and they pulled my post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Like you, Pickles, I am a very light user of my mobile. This is actually the first time I have splashed out on a monthly contract - partly cos I like to do the occasional spot of geocaching. This can be more spontaneous with a mobile app as against remembering to copy the search data from computer to dedicated GPS device.If I understand right, it seems that, as a monthly user, I'd have to use up all my monthly allowance at least twice before I'd be in trouble:"Since Feel At Home is designed for UK residents on holiday or business trips abroad, if you exceed the above allowances abroad in any two months within a 12 month period, it may affect your roaming services and prevent you from using international roaming in the future."I had better make sure I use the phone a fair bit when I am at home in the UK.Not much help to you, though, Pickles. :-(Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 [quote user="Loiseau"]Like you, Pickles, I am a very light user of my mobile. This is actually the first time I have splashed out on a monthly contract - partly cos I like to do the occasional spot of geocaching. This can be more spontaneous with a mobile app as against remembering to copy the search data from computer to dedicated GPS device.If I understand right, it seems that, as a monthly user, I'd have to use up all my monthly allowance at least twice before I'd be in trouble:"Since Feel At Home is designed for UK residents on holiday or business trips abroad, if you exceed the above allowances abroad in any two months within a 12 month period, it may affect your roaming services and prevent you from using international roaming in the future."I had better make sure I use the phone a fair bit when I am at home in the UK.Not much help to you, though, Pickles. :-(Angela[/quote]I think that it's the second restriction that you need to be careful of ... "Three reserves the right to suspend the service in the event the UK allowance is used exclusively abroad for three (3) months within a twelve (12) month period" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Exactement...I never would be abroad for anything like that period in one go, so must be sure to use it at home a fair bit.Re the general info about roaming, thanks for that. I had a feeling it had been put off considerably.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 [quote user="Loiseau"]Exactement...I never would be abroad for anything like that period in one go, so must be sure to use it at home a fair bit. [/quote]Our periods abroad have likewise not been anything like that in one go - there is "totting up" across months going on, and even then they have assumed more periods abroad in "Feel at home" destinations than I have actually had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSKS Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 When the 3 ''feel at home'' service is used as intended, it's wonderful.OH and I are both SIM only customers. We spend a few weeks in France each year, a couple of weeks in the US and I go to Dublin from time to time. As you might imagine the freedom to use the phones without worrying about costs (particularly in the US) is fantastic.What I don't really understand is the random nature of the ''feel at home'' countries - there seems no logic to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 [quote user="JSKS"]What I don't really understand is the random nature of the ''feel at home'' countries - there seems no logic to it![/quote]The logic is actually quite simple. The original "Feel at home" destinations were countries in which the parent of Three, Hutchison Whampoa, held mobile phone service provider licences. They have since added countries where they have been able to negotiate deals with major mobile phone service providers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSKS Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Ah ha! That would explain it.For whatever reason it's a bloody good service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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