PrePaidGSM.net Forum (Archived) - View Single Post - Is Vodafone UA serious about these roaming rates?

wolfbln · 22-02-2016, 08:40

I've ordered a SIM through eBay and tested the roaming option for the prepaid data WIKI in the last couple of days. Other users I'm in contact with, did the same.

I have to say I've never seen rates like this before in some EU countries, so I was pretty sceptical about it. Furthermore, the tariff plan is pretty complex. I expected some price reductions because of new EU regulations later this year. But certainly not from an out-of-the-EU SIM like this. After 2 weeks using it on Vodafone Germany I'm convinced that it can be a great option. That's why this offer will be featured on the prepaid data WIKI soon as another way to cut costs, primarily for roaming.

One should first conceed the disadvantages and dangers: The great rates depend on a very volatile exchange rate and a weak UAH currency. Vodafone can raise prices anytime, but this offer is running unchanged since Nov 2015. All traffic is routed through a Ukrainian server. While it gives full 2G and 3G speeds (compared with a local VF plan), latency and thus ping times are higher. So it feels a bit slower, but DL/UL speeds are equal to other Vodafone MVNO prepaid plans.

The price structure is quite complex and not easy to understand. All system messenges are in Ukrainian only, but you can get access to a personal online account that can be switched to English. You should have in mind, that calling an Ukrainian SIM can be very expensive for the caller as out-of-the EU rates are unregulated. So it should be used for outbound calls or data only e.g. as a 2nd SIM in a dual-SIM phone or in a data device.

To the rates, as some eBay vendors are not so honest about this: I'd like to point out that 'lover08' here gave all correct info on this thread above. There is no reason to cheat about the rates. They are really low: For data on a daily base 1.5 GB are sold at €2 or per month 5 GB at €8 or 9.5 GB at €15 in 14 Vodafone networks in Europe. Voice and SMS/MMS rates are ridicously low too: a 1 hour call to anywhere in these 14 countries costs no more than €1, a SMS or MMS sent all over the world 1.7ct. All these prices in € are based on a conversion of 30:1 UAH:EUR, effective in Feb 2016)

This is well below all domestic offers I can get for prepaid e.g. on Vodafone Germany. Only with a lot of effort on 24-month postpaid contracts you can possibly match them. In fact, except in Poland, in all other 12 EU roaming countries it beats even domestic prepaid rates.

So I can confirm now, that the claim 'best European roaming ever' is not a myth as long as you stay on Vodafone networks in these 14 European countries. Please check my extensive article with the complex pricing structure: http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Euro0

In the 2 weeks of testing I couldn't resolve all issues and some open questions about this SIM plan remain. As some vendors (and maybe other users already) are on this forum here too, you may give us more info about the 'open questions' attached to the Wiki article at the bottom about 2 long-term issues.

Please add your feedback about this SIM here or in the comments section of the WIKI as it's hard to find all the catches.

	(#14)
wolfbln (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 206 Join Date: 14 Jul 2014 Country:	22-02-2016, 08:40 I've ordered a SIM through eBay and tested the roaming option for the prepaid data WIKI in the last couple of days. Other users I'm in contact with, did the same. I have to say I've never seen rates like this before in some EU countries, so I was pretty sceptical about it. Furthermore, the tariff plan is pretty complex. I expected some price reductions because of new EU regulations later this year. But certainly not from an out-of-the-EU SIM like this. After 2 weeks using it on Vodafone Germany I'm convinced that it can be a great option. That's why this offer will be featured on the prepaid data WIKI soon as another way to cut costs, primarily for roaming. One should first conceed the disadvantages and dangers: The great rates depend on a very volatile exchange rate and a weak UAH currency. Vodafone can raise prices anytime, but this offer is running unchanged since Nov 2015. All traffic is routed through a Ukrainian server. While it gives full 2G and 3G speeds (compared with a local VF plan), latency and thus ping times are higher. So it feels a bit slower, but DL/UL speeds are equal to other Vodafone MVNO prepaid plans. The price structure is quite complex and not easy to understand. All system messenges are in Ukrainian only, but you can get access to a personal online account that can be switched to English. You should have in mind, that calling an Ukrainian SIM can be very expensive for the caller as out-of-the EU rates are unregulated. So it should be used for outbound calls or data only e.g. as a 2nd SIM in a dual-SIM phone or in a data device. To the rates, as some eBay vendors are not so honest about this: I'd like to point out that 'lover08' here gave all correct info on this thread above. There is no reason to cheat about the rates. They are really low: For data on a daily base 1.5 GB are sold at €2 or per month 5 GB at €8 or 9.5 GB at €15 in 14 Vodafone networks in Europe. Voice and SMS/MMS rates are ridicously low too: a 1 hour call to anywhere in these 14 countries costs no more than €1, a SMS or MMS sent all over the world 1.7ct. All these prices in € are based on a conversion of 30:1 UAH:EUR, effective in Feb 2016) This is well below all domestic offers I can get for prepaid e.g. on Vodafone Germany. Only with a lot of effort on 24-month postpaid contracts you can possibly match them. In fact, except in Poland, in all other 12 EU roaming countries it beats even domestic prepaid rates. So I can confirm now, that the claim 'best European roaming ever' is not a myth as long as you stay on Vodafone networks in these 14 European countries. Please check my extensive article with the complex pricing structure: http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Euro0 In the 2 weeks of testing I couldn't resolve all issues and some open questions about this SIM plan remain. As some vendors (and maybe other users already) are on this forum here too, you may give us more info about the 'open questions' attached to the Wiki article at the bottom about 2 long-term issues. Please add your feedback about this SIM here or in the comments section of the WIKI as it's hard to find all the catches. Last edited by wolfbln; 22-02-2016 at 08:56..