lower rates from July 1?

davidtheprof · **lower rates from July 1? -** 22-06-2012, 17:47

The new EU-mandated rates are due to start July 1, and I see that some of the UK carriers are lowering their data rates, but closer to £1/MB than the 50p/MB that the EU requires. (Orange has not announced yet, though has adjusted its rates a bit in last few months). And mostly in various bundles, so you end up spending more per MB. Won't they be in violation of new law?

I live in the US, and use PAYG orange sim card when visiting. Want to be able to use it throughout Europe.

davidtheprof · **new roaming rates in Europe -** 25-06-2012, 23:40

Giffgaff just announced lower rates to comply with the July 1 deadline, looks like one of the simplest solutions.
Still waiting to see what Truphone does (I have two of their simcards!)

the major UK carriers are offering complex bundles that don't help PAYG visitors much

fsotirop · 26-06-2012, 13:54

i am not quite sure that Truphone will lower their rates... even with today's market standards, their rates are higher than competition. i wouldn't recommend them.

have a look at maxroam simcard, they now offer a true UK number (Vodafone). http://www.maxroam.com/Info/Custom/M...3.aspx?cur=EUR

their roaming rates can be found here: http://www.maxroam.com/Info/Rates.aspx?cur=EUR

you can also attach on your sim a US number..costs 6eur.per month with no extra charges when be called on the US number

another good alternative with a true UK number prefix (not IOM or Jersey numbers) would be piranha mobile http://www.piranha-mobile.com/ .their prefix is +4474185 plus they offer a US number for free, automatically attached to the simcard.
you can also attch local landline numbes for almost all countries for just 4pounds per month, with no extra charges when be called to these numbers.
local uk+german landline numbers cost just 1.75 uk-pounds /month

inquisitor · 26-06-2012, 14:05

Truphone is registered as a company in NY, USA, so they are not subject to EU regulations despite they may offer numbers from an EU member state.

fsotirop · 26-06-2012, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by inquisitor

Truphone is registered as a company in NY, USA, so they are not subject to EU regulations despite they may offer numbers from an EU member state.

that's true, i can't recommend these guys.

davidtheprof · 26-06-2012, 17:37

thanks for pointing me toward Maxroam and Piranha - lots of innovation going on!

by coincidence, this just appeared on the Truphone blog, perhaps signalling something forthcoming:
Final Countdown for high roaming charges in Europe - The Tru Blog

Truphone does well with very low rates for calls and data in the US, UK, and Australia, and decent rates for short term roaming in rest of Europe. Also very easy to add a UK number for $8 for a month when I visit. But Truphone seems to have been asleep for 2 years while other companies are busy innovating.

I like the way Piranha integrates VOIP, I'd try it just to see how that works. But don't like callback when roaming, (wife wants to keep things simple!)
Also, have to watch the data costs, as costs vary a lot by local provider, and it seems they work with multiple ones in each country.

Interesting that Truphone is officially US-based, originally appeared to be a UK outfit.

davidtheprof · 27-06-2012, 22:36

And Truphone has now confirmed that they don't plan to reduce rates for non-EU residents.
I can imagine this will be tough to implement, and maybe they’ll eventually be forced to compete with other sim cards that have lowered their rates.
But disappointing in the meantime....

kuba.g · 28-06-2012, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by inquisitor

Truphone is registered as a company in NY, USA, so they are not subject to EU regulations despite they may offer numbers from an EU member state.

I wonder if times will come that European mobile operators will be moving to such "tax heavens" outside of the EU to circumnavigate the price-dictating regulations and be able to provide us competitive prices

davidtheprof · **Orange has not reduced PAYG rates -** 01-07-2012, 05:00

it's now July 1, and Orange, for one, has not reduced their PAYG rates to meet the regulations. (even post-paid monthly customers have to buy bundles to get rates that meet the EU limits.)
That's a pain, I have two of their sim cards, the Camel plan is good when I'm there to call back to the US or elsewhere.

fsotirop · 01-07-2012, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidtheprof

it's now July 1, and Orange, for one, has not reduced their PAYG rates to meet the regulations. (even post-paid monthly customers have to buy bundles to get rates that meet the EU limits.)
That's a pain, I have two of their sim cards, the Camel plan is good when I'm there to call back to the US or elsewhere.

most networks will update the rates on their websites tomorrow.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

	(#1)
davidtheprof (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 159 Join Date: 05 Jun 2011 Country:	lower rates from July 1? - 22-06-2012, 17:47 The new EU-mandated rates are due to start July 1, and I see that some of the UK carriers are lowering their data rates, but closer to £1/MB than the 50p/MB that the EU requires. (Orange has not announced yet, though has adjusted its rates a bit in last few months). And mostly in various bundles, so you end up spending more per MB. Won't they be in violation of new law? I live in the US, and use PAYG orange sim card when visiting. Want to be able to use it throughout Europe.

	(#2)
davidtheprof (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 159 Join Date: 05 Jun 2011 Country:	new roaming rates in Europe - 25-06-2012, 23:40 Giffgaff just announced lower rates to comply with the July 1 deadline, looks like one of the simplest solutions. Still waiting to see what Truphone does (I have two of their simcards!) the major UK carriers are offering complex bundles that don't help PAYG visitors much

	(#3)
fsotirop (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 362 Join Date: 28 Jan 2012 Country:	26-06-2012, 13:54 i am not quite sure that Truphone will lower their rates... even with today's market standards, their rates are higher than competition. i wouldn't recommend them. have a look at maxroam simcard, they now offer a true UK number (Vodafone). http://www.maxroam.com/Info/Custom/M...3.aspx?cur=EUR their roaming rates can be found here: http://www.maxroam.com/Info/Rates.aspx?cur=EUR you can also attach on your sim a US number..costs 6eur.per month with no extra charges when be called on the US number another good alternative with a true UK number prefix (not IOM or Jersey numbers) would be piranha mobile http://www.piranha-mobile.com/ .their prefix is +4474185 plus they offer a US number for free, automatically attached to the simcard. you can also attch local landline numbes for almost all countries for just 4pounds per month, with no extra charges when be called to these numbers. local uk+german landline numbers cost just 1.75 uk-pounds /month Last edited by fsotirop; 26-06-2012 at 14:17..

	(#4)
inquisitor (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,399 Join Date: 15 Nov 2006 Country:	26-06-2012, 14:05 Truphone is registered as a company in NY, USA, so they are not subject to EU regulations despite they may offer numbers from an EU member state. terminals: Samsung: Galaxy S5 DuoS (G900FD); BLU: Win HD LTE; Nokia: 1200; Asus: Fonepad 7 ME372CG; Huawei data: E3372, Vodafone R201, K3765, E1762; postpaid: O2 on Business XL; prepaid: DE: Aldi Talk, Lidl; UK: 3; BG: MTel, vivacom; RU: MTS; RS: MTS; UAE: du Tourist SIM; INT'L: toggle mobile VoIP: sipgate.de (German DID); sipgate.co.uk (British DID); ukddi.com (British DID); sipcall.ch (Swiss DID); megafon.bg (Bulgarian DID); InterVoip.com

	(#6)
davidtheprof (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 159 Join Date: 05 Jun 2011 Country:	26-06-2012, 17:37 thanks for pointing me toward Maxroam and Piranha - lots of innovation going on! by coincidence, this just appeared on the Truphone blog, perhaps signalling something forthcoming: Final Countdown for high roaming charges in Europe - The Tru Blog Truphone does well with very low rates for calls and data in the US, UK, and Australia, and decent rates for short term roaming in rest of Europe. Also very easy to add a UK number for $8 for a month when I visit. But Truphone seems to have been asleep for 2 years while other companies are busy innovating. I like the way Piranha integrates VOIP, I'd try it just to see how that works. But don't like callback when roaming, (wife wants to keep things simple!) Also, have to watch the data costs, as costs vary a lot by local provider, and it seems they work with multiple ones in each country. Interesting that Truphone is officially US-based, originally appeared to be a UK outfit.

	(#7)
davidtheprof (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 159 Join Date: 05 Jun 2011 Country:	27-06-2012, 22:36 And Truphone has now confirmed that they don't plan to reduce rates for non-EU residents. I can imagine this will be tough to implement, and maybe they’ll eventually be forced to compete with other sim cards that have lowered their rates. But disappointing in the meantime....

	(#9)
davidtheprof (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 159 Join Date: 05 Jun 2011 Country:	Orange has not reduced PAYG rates - 01-07-2012, 05:00 it's now July 1, and Orange, for one, has not reduced their PAYG rates to meet the regulations. (even post-paid monthly customers have to buy bundles to get rates that meet the EU limits.) That's a pain, I have two of their sim cards, the Camel plan is good when I'm there to call back to the US or elsewhere.