o2 My Europe Extra - Interesting Possibility

ticex · *Last edited by ticex; 15-05-2007 at 08:01..*

Up until now I've been using a Callkey IOM card around Europe which for me always had the major drawback of no caller ID and sometimes unreliable incoming calls. I just noticed o2 have launched an offer called "My Europe Extra" which is available to contract but also prepay for £10 extra a month. They offer free incoming calls in most of Europe (up to 1000 mins a month) and outgoing calls for 25p/min. (http://www.o2.co.uk/international/tr.../myeuropeextra)

However, to reduce this outgoing 25p/min charge even further I was thinking of the very interesting possibility to use this setup in combination with one of the Finarea companies that offers really good callback rates (http://www.returncall.co.uk). I assume an o2 mobile will transmit caller ID (unlike the callkey) so this could potentially be an excellent setup - outgoing calls to UK landlines for 2p/min or UK Mobiles for 9p/min while roaming seems pretty good.

I'm over in Belgium at the moment but when I visit Edinburgh at the weekend I think I'll bring my o2 prepay sim out of retirement

. Has anybody tried this o2 My Europe Extra yet?

andy · 15-05-2007, 10:59

I haven't used My Europe Extra yet, but have used ReturnCall on my 3 WePay SIM (getting 5p/min credit for incoming calls).

ReturnCall was discussed a bit back in January, when petkow wondered if it would be possible with a CallKey SIM, which we concluded not, for caller ID and short code sms reasons.

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1569

I suggested instead that Orange or O2 contract customers might subscribe and forward to the IoM SIM.

My Europe Extra was launched a bit a few days after that discussion, and I forgot to go back and add it to that thread as an idea

Since then, I've suggested exactly what you say a few times as a possibility with prepay O2, and I'm a little surprised it hasn't drawn more attention. In fact I mentioned ReturnCall again only yesterday, as an alternative on the thread about Voipcheap sms callback, which I'm just going to edit a bit.

Starting cost for a month in Europe would be free SIM, £10 for My Europe Extra, and £5 subscription to ReturnCall, perhaps with another optional £5 sms sent (see below)

To begin with, the RC callback was quite flakey some of the time, and now it is a bit variable in timing. The callback might take 5 seconds, 40 seconds, or just occasionally never (~5% of attempts). So you have to be patient and not try again for over a minute, or you can end up with voicemail due to 2 incoming calls; or switch off VM I suppose.

Adding a bit more complication, it is possible to use a callthrough access number as the second leg of the call, as ReturnCall forwards the caller ID, and make an onward call more cheaply.

This even works if that access number is one of the Finarea/Betamax ones, with their rates for many countries from 1 cent or penny, so on setting up an account with them, eg Voipcheap, about 40 countries can be reached for 3 pence or under, rather than the 5p RC tariff.

Another interesting number for the second leg might be the 0870 number of PlanetTalkFree, for which the RC tariff is 5p, and can be used as callthrough for plenty of other destinations, including several European mobiles on weekdays. I've only done this once or twice. PlanetTalkFree does sometimes take nearly a minute to connect, so this wouldn't be worth it for short calls.

I've kept an eye on RC for some time, expecting that the tariffs would eventually go up, but on the tariff correction of Skype to CallKey, I'm likely to subscribe my O2 to RC soon.

I wouldn't treat it as the only option though, and maybe the new sms callback of Voipcheap is a potential second string, and also usable for callthrough with RC ...

Or Voipbuster Vyke or Voxalot callback ...

If Finarea were to start similar products in other countries, then O2 Germany has a similar option for €8 a month, posted by Gryphone

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/show...7&postcount=10

meir · 15-05-2007, 13:23

I agree with Andy . Betamax have now landline access numbers with Voipcheap.com or Voipdiscount.com Actually there are a quite a few countries you can call for free. I would also say that you can buy airtime for O2 card off the Ebay with discount of 30 or more percent, which makes this set-up even cheaper.

ticex · 16-05-2007, 19:26

Hey Andy, well I should have known you'd be one step ahead of me! The idea of the WePay sim had never crossed my mind...even better than free when there is 3p/min leftover from calls! Excellent!

Well, I also am surprised this combination hasn't drawn more interest before. The major advantage of this setup is reliability for at the least receiving calls. Because it's done directly with o2 the reliability issues, that callkey or even UM can occasionally suffer from (in my experience), should be eliminated. There have been a few times, especially in Poland, I've sat there wondering why nobody had called me all day. After investigation I found that my Callkey number seemed like it was ringing to the caller but wasn't ringing at my end. Other times with UM I've found it just didn't ring through at all and of course with me being based in the UK having a UK number makes UM lose to Callkey at least for me.

For outgoing, I've used returncall a bit when I'm back in the UK and it did seem pretty reliable and the caller ID being passed is a great advantage. However, Finarea cheapo calling to UK mobiles can on a small number of occasions be unreliable (>5% I'd say too) so for those occasions that returncall, voipcheap and whatever brand Finarea invent tomorrow fail the backup could be many other options: just as an example Voipfone web or SMS callback are expensive (14p/min) but I've found super reliable for UK mobiles. Even direct dialling on the o2 for the 25p/min isn't too bad for the rare occasion Finarea lets you down.

I checked out the German one the other day actually too but the limit of 100 incoming minutes vs. the o2 UK with 1000 mins kills it for me. Also, having a UK number allows the expansive amount of callback services and for me personally goes with my home country. I'd assume this package is rolled out to all countries o2 (Telefonica Spain isn't it now?) operates in so these might be worth checking out too.

Meir: Excellent idea for the topups from ebay! I hadn't thought of that one! When I get back to the UK next week I'll search some out and load up one of the free o2 sims sitting around in my house.

Now if only I could fine something to replace the Wind Mega No Limit for my now rather high data bills!!! Maybe o2 would like to launch unlimited European data

andy · 16-05-2007, 21:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by ticex

Hey Andy, well I should have known you'd be one step ahead of me! The idea of the WePay sim had never crossed my mind...even better than free when there is 3p/min leftover from calls! Excellent!

It isn't all bonus, as the earned WePay credit is only applied up to equal the value of the next cash top-up, but still, when the next RC premium text is charged you can say its effective cost is halved. Thus £10 sent to 3 then on to RC is worth 1000 minutes to landlines or 222 to mobiles.

A potential drawback of using RC with O2 when roaming is that I've occasionally had call charges for trigger numbers from a couple of countries' networks (Slovakia and Lithuania). My O2 bill a couple of years ago showed a 2 second call with per minute billing.

So don't go overboard in a new country without checking after the first couple of calls. If it does, I'm figuring a way to use a second callback service to send the caller ID to it, but then, if JustVoip is used for forwarding to a UK or IoM SIM, that might just as well be used instead

meir · 17-05-2007, 09:50

O2 in Czech Republic has My Europe offer for postpaids only valid for limited number countries, but 120 minutes a day limit. But they promised to come up with something new before summer holidays.

meir · **ReturnCall -** 20-05-2007, 21:28

I have a few questions related to the ReturnCall? Is it possible to top up RC account from overseas( I have never tried this one)? May I top up more than fiver? Let say to send them two or more top up messages, so my balance will be 10 pounds or more?

petkow · 31-05-2007, 11:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by meir

I have a few questions related to the ReturnCall? Is it possible to top up RC account from overseas( I have never tried this one)? May I top up more than fiver? Let say to send them two or more top up messages, so my balance will be 10 pounds or more?

A good question. A while ago the question was asked if shortcode SMS works whilst roaming. I have never tried it, but I can't see why it would not work. I am away next week, so I will try it and report back to here. In any case, with short code SMS you always pay the normal network charge of an SMS to start off with, and I assume which if roaming you also pay this, but it is just a bit higher. That is independant of their 'return' SMS service. You are really then paying for the SMS recieved, and how are they to now where you are.

In terms of double topup, I can't see this being a problem (works on all their other services), but bear in mind ReturnCall autmatically send you a £5 top up SMS when your credit goes to near 0 anyhow:

"(*Once you run out of returncall credit, you will automatically receive a 5 pound recharge. To unsubscribe from this service please text RETURN OFF to short number 81223)"

petkow · 31-05-2007, 11:45

Incidently, though this is technically a forum for prepaid services, I just thought I would mention the following:

o2 (UK) are now using "MyEurope Extra" as a freebie to entice postpaid contract customers to stay with o2, once their postpay contracts have expired. This was offered to me for free for one year yesterday which I was fairly happy about. (i.e.no £10 monthly fee). I have had a low cost/low useage UK o2 contract for a year, and had actually been thinking of leaving. As a retention, they are now using various "sweetners", including this brilliant roaming package. Very much looking forward to this in conjunction with Retuncall for my next few trips.

Three questions:
1. Has anyone got to the bottom of the 25p minimum charge on MyEurope Extra. I think this was discussed once before here, but does this apply to incoming calls too?

2. On http://www.returncall.co.uk/rates.php it lists United Kingdom [national Rate] at 5p/min. Does this include include UK 0870 numbers? If so... a whole world of international dialthroughs emerge.
[Edit: Just seen this answered by Andy above... so yes is the answer... Excellent!! Just why are UK 0845's charged at 9p/min?]

3. Does the Returncall 9p/min rate to mobiles allow UK 07744/07755 numbers? Again if so see point 2.

renfro · 31-05-2007, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by petkow

Three questions:
1. Has anyone got to the bottom of the 25p minimum charge on MyEurope Extra. I think this was discussed once before here, but does this apply to incoming calls too?

I'm currently roaming in Ireland and asked O2 to enable MyEurope Extra on my account for the next month as I'll also be travelling to Spain and France within the next 30 days. I hope in a few days the calls I've made/received today will show up on my online bill and I'll know if there is a 25p charge for incoming calls... I hope not, received quite a few today!

	(#1)
ticex (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 67 Join Date: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Edinburgh & Brussels Country:	o2 My Europe Extra - Interesting Possibility - 15-05-2007, 07:54 Up until now I've been using a Callkey IOM card around Europe which for me always had the major drawback of no caller ID and sometimes unreliable incoming calls. I just noticed o2 have launched an offer called "My Europe Extra" which is available to contract but also prepay for £10 extra a month. They offer free incoming calls in most of Europe (up to 1000 mins a month) and outgoing calls for 25p/min. (http://www.o2.co.uk/international/tr.../myeuropeextra) However, to reduce this outgoing 25p/min charge even further I was thinking of the very interesting possibility to use this setup in combination with one of the Finarea companies that offers really good callback rates (http://www.returncall.co.uk). I assume an o2 mobile will transmit caller ID (unlike the callkey) so this could potentially be an excellent setup - outgoing calls to UK landlines for 2p/min or UK Mobiles for 9p/min while roaming seems pretty good. I'm over in Belgium at the moment but when I visit Edinburgh at the weekend I think I'll bring my o2 prepay sim out of retirement . Has anybody tried this o2 My Europe Extra yet? Last edited by ticex; 15-05-2007 at 08:01..

	(#2)
andy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,128 Join Date: 10 Dec 2004 Country:	15-05-2007, 10:59 I haven't used My Europe Extra yet, but have used ReturnCall on my 3 WePay SIM (getting 5p/min credit for incoming calls). ReturnCall was discussed a bit back in January, when petkow wondered if it would be possible with a CallKey SIM, which we concluded not, for caller ID and short code sms reasons. http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1569 I suggested instead that Orange or O2 contract customers might subscribe and forward to the IoM SIM. My Europe Extra was launched a bit a few days after that discussion, and I forgot to go back and add it to that thread as an idea Since then, I've suggested exactly what you say a few times as a possibility with prepay O2, and I'm a little surprised it hasn't drawn more attention. In fact I mentioned ReturnCall again only yesterday, as an alternative on the thread about Voipcheap sms callback, which I'm just going to edit a bit. Starting cost for a month in Europe would be free SIM, £10 for My Europe Extra, and £5 subscription to ReturnCall, perhaps with another optional £5 sms sent (see below) To begin with, the RC callback was quite flakey some of the time, and now it is a bit variable in timing. The callback might take 5 seconds, 40 seconds, or just occasionally never (~5% of attempts). So you have to be patient and not try again for over a minute, or you can end up with voicemail due to 2 incoming calls; or switch off VM I suppose. Adding a bit more complication, it is possible to use a callthrough access number as the second leg of the call, as ReturnCall forwards the caller ID, and make an onward call more cheaply. This even works if that access number is one of the Finarea/Betamax ones, with their rates for many countries from 1 cent or penny, so on setting up an account with them, eg Voipcheap, about 40 countries can be reached for 3 pence or under, rather than the 5p RC tariff. Another interesting number for the second leg might be the 0870 number of PlanetTalkFree, for which the RC tariff is 5p, and can be used as callthrough for plenty of other destinations, including several European mobiles on weekdays. I've only done this once or twice. PlanetTalkFree does sometimes take nearly a minute to connect, so this wouldn't be worth it for short calls. I've kept an eye on RC for some time, expecting that the tariffs would eventually go up, but on the tariff correction of Skype to CallKey, I'm likely to subscribe my O2 to RC soon. I wouldn't treat it as the only option though, and maybe the new sms callback of Voipcheap is a potential second string, and also usable for callthrough with RC ... Or Voipbuster Vyke or Voxalot callback ... If Finarea were to start similar products in other countries, then O2 Germany has a similar option for €8 a month, posted by Gryphone http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/show...7&postcount=10 Last edited by andy; 15-05-2007 at 11:23..

	(#3)
meir (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 269 Join Date: 21 Feb 2006 Location: It's long story Country:	15-05-2007, 13:23 I agree with Andy . Betamax have now landline access numbers with Voipcheap.com or Voipdiscount.com Actually there are a quite a few countries you can call for free. I would also say that you can buy airtime for O2 card off the Ebay with discount of 30 or more percent, which makes this set-up even cheaper.

	(#4)
ticex (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 67 Join Date: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Edinburgh & Brussels Country:	16-05-2007, 19:26 Hey Andy, well I should have known you'd be one step ahead of me! The idea of the WePay sim had never crossed my mind...even better than free when there is 3p/min leftover from calls! Excellent! Well, I also am surprised this combination hasn't drawn more interest before. The major advantage of this setup is reliability for at the least receiving calls. Because it's done directly with o2 the reliability issues, that callkey or even UM can occasionally suffer from (in my experience), should be eliminated. There have been a few times, especially in Poland, I've sat there wondering why nobody had called me all day. After investigation I found that my Callkey number seemed like it was ringing to the caller but wasn't ringing at my end. Other times with UM I've found it just didn't ring through at all and of course with me being based in the UK having a UK number makes UM lose to Callkey at least for me. For outgoing, I've used returncall a bit when I'm back in the UK and it did seem pretty reliable and the caller ID being passed is a great advantage. However, Finarea cheapo calling to UK mobiles can on a small number of occasions be unreliable (>5% I'd say too) so for those occasions that returncall, voipcheap and whatever brand Finarea invent tomorrow fail the backup could be many other options: just as an example Voipfone web or SMS callback are expensive (14p/min) but I've found super reliable for UK mobiles. Even direct dialling on the o2 for the 25p/min isn't too bad for the rare occasion Finarea lets you down. I checked out the German one the other day actually too but the limit of 100 incoming minutes vs. the o2 UK with 1000 mins kills it for me. Also, having a UK number allows the expansive amount of callback services and for me personally goes with my home country. I'd assume this package is rolled out to all countries o2 (Telefonica Spain isn't it now?) operates in so these might be worth checking out too. Meir: Excellent idea for the topups from ebay! I hadn't thought of that one! When I get back to the UK next week I'll search some out and load up one of the free o2 sims sitting around in my house. Now if only I could fine something to replace the Wind Mega No Limit for my now rather high data bills!!! Maybe o2 would like to launch unlimited European data

	(#6)
meir (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 269 Join Date: 21 Feb 2006 Location: It's long story Country:	17-05-2007, 09:50 O2 in Czech Republic has My Europe offer for postpaids only valid for limited number countries, but 120 minutes a day limit. But they promised to come up with something new before summer holidays.

	(#7)
meir (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 269 Join Date: 21 Feb 2006 Location: It's long story Country:	ReturnCall - 20-05-2007, 21:28 I have a few questions related to the ReturnCall? Is it possible to top up RC account from overseas( I have never tried this one)? May I top up more than fiver? Let say to send them two or more top up messages, so my balance will be 10 pounds or more?

	(#9)
petkow (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 696 Join Date: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Madrid Country:	31-05-2007, 11:45 Incidently, though this is technically a forum for prepaid services, I just thought I would mention the following: o2 (UK) are now using "MyEurope Extra" as a freebie to entice postpaid contract customers to stay with o2, once their postpay contracts have expired. This was offered to me for free for one year yesterday which I was fairly happy about. (i.e.no £10 monthly fee). I have had a low cost/low useage UK o2 contract for a year, and had actually been thinking of leaving. As a retention, they are now using various "sweetners", including this brilliant roaming package. Very much looking forward to this in conjunction with Retuncall for my next few trips. Three questions: 1. Has anyone got to the bottom of the 25p minimum charge on MyEurope Extra. I think this was discussed once before here, but does this apply to incoming calls too? 2. On http://www.returncall.co.uk/rates.php it lists United Kingdom [national Rate] at 5p/min. Does this include include UK 0870 numbers? If so... a whole world of international dialthroughs emerge. [Edit: Just seen this answered by Andy above... so yes is the answer... Excellent!! Just why are UK 0845's charged at 9p/min?] 3. Does the Returncall 9p/min rate to mobiles allow UK 07744/07755 numbers? Again if so see point 2. Last edited by petkow; 31-05-2007 at 11:50..