Network provider for long term international roaming but limited use?

Phrozenpenguin · 22 Oct 2020 at 12:01

I live overseas but maintain a UK mobile number in order to get SMS (and occasionally calls) from UK banks and various other places without a drama. It seems this is getting harder to do.

For the last 18+ months this has been a 3 PAYG Sim, which when I setup was assured would work roaming as long as I kept it topped up and made a chargeable call every 6 months, which I have done. 3 have now sent me a message saying "You have been using Go Roam Around the World for two months. Unless you return to the UK or Europe within 14 days your roaming will be suspended". They suggest they may make some allowances for disrupted travel due to Covid, but even if that is true, this doesn't sound like much of a solution for me any more. I never opted in knowingly to this "Go Roam" and thought I was paying for each call with my PAYG credit.

Does anybody know any provider that will allow roaming "indefinately", ideally for a low cost. I would want to be able to transfer my existing number (unless there is a better option). I'm comfortable with sms > email if reliable. An ideal solution would involve an eSIM although I understand that may be unlikely.

Thanks in advance.

Phrozenpenguin · 30 Nov 2020 at 10:03

Well it looks like I wasn't the only one that has been caught out by this? https://www.theguardian.com/busines...stuck-customers-who-exceed-roaming-time-limit

No information on SMS > email providers? Any help really appreciated.

jamoor · 1 Dec 2020 at 01:33

Gif gaff I think just start charging you for roaming rather than cutting you off.

jamoor · 1 Dec 2020 at 01:43

Or buy one of those signal boxes that plugs into broadband?

Phrozenpenguin · 1 Dec 2020 at 21:05

jamoor said:
Gif gaff I think just start charging you for roaming rather than cutting you off.

Thanks that is useful. I have asked them to confirm.

jamoor said:
Or buy one of those signal boxes that plugs into broadband?

Appreciate the idea but that sounds a lot of work and expensive to occasionally receive text messages! I think they also geofence them as well.

y2w2003 · 2 Dec 2020 at 22:05

I'm with Vodafone (pay monthly) and have been abroad for 4 years and have had no issues.

Phrozenpenguin · 3 Dec 2020 at 08:28

y2w2003 said:
I'm with Vodafone (pay monthly) and have been abroad for 4 years and have had no issues.

Thanks that is useful. I did move away from Vodafone after a very frustrating support issue years ago. But perhaps I need to look at a contract again :-9

pacegod · 3 Dec 2020 at 16:40

y2w2003 said:
I'm with Vodafone (pay monthly) and have been abroad for 4 years and have had no issues.

Same with vidafone also, I have not lived in the UK for 14+ years and so far, not had any issue keeping my phone.

Phrozenpenguin · 3 Dec 2020 at 20:59

How much do you pay? I am looking to pay as little as possible as it will just be used for receiving two factor text messages!

y2w2003 · 31 Dec 2020 at 20:14

Hey, sorry for the late response. I will have to take it back now, I got an email from Vodafone stating I'd incur additional costs if I'm abroad more than 62 days in a 4 month period.

malachi · 1 Jan 2021 at 20:31

Phrozenpenguin said:
Thanks that is useful. I did move away from Vodafone after a very frustrating support issue years ago. But perhaps I need to look at a contract again :-9

You many want to think again, see below.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/au-a

Phrozenpenguin · 2 Jan 2021 at 06:18

y2w2003 said:
Hey, sorry for the late response. I will have to take it back now, I got an email from Vodafone stating I'd incur additional costs if I'm abroad more than 62 days in a 4 month period.

malachi said:
You many want to think again, see below.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/au-a

Thanks for this. Those fees seem entirely reasonable for my use case, but would have to change to Vodafone, which is in itself a hassle. From reading the article it seems pricing is set from EU, but didn't note which areas it applied to. Will perhaps look into further if a Vodafone PAYG SIM could be worthwhile for me.

OllyM · 3 Jan 2021 at 00:16

You don't say which country you are living in but I have a Vodafone PAYG SIM in the SIM slot of my phone (really to save paying $10 a day for roaming when I visit the UK) but it's been roaming in the USA continuously for over a year now and they haven't cut it off - probably because the roaming isn't free.

Another option is porting your number to A&A and for 1.20GBP a month you can receive calls via SIP plus SMS via email. https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/number-porting/mobile-porting/

Can you not give your bank your international number? I left the UK 6 years ago and let go of my old UK mobile number after a year or so - Lloyds and HSBC UK will happily call and text an international number which saves all of the hassle.

Lopéz · 3 Jan 2021 at 14:36

y2w2003 said:
Hey, sorry for the late response. I will have to take it back now, I got an email from Vodafone stating I'd incur additional costs if I'm abroad more than 62 days in a 4 month period.

Same.

Phrozenpenguin · 4 Jan 2021 at 08:16

OllyM said:
You don't say which country you are living in but I have a Vodafone PAYG SIM in the SIM slot of my phone (really to save paying $10 a day for roaming when I visit the UK) but it's been roaming in the USA continuously for over a year now and they haven't cut it off - probably because the roaming isn't free.

Another option is porting your number to A&A and for 1.20GBP a month you can receive calls via SIP plus SMS via email. https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/number-porting/mobile-porting/

Can you not give your bank your international number? I left the UK 6 years ago and let go of my old UK mobile number after a year or so - Lloyds and HSBC UK will happily call and text an international number which saves all of the hassle.

Many thanks for the response!
- The Vodafone PAYG data point is interesting.
- A&A looks a brilliant solution, and one I had not found with my google skills. The fees are reasonable and an email is a good way for me to get the SMS (and means I can get rid of an old handset and associated charger etc!)
- In theory giving banks etc an international number works, but in practice I've found they are often not geared up for it (technically or staff training) and it creates more hassle than it is worth (for me). For example, getting the international codes right is not something everyone does. I've found when dealing with UK organisations it is much easier if they can call or text a UK number without having to know where the number is answered!

Phrozenpenguin · 24 Feb 2021 at 07:36

Just wanted to followup on this as a big thanks to @OllyM as I went with A&A as linked in post above.

For GBP1.20/month I get my UK 07 number, with near instant SMS>email, as well as the ability to receive or make calls via SIP which has worked fine using an iOS softphone. I wish I had found them years ago! Now I should have no issues with "roaming", and can get rid of a handset and have more flexibility. Wins all round!