Roaming on three in the UK

[andythelandy]

Just got my new phone I have a SIM only contract with three. On this phone I get signal indoors in places where the previous phone wouldn't be able to get any at all but it's saying roaming. Does this mean that I am using one of the other networks and am I going to get charged for doing so?

 

[Rusty!]

You'll be on EE 2G and you won't be charged.

 

[needforspeed]

I thought roaming is only for going abroad?

 

[mattyfez]

I thought roaming is only for going abroad?

I think it depends entirely on what deals the various service providers have bought, agreed, backhanded or bullied out of each other.

 

[Myshra]

When three first started up the government forced the other telcos to offer them inter-UK roaming agreements on the 2G band at a very good price (near cost) so that they didn't get immediately murdered in the market. This agreement is largely gone now, I thought three had turned off the last of the 2G roaming but I suspect it's been left on in big dark zones they can't be bothered to fill due to the ROI costs masts have.

 

[andythelandy]

Interestingly I just found that roaming is turned off but it's conjuring up signal from somewhere where the old pohone wouldn't I don't really understand how.

 

[Christmas themed thank]

Three has a deal with EE to use previously-Orange masts in areas with no Three signal. There are very few areas with this facility available now. This appears as "roaming" on your device as the phone is not on its normal network.

There will be no data available and when the 3G signal improves, you should go back onto the 3G/4G 3 network.

 

[andythelandy]

Fair enough, i'm certainly not complaining I have signal In places I had none now, just can't understand why the old phone never did it

 

[Christmas themed thank]

Your new phone probably searches more aggressively for a roaming network than your old phone.