Possible upcoming change to PAYG pack auto-renewal when in EU?

[TeaLovingDave]

I flagged this one up in the original thread discussing the upcoming implementation of roaming charges for PAYG, but it seems to have gone unnoticed and no one else has mentioned the potential issue since, so I thought I would post once again to check whether anyone has heard whether or not my original interpretation/fears are accurate.

The wording in one segment of the document linked to within the original text notifying PAYG users about the upcoming charges implies that auto-renewal of an existing pack will no longer occur when roaming in the EU, even if sufficient credit is present. I have taken a screenshot of the passage in question, which is located within the final sentence here:

As I noted in the previous thread, myself and my partner recently travelled to Europe and our packs *did* auto-renew as usual halfway through our trip. I can't really see why the auto-renewal of packs *would* be disabled when travelling, but if this is indeed the case it would add an additional level of inconvenience for anyone travelling for longer than 30 days (as this would mean any pack purchased before departure would expire before they returned home) and potentially force myself and my partner to move away from our respective "legacy" packs whenever we next travel.

I very much hope that I am incorrect in my fears, and that the information provided was merely poorly worded - but either way, hopefully someone on here can shed light on the matter!

[TeaLovingDave]

I'm still awaiting my notification text, but my partner got hers yesterday. Interestingly, the wording in one portion of the page linked to within the text implies that auto-renewal of an existing pack will no longer occur when roaming in the EU, even if sufficient credit is present:

This would be a definite change from the current status quo, as we have recently travelled to Europe and our packs *did* auto-renew as usual halfway through our trip. If this is indeed the case, it is quite frustrating as purchasing a new pack in advance would force us to move away from our respective "legacy" packs!

[Leanne_T]

Hi @TeaLovingDave 

Thanks for coming here. 

The text is correct, you would need to add the pack before you travel if this is due to renew when you are away.

Please follow the advice and add the pack before travelling for any EU roaming trips, after the changes have come into affect.  

If you have any problems adding the legacy pack, please call us on 150 and the team will be happy to help.

Leanne.

[TeaLovingDave]

Interesting - as far as I was aware there is no longer any way to purchase a legacy pack, or to renew the next pack early, as I have seen other community threads where people have discussed the fact that the shortcode in question (NOW, I think?) does not work for them, and that they have been advised that auto-renewal is now the only way to continue recieving these packs. 

Are you also able to shed light on the second point I raised - that if packs are no longer able to renew in the EU, anyone travelling for longer than 30 days will not be able to use a pack for the full duration of their trip, as this would mean any pack purchased and started before departure would expire before they returned home? If this is indeed the case, any advice you can give for people in this position might be helpful too 🙂

[Leanne_T]

Hi @TeaLovingDave 

The pack would need to be purchased and ready to go if the renewal date is when you are travelling , if you don't have an active pack you will be charged the standard rates. Please see Pay as you go roaming (ee.co.uk) for more details.

If you would like to discuss your options, or the renewal process when roaming please call us on 150. 

Leanne.

[XRaySpeX]

Point 2: As far as I'm aware you can buy as many (non-legacy) packs as you like in advance, but only the current pack is active. The rest become pending.

[XRaySpeX]

@Leanne_T : This would seem to be an unnecessary user-fleecing restriction. Why, when it was possible to buy packs while in EU before 6 June, does it become impossible from 6 June? EU roaming costs from 6 June are already dearer for PAYG than for contract. Why?

Furthermore what's to stop users buying packs thro' MyEE, esp. if they turn their phones off while doing so.

[TeaLovingDave]

That's useful to know, @XRaySpeX - even though I would *much* rather hold onto my existing legacy pack whenever I next have occasion to travel, knowing that purchasing "current" packs in advance isn't limited to a single pack makes the worst-case scenario slightly less "worst case" as it were! 🙂

As for your question, I fear that it is a deliberate decision rather than an unavoidable side-effect of free roaming ending within the EU, considering that in another community thread last year someone mentioned the fact their pack had auto-renewed whilst they were in Brazil, a country for which PAYG users have *never* had free roaming. The actual reason for this decision is beyond me, however.