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Why have I been charged for SMS replies to EU mobile while they were roaming?

PanPilot
Investigator
Investigator

Why have I been hit with charges at £0.54p a time for replying to texts from an EU mobile while they were (roaming) in the UK?

17 REPLIES 17
chistery
Brilliant Contributor
Brilliant Contributor

Hi @PanPilot

 

Where were you when you sent the text? If you sent it from the UK to a EU number, you will be charged.

 

If you sent it whilst in the EU, you shouldn't be charged.

To be clear:

I was at home in the UK.

Our friends were in the UK, visiting from France.

The have EU roaming, and free SMS to the UK, while in the UK.

chistery
Brilliant Contributor
Brilliant Contributor

Hi @PanPilot

 

Then it appears you were charged correctly. You were in the UK and sent a text to an EU number. If doesn't matter where that phone is, as you pay the price of a text to an EU mobile.

XRaySpeX
Grand Master
Grand Master

Calls and texts from the UK to a non-UK mobile count as International and are chargeable, even when that non-UK mobile happens to be in the UK. 

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Thanks all for your replies.

Frankly, I think the whole situation stinks, to put it bluntly.

As I understand it, the whole idea of the new EU law which was introduced a while back was to do away with pan-european roaming charges !

 So the situation is, someone sitting in a car in the UK while roaming, can freely have a text conversation with a UK user. However, the UK user is hit with charges of potentially many tens of pounds to reply... and all of this is with absolutely no warning !!!

 It borders on the fraudulent...

chistery
Brilliant Contributor
Brilliant Contributor

I can understand your frustration but as you say, the EU law is for roaming. When you are in the UK you aren't roaming, you are on your home network. You will pay any charges based on you being in the UK.

 

'Frustration' doesn't quite cover it.

I think you have missed my point.

Let's say, 'Mary' is an EU user roaming in the UK on holiday, and is in my phonebook.

I get a text from 'Mary'. It doesn't show as being 'Mary in France', it just shows 'Mary'.

It doesn't say 'SMS from Mary. You will be charged to reply to this message.'

If I dial a premium rate number, I get a warning: "You will be charged to call this number". That is the law as I understand it.

 So why am I not warned that my £15-a-month contract will be actually £50 this month due to these hidden SMS charges?

Christopher_G
EE Community Support Team

Hi @PanPilot

 

Welcome to the community, I see you have been given a couple of replies about this already here.

 

Your UK allowance (when you are in the UK) allows you to make phone calls and text UK mobiles and landlines. If you call or text an international number, regardless of where they are at the time, you would be charged to do so.

 

The only time this would change is if you travel to an EU/EEA country, where you can call and text other EU/EEA numbers.

 

This is covered under the terms of the EE pay monthly price plan guide:

 

  • When in the UK to call and text customers of UK mobile networks and UK landlines starting with 01, 02 & 03 (mobile and landline numbers to Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man not included).
  • When roaming in the EU/EEA to call and text customers of UK mobile networks and UK landlines starting with 01, 02 & 03 (including landlines and mobiles in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man).
  • When roaming in the EU/EEA (including Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man) to call and text customers of EU/EEA mobile networks and landlines.

 

 

I hope this clarifies things for you.

 

Chris

Thank you Chris.

 I fully understand the fine print. My point is that it is patently unfair to recipients of such messages to - completely unwittingly - incur what may be significant charges to send a reply to a roaming user without being advised of such charges.

 As I stated my understanding is that if I make, or return, a call to a premium number the regulations state I must be warned of any possible charges which might be incurred before I make the call.

 in this case, although the medium is different, surely the principle is the same and that the sender should be warned of out-of-plan charges?