lower rates from July 1?

[tux]

Originally Posted by kuba.g

Now after looking into this a little, I can't seem to find the €2 for 100MB offer on Vodafone Italy's website. Maybe tux can give some clarification on this?

That offer was deleted after September 2011. Now it's 2,5€/day for 50MB.

@Effendi: isn't it an option in addition to the currently-existing Vodafone Mobile Internet Passport? It wouldn't make sense deleting that offer for another which requires other options.

[davidtheprof]

Originally Posted by fsotirop

most networks will update the rates on their websites tomorrow.

You're right, Orange just updated, now 59p/MB for data roaming in Europe. Better than 4 pounds, but still not exactly cheap...
and their "bundle" or extra is still 5 pound for 4 MB!

[andy]

Originally Posted by davidtheprof

The new EU-mandated rates are due to start July 1, and I see that some of the UK carriers are lowering their data rates, but closer to £1/MB than the 50p/MB that the EU requires.

The required rate is 70 cents per MB, plus VAT, with the exchange rate for non-Euro currencies taken from an official EU rate published on 1st June

For UK users, this appears to mean a maximum of 67.19 pence a megabyte

But some networks seem to be heading more towards flat rate bundles, though fairly modest sized, which is fine for some users but more expensive for others

[Stu]

With ATT USA, we are now paying US$30 for 120 megs of EU (and many other countries) data"

AT&T International - Wireless from AT&T

With Verizon, it is US$25 for 100 megs of EU (and many other countries) data:

Global Data

Voice is still more expensive, but you'd think that Orange (France Telecom & TMobile) could offer cheaper data packages for France and Germany than a US carrier could.

[fsotirop]

travelsim also reduced their voice & data rates within europe.
http://new.travelsim.com/wp-content/...lSim_rates.pdf
voice rates for calling within europe just 0.19eur. per minute
data rate within europe 0.50eur. per mb.

[davidtheprof]

Just ordered a Piranha mobile sim, dual US-UK number is free, (not Estonia or Isle of Man, so cheap for people to call you), good rates in most locations, though data rates vary by provider in some countries (I've been assured that the sim will try to register on the "preferred" provider with cheaper data, we'll see..)
also want to try out the VOIP integration, on WIFI people are meant to be able to call you on the same number as the SIM.
outside UK and US, it's a call-back system, have to see how reliable that is. Had problems a few years back when I had a Geosim.

[fsotirop]

Originally Posted by davidtheprof

Just ordered a Piranha mobile sim, dual US-UK number is free, (not Estonia or Isle of Man, so cheap for people to call you), good rates in most locations, though data rates vary by provider in some countries (I've been assured that the sim will try to register on the "preferred" provider with cheaper data, we'll see..)
also want to try out the VOIP integration, on WIFI people are meant to be able to call you on the same number as the SIM.
outside UK and US, it's a call-back system, have to see how reliable that is. Had problems a few years back when I had a Geosim.

my experience with the reliablity of piranha sim is quite good and very competitive rates. the voip application worked fine on my android phone.
very important: if calls are received via the voip applicattion there is NO charge for the incoming calls, in all countries!
outgoing calls via the voip application are much much chepear than calling directly via the mobile network.
i recommend to use the voip application only via WIFI, not via 3G.

there are some countries (mainly non-european) that piranha sim is calling directly, call through without callback.

the sim in Greece registers to the stongest signal network availiable.
Piranha mobile uses a true UK number, as Maxroam do, not Jersey or IOM prefixes.

the only serious disadvantage discovered afterwards is that unaswered by the reciepient calls are charged, from the time the callback is answered.
the charge per unaswered call while roaming in Greece (depends on roming country) is 0.09pounds.
if the call is answered only the normal per minute charge is billed.

I also attached a local Greek number to my sim for 2pounds per month and works great, no additional charges when receiving calls to the Greek number.
local numbers are availiable for over 70countries

for data roaming i use Roamline & Ekit Global Premium Service simcads, depending which is the cheapest for the country i'm roaming.
these 2simcards have the lowest possible data rates for medium-high usage... medium-high usage=approximately above 60mb per week

[davidtheprof]

thanks,
did you bug Piranha about charging for unanswered calls?
Have been using abroadband for data, but roamline is cheaper in many places. Wish they'd bring out some data bundles.
Wouldn't be surprised if there is more price competition now, with EU carriers lowering their rates.
Problem chasing all these lower rates is that I've now got a stash of cards all with some credit on them!

[fsotirop]

Originally Posted by davidtheprof

thanks,
did you bug Piranha about charging for unanswered calls?
Have been using abroadband for data, but roamline is cheaper in many places. Wish they'd bring out some data bundles.
Wouldn't be surprised if there is more price competition now, with EU carriers lowering their rates.
Problem chasing all these lower rates is that I've now got a stash of cards all with some credit on them!

same problem with me.. too many sims!
well i did questioned them about the unanswered calls cahrge but it's written on their website as they told me, it is actually on the "user guide" section.

[NFH]

Originally Posted by andy

The required rate is 70 cents per MB, plus VAT, with the exchange rate for non-Euro currencies taken from an official EU rate published on 1st June

For UK users, this appears to mean a maximum of 67.19 pence a megabyte

You are correct. €0.70 x 0.7999 x 1.20 = £0.671916

However, Ofcom have mistakenly told the mobile networks to use a EUR/GBP rate of 0.82930, resulting in all the networks breaching the price caps by around 3.5% or more. Talkmobile is the worst offender, for example:

• In Germany, Talkmobile charges £0.70/MB, 4.2% more than the price cap of £0.671916/MB (including VAT).
• In Spain, Talkmobile charges £0.29/min, 4.2% more than the price cap of £0.2783652/min (including VAT).
• In Norway (part of the EEA), Talkmobile charges £0.25 to send a text, 3.5 times the price cap of £0.071991 (no VAT applicable).
• In Réunion (an integral part of France and the EU), Talkmobile charges £1.70/min, 7.3 times the price cap of £0.231971/min (no VAT applicable).
• In Gibraltar (part of the EU since 1973), Talkmobile charges £7.50/MB, 13.4 times the price cap of £0.55993/MB (no VAT applicable).