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Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Hotrock
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎24-01-2018

Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Hi everyone, we are planning an extended family holiday (asia way) and wish to take our mobiles with us to take snaps and vids etc, check facebook etc, which we can do using the free wifi in the places we visit. However i want to ensure we do not receive any calls or texts whilst abroad which will then affect out billing. Is there an easy way to ensure this, Many thanks, Cheers

13 REPLIES 13
LivRobinson
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 103
Thanks: 13
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Hi Hotrock!

Thanks for getting in touch!

Don't worry about having to block any calls or texts while you are away. As long as you do not answer the incoming call, you will not be charged. As for SMS, you will also not be charged for receiving one. Sending an SMS on the other hand, will be charged at the rate for the country you are in. A break-down of the costs for each country can be found over at: https://www.plus.net/help/mobile/roaming-and-international-calls/ Smiley Having said this, if you do receive an SMS, the sender may have incurred a charge from their provider as this will show as an international SMS, so do be sure to let your family and friends know this! Smiley

I would also suggest to turn off mobile data on each of the handsets, to avoid any unexpected background data from running up charges Smiley

I hope you have a fantastic holiday, and if you need us while you are away, you can always get in touch via PM here on the community, via Live Chat on our website, or on Facebook or Twitter! Smiley

-Liv

 Liv Robinson
 Plusnet Help Team
Hotrock
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎24-01-2018

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Many thanks for the speedy reply, the info is very useful, Cheers

Mark101
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎17-11-2017

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

LivRobinson said: "Having said this, if you do receive an SMS, the sender will have incurred a charge from their provider as this will show as an international SMS, so do be sure to let your family and friends know this!"

I thought that any text/call from the UK to any UK mobile was charged at normal/allowance rate, no matter where the receiving UK mobile was in the world?.
LivRobinson
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 103
Thanks: 13
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Not a worry at all @Hotrock, happy to help anytime Smiley

Unfortunately not Mark101. If anyone were to send an SMS to @Hotrock whilst in Asia, the sender could incur international SMS charges. The size of the charge will depend on the country Hotrock is in, and the international rates of the senders provider.

Even though they are both UK mobiles, Hotrock will be connected to an international network, therefore would incur international charges for any outbound SMS, just as the sender could, should anyone send an SMS to Hotrock.

I hope this provides a bit of clarification Smiley

-Liv

 Liv Robinson
 Plusnet Help Team
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,577
Thanks: 5,411
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

@LivRobinson I'm sorry but I believe you are incorrect regarding charges for an SMS sent from a UK mobile to a roaming UK mobile. The sender will pay their normal charge to send an SMS to a UK mobile as though it was on it's home network.. See page 6 of this lin https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/wp-content/uploa...

Think about it, the sender has no means of knowing where the receiving mobile is. Say their plan gives free texts to UK mobiles, if they were to get charged because the the receiving mobile is roaming , it would be crazy!!

 You are correct, though, that sending an SMS when roaming will incur international charges for the sender even though they may be sending to a uk mobile

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

LivRobinson
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 103
Thanks: 13
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Hi 

 Liv Robinson
 Plusnet Help Team
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,577
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

 

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Mark101
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎17-11-2017

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

I actually thought it was a regulation, but having trouble finding it.
MisterW
Superuser
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Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Yes , I expected to find some regulation but in fact it's really just common sense.

Liv's not the only customer support staff to get it wrong apparently , from here https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Archive/Calls-between-the-UK-and-abroad-Clarification/td-p/168519

Recently I have heard more and more people saying that they have been charged for calling another UK mobile when the person they are calling  is out the country.  I have been with Orange/EE for the best part of 20 years and have never been charged for calling someone who is out the country on their UK mobile from my UK mobile.

I decided to phone EE and check if charges were now being made.  I spoke to two different people and they informed me that yes you do get charged for phoning a UK mobile from a UK mobile when the person you're calling is out the country.  I called into an EE store and asked the same question and got the same answer but told if might be free depending on what plan you're on!

Convinced I was being given the wrong information I called EE and spoke to a girl in the Derry call centre.  She thought the information I was being given was correct but she said she would speak to her manager to clarify this.   She duly did and informed me that I was in fact correct - YOU DO NOT GET CHARGED FOR CALLING A UK MOBILE THAT IS ABROAD AND YOU ARE PHONING FROM YOUR UK MOBILE AND IN THE UK.  She said had learned something new today.  She said she would put a note on my account about this.

It beggars belief the number of EE staff that are giving customers the wrong information.  Common sense tells you that if you are calling a number and have no reason to know what the location of the person you are calling is then why should you be charged for making the call.

... and I suspect the reason why networks can't really charge you for receiving texts when roaming is the 'welcome' message that you get sent automatically by the network when you turn your phone on when arriving abroad!. People would probably get a bit 'miffed' to be charged for that...Roll_eyes

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

LivRobinson
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 103
Thanks: 13
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Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Thanks for the responses @MisterW @Mark101 Smiley

I do, of course, completely understand where you are both coming from. But I cannot advise a customer that there will be no charges to the sender of an SMS between two UK mobiles when the recipient is roaming. The reason I cannot advise this, is because, from a business perspective, I cannot speak for any network other than our own, and I would never want to mis-lead any of our customers.

I have advised, therefore, that customers should advise their family and friends before leaving, just in case one of their providers do charge for them to send an SMS to the customer who is abroad.

I have also advised that no customers will be charged to receive an SMS when they are roaming. This is something we know to be true over all networks, therefore something we can always tell customers with complete confidence. So with regards to the 'welcome SMS' that customers receive when they are abroad, you are correct in saying that this would never be charged, and we would never want to lead any customers to believe the contrary.

Again, I do thank you both for your responses. MisterW, I appreciate the links you have provided, as this does show some of the networks that will not charge for sending an SMS to a roaming UK number, and will be good for customers to be able to browse in future should any of them need to.

Thanks,
-Liv

 Liv Robinson
 Plusnet Help Team
MisterW
Superuser
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Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

But I cannot advise a customer that there will be no charges to the sender of an SMS between two UK mobiles when the recipient is roaming. The reason I cannot advise this, is because, from a business perspective, I cannot speak for any network other than our own, and I would never want to mis-lead any of our customers.

@LivRobinson i totally understand that you can't speak for other networks and that people must check with their own providers so I'm going to do just that...

Assuming I have calls and texts remaining in my monthly plan and I am in the UK,, would Plusnet charge me for a call or text to a UK mobile that happens to be roaming ?

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

LivRobinson
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 103
Thanks: 13
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Registered: ‎27-09-2017

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Absolutely @MisterW! The best course of action for anyone unsure on this, would be to contact their provider directly, as I can only advise that there may be charges, because this is all dependent on the Terms & Conditions with that provider. Again, the last thing I would want is for a customers family or friends to incur charges when I have advised explicitly that they wont as I cannot guarantee the actions of other providers.

With regards to Plusnet, we do not charge for customers to send an SMS from UK number to UK number when the recipient is Roaming and the sender is in the UK. So you would be fine to do so, safe in the knowledge that this will come out of your allowance (or else be charged at standard SMS rates from UK to UK.)

-Liv

 Liv Robinson
 Plusnet Help Team
MisterW
Superuser
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Blocking calls and texts whilst abroad

Thanks for that confirmation Liv.

I'm pretty sure that all other providers adopt the same policy but understand why you can't confirm that.

I can say for definite that Giffgaff and Vodafone don't charge because I have daughters with those providers who have sent me texts whilst I've been roaming!

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.