WARNING ! - Don't use your PlusNet SIM outside Europe unless you want a massive bill

[#1]

I've been a happy PlusNet Mobile customer for a little while now, good rates, reasonable coverage etc etc.

However .... I'm going to the USA next week and thought I'd better check the roaming charges.  It's as clear as mud on the website, so I asked the ChatDrone.

The answer is that Data Roaming from the USA is going to cost £8 per megabyte.  That's MegaBytes, folks, not GigaBytes or anything else (and they round it up to the nearest Kb).

Considering that a single webpage can easily be 10 Mb, it could be costing you up to £80 just to check the weather back home.

At that rate, you will slam straight into their 'SmartCap' limit within seconds of opening your browser.  Maybe that's the idea.

OK, so they make a big song and dance about being able to use data in Europe like 'at home', but it's not like they volunteered to do that, they were forced by the EU on pain of big penalties. 

Most other networks have some use like at home for non-Europe locations (VF and 3 have a 'per day' fee of £5 for either your home tariff to apply or for a useable chunk of data).

At home, I'm getting 1Gb for £8, so the US data rate is exactly one thousand times more expensive - wow!

[#2]

Get yourself a 3 payg sim. Lots of roam free destinations then on a £10 package. I know it kind of defeats the object but a lot cheaper than risking a large bill.

[#3]

Hello @apples99,

Please accept my apologies for cost of data outside of roam like at home.

I'm afraid we currently don't offer a 'per day' option when visiting outside of roam like at home destinations and I don't have any information to share on when or if this will become available. In the meantime, I would recommend either disabling mobile data when visiting these destinations and using WiFi hotspots or seeking an alternative SIM card solely for the purpose of visiting these destinations to prevent high additional charges.

For future reference, you can find our roaming and international charges here.

Thank you.

[#4]

Marksfish  is correct I would obtain a 3 123 PAYG sim for use in the USA and they do a Add On where you can buy

U/L mins & texts  2GB data £10

                             5GB data £15

                             12GB data £20

                              36GB data £27.50

                              U/LGB data £35.00

All last for 30 days

Brian A

[#5]

I currently have the £35 add-on from Three and am using it for a personal hot-spot whilst in hospital.

[#6]

Hi Browni 

Hope you get better soon

Is the Three hotspot working OK you will have plenty of minutes texts and data far cheaper that the hospital WiFi

Brian A

[#7]

Thanks Brian.

It's  working fine  with my HTC 10 acting as the hot-spot and a Samsung tablet being the browser of choice, the data on the £35 add-on is unlimited as are the texts and voice minutes.

Recently I've been in a couple of hospitals where the WiFi was free but I am now in a smaller Intermediate Care unit where there is no WiFi whatsoever but at least the TV is free!