Meteor just took all of my remaining credit while my phone was switched off!

Oracle

They have a new roamimg add-on for the UK, it's opt-in for PAYG customers: http://www.meteor.ie/payg_roaming_uk.html The main advantage is you do not get charged to receive calls. So if you visit UK it's worthwhile signing up.

failsafe

If you want a technical reason for it....

When your phone is switched on in a foreign country, you register off that network's HLR. Then when someone tries to call you, your operator (O2,VF,Meteor) will route the call to it's last known location (spain, france etc.) If the phone is powered off, the call will then be diverted from the foreign network to the voicemailbox in Ireland. I'm not sure why (or if) Meteor charge if there's no connection, but with Vodafone, this call is then registered as a "call received while abroad," which is 79c with their passport deal.

The double charges that Urban mentioned occur because the call is "answered" by the foreign network and then diverted to the irish voicemail, so this could be viewed (depending on the networks billing systems) as a call received while abroad and also a call to ireland (the mailbox) while abroad.

Urban Weigl

failsafe, while I am interested in how technology works and found your post interesting (it's great to get some insight from a technical point of view), I'd just like to point out that my beef is that Meteor does not mention this on their price list or roaming information, not that they charge for it. As I have said, I'm fine with them charging however much they want, but they must be clear about it. Internal terms and conditions is not good enough. It should be clearly outlined in their roaming prices so customers can be aware before seeing their credit disappear.

At the end of the day, it's Meteor who this will benefit as well, as there's nothing worse than having a bad experience. I know a lot of people who won't even take their phones abroad anymore, they're too afraid because they've been hit by charges like this that weren't clear.

failsafe

I agree wholeheartedly. Don't get me wrong, i think not listing these charges in the "what does roaming cost me" sections of their sites is a sly way to get a bit of moola out of customers (or maybe just stupid that they left it out, who knows)

I've had a good root around the Vodafone site and can't find it anywhere, i might give them a call to see what they say. At least then if i let them know of the lack of info they can't claim ignorance.

gerryo

failsafe wrote:

If you want a technical reason for it....
The double charges that Urban mentioned occur because the call is "answered" by the foreign network and then diverted to the irish voicemail, so this could be viewed (depending on the networks billing systems) as a call received while abroad and also a call to ireland (the mailbox) while abroad.

This seems to be a very unfair thing to do, the call was never really "answered", just diverted back to the Irish mailbox. OK, the foreign network had to search for the roaming mobile, then divert the call, trunks were tied up while this was going on, but the call only gets answered when it hits the mailbox.

Do you know if the foreign network is still in use when the voicemail is left, i.e, is the call tandeming via the foreign network?

If so, why is'nt this route optimised?

Seems like a great money spinner for both networks.

cgarvey

I know, and have double checked, that with o2, if the phone is off (regardless of whether the last HLR/registered network was domestic or roaming o2, or roaming 3rd party), there is no charge applied for your voicemail "receiving" the call.

If the phone is on, and you answer it, or you send the busy signal, or the did-not-answer signal, you get charged. I've always thought this was the way with all networks, but I just double checked my bills there (from months back when I was logging calls for work).

3 or 4 years ago, when roaming charges were high, I used to leave the phone off, bar for 20 mins in the middle of the night to receive any SMS. There were plenty of voicemails left (while I was roaming, and my last registered network was the roaming network), and I was never charged for receiving those calls.

sendic

Hi all

I'm heading to the states on sunday (i travel there every few months). This trip will be the first time Ive been there since I changed to Meteor PAYG (I was on O2 prepay)

I have a couple of questions.
Can I turn my voicemail off so that any calls I receive and do not answer I wont be charged for? Or will I be charged even if my voicemail is turned off and I dont answer?

Does it cost anything to receive a text while roaming? on the Meteor PAYG roaming charges page it just lists how much it costs to send a text.

Does anyone know if I still have to topup to 60 euro prior to travelling? I went into a meteor shop during the week and a guy working there told me I didnt, that they had changed that requirement a few weeks ago. When I rang 1905 they told me I still had to top up to 60. (I have registered my cc with meteor)

Thanks for your help!

Our man in Havana

Turn off diverts by dialing ##002# .
It's free to receive a text.
60 Euro top up is no longer needed.

chrislad

60euro is still needed. Just not for a good few countries now (eg UK, Portugal, USA, Spain, France, Holland, Cyprus, Sweden, Norway, Germany and maybe one or two others)

sendic

thanks!

got onto a very helpful girl on meteor customer service this morning. i told her i had the divert off code and asked her how to turn it back on and she had the code for me straight away.

I also asked her about the roaming charges and she was very open, but i agree with the OP that its not obvious from their website that they operate that way. she also confirmed that a 60 euro balance is no longer a requirement for roaming in the states.

cheers