Roaming Charges

[nailit]

How do roaming charges work in the EU?
Sailing on Thursday for a few days in Amsterdam and Antwerp, havnt got a clue about how roaming charges work. Will I need to put my mobile on airplane mode?
(Never been out of the country before with a mobile phone)
Thanks

[ummmm]

I thought they've been scrapped. I haven't been charged them for the last few years.

[Neveracrossword]

Roaming charges have been abolished, so calls, texts etc should be at the same rate as in the UK. This could change after Brexit, but it'll probably not happen overnight anyway!

[bhg481]

You don't need to do anything at all. JUst use your phone as if you are in the UK.

[nailit]

Thanks for replies, appreciated :-)

[Prudie]

Please note that you aren't charged roaming fees for calling people back in the UK but you will be for calling any Amsterdam or other foreign number. That's certainly how it works with Vodafone anyway.

[nailit]

Cheers Prudie :-)

[spathiphyllum]

You only need to put your phone on aeroplane mode when you're on the aeroplane. What this does, is stops any kind of signal going in or out of the phone. You will still be able to use the phone to watch videos that have been downloaded onto the phone or to take / look at photos etc.. Just not use any text or call service or and internet service.

[ichkeria]

No you should be able to use your phone to call any local number, as well as make calls to other EEA countries while abroad, without incurring roaming charges.

[nailit]

//You only need to put your phone on aeroplane mode when you're on the aeroplane//
Or ship even??
Now Im getting confused. Roaming charges have been scrapped but I still need to put phone on airplane mode??

//as well as make calls to other EEA countries while abroad//
But Prudie said @ 14:26 that roaming charges would apply?

Confused from Stoke...

[ichkeria]

Nailit:
Forget about flight mode, it isn’t relevant.
And the advice that roaming charges apply if you are not phoning UK numbers is incorrect.

[Neveracrossword]

Nailit, 'airplane mode' is nothing to do with charges - it's simply so that phones can't be used (and possibly interfere with equipment) on planes.

[ichkeria]

And have a nice, cheaper than anticipated, trip!

[douglas9401]

Word of the day: obtuse.

[Khandro]

nailit; You'll be OK, just don't use it in Switzerland, it can be very expensive.

nailit; I would like to ask you a couple of questions you might be able to help me with please. I shall put up a thread in 'People & Places' in Society & Culture - which seems to be empty- called 'Inside'.

[nailit]

OK, Thanks guys.
Go for it Khandro ;-)

[spathiphyllum]

"Or ship even??"

No, only the aeroplane because they say signals can affect the tower or whatever they call the Air traffic control tower.

[nailit]

Spath, I was under the impression that airplane mode prevented your phone from picking up any unwanted roaming charges
(as seen in a vid about things to remember on a first time cruise)

[Prudie]

Ichkeria would you like to phone Vodafone on my behalf then as I when I rang and asked why I was charged on my monthly bill for calling Spanish numbers while in Spain that was the reason they gave me.

[spathiphyllum]

"Spath, I was under the impression that airplane mode prevented your phone from picking up any unwanted roaming charges"

Nailit, yes it will do this to be honest. It would do that because it blocks signals going to the phone and from the phone, so if it's on airplane mode, the phone won't know where it is, so there won't be any random charges from anywhere.
However, you won't get these in Amsterdam I can assure you on that.
Times have changed though, and roaming charges are almost a thing of the past.. they certainly are in west Europe.

[nailit]

Thanks Spath.