O2 shouted from the roof tops today that their ‘O2 Travel’ plan now allows customers on pay-monthly plans to make free calls across Europe just in time for the holiday season. While this is a generous gesture, particularly in the wake of the recent EU commission caps, it seems that many observers have forgotten to read the small print.
Yes, you can call for free for up to 60 minutes but each call commands a connection charge of £0.50, meaning that those of us who make, or receive, that quick 2 or 3 minute call can still be charged up to £0.25p/min effectively. Equally, if you do make that hour long call then as soon as you finish your 59th minute the rate jumps to a massive £0.35p/min!
The tip here is to make sure you study the small print and know your average call duration. Free calls makes sense if you are on the phone for 59 minutes at a time but for most of us making the quick call home it means you could still end up picking up a bigger bill than just roaming. With 0044’s range of roaming SIMs you can still call home from £0.03p/min and receive calls for free – and there’s no small print to look for!