Click below to
find interesting
information from our
May 2009
newsletter
relating to:
Roaming
Travel
Mobile phones
Roaming
European
roaming
changes
Keen observers
of Global
Roaming will
have heard
plenty of news
in the last year
related to
European roaming
costs.
A brief summary
of the situation
is that the EU
has legislated a
price cap (the
first ever to be
enacted
globally) on
voice, SMS and
data within the
EU. The price
caps are a
retail-price cap
on SMS sent
whilst roaming
in the EU, and a
wholesale cap
(applies to
carriers only)
on data download
prices. They all
take effect on
July 1st. In
addition the
previous
voice-call
capped price
will be reduced.
The networks
have mounted a
legal appeal,
but at this
stage it seems
likely that
lower roaming
prices will
prevail within
the EU from July
1st 2009.
Great news for
European
travellers.
Unfortunately it
is entirely
predictable that
the situation
for Australians
roaming in
Europe will NOT
significantly
improve, and may
even worsen.
The trouble is
that the
European
legislation
applies only to
Europeans (for
example, a
French resident
travelling to
say Belgium). It
does not apply
to Australian
travellers (the
ACCC regulates
our telephone
prices - except
cannot regulate
roaming
because......
the calls are
made from other
countries!).
The previous EU
voice-call price
cap had no
discernable
effect on
Australian
roaming prices
within Europe.
Perhaps (less
charitably) the
Telstra and
Optus price
increases
earlier this
year indicate
that we may even
expect roaming
price increases
in future.
There is, of
course, a viable
alternative.
vRoam offers
popular global
vSIMs that will
cut your bill
by over 50% on
average in
Europe. For
those travellers
planning a
multi-country
trip, vRoam's
vSIM is a
superb way to
save whilst
using only a
single SIM card
(and contact
number).
For more
information,
call or e-mail
vRoam and we
will help.
vRoam is
Australia's only
full-service
roaming
specialist,
providing
post-paid
roaming
solutions to
Australia's
travellers.
Travel
Staying
in touch
A common
query we
receive is
"what does
the FollowMe
service do,
and how does
it work?".
The optional
FollowMe service
allows you to be
contactable on
your normal
Australian
number whilst
travelling and
enjoying vRoam's
great
savings. If
you have ordered
the service,
you'll receive a
diversion code
from vRoam.
Simply dial
the code with
your Australian
SIM, then swap
to the vRoam
vSIM. It's
that easy! When
you return just
do the reverse.
We forward
your calls to
wherever you
are, even if you
are travelling
to two or more
countries in the
same trip. You
can receive
calls on two
numbers - the
vRoam vSIM
number, as well
as your normal
Australian
number.
Stay in touch
while you are
away!
Mobile phones
Making
calls when
travelling
Experienced
travellers
know a few
tricks for
making your
life easier
when you
travel
internationally.
We do get
occasional
customer
calls for
help with
dialling
numbers, so
here is a
few tips
that can
trap the
unwary
modern
traveller
(we'll have
more tips
next month).
International
access codes -
use "+"
You may be
used to dialling
"0011" as a
prefix for
international
calls made from
Australia (or
other
reduced-rate
carrier codes
such as 0018).
However this
won't work
overseas - each
country has its
own prefix. Many
are "00" or
"011" or "001"
but there are
many, may
variations (even
sometime between
carriers in the
same country).
However the
easiest way is
simply to dial
"+" on any
mobile (for
example, one
with a vRoam
vSIM inserted)
in any country,
which the
network then
substitutes for
their particular
code. The "+"
key is often
combined with
the "*" key (say
on Nokias) or
with the "0" key
(say on
Motorolas,
Samsungs).
Getting a "+" to
show on the
screen is done
by either
quickly pressing
the key twice,
or by holding
the key down for
a few seconds.
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