Latest news with #roaming
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Orange Jordan Announces Updates to Saudi Passenger Roaming Bundles for Hajj Season
In line with its ongoing efforts to support Jordanian pilgrims during Hajj, Orange Jordan has announced an update to its roaming offers, including a range of exclusive discounts and flexible Saudi Passenger Roaming Bundles. These enhancements aim to ensure that pilgrims can stay in touch with their loved ones throughout their Hajj journey in the Kingdom of Saudi Saudi Passenger Roaming offer includes four different bundles, giving customers greater flexibility to choose the option that best suits their needs during their stay in Saudi Arabia, whether in terms of Validity, Internet, or Voice Minutes. As part of the new updates, the weekly bundle, which includes unlimited internet and 150 voice minutes, is now available at a 25% discount, priced at just 15 JOD instead of 20 JOD. Additionally, a new two-week bundle has been introduced, offering unlimited internet and 250 voice minutes for only 20 JOD, ensuring pilgrims stay seamlessly connected with their families during Jordan is the only local operator providing unlimited internet with 5G roaming on STC and Mobily networks in Saudi Arabia. With a range of roaming bundles designed for worry-free connectivity, customers can enjoy fast and reliable calls and internet. The offer runs from May 22 to June 11, 2025, covering the entire Hajj and Eid al-Adha Jordan is always keen to offer its customers special roaming bundles for every season and occasion. Knowing how important the Hajj season is for travelers, we've updated the 'Saudi Passenger Roaming' bundles to be more flexible and varied. This way, we continue to design exclusive offers that truly meet our customers' needs and keep providing real value, making Orange their trusted and preferred choice. The roaming bundles are available to all Orange Jordan traveler to Saudi Arabia. A new bundle can be activated by dialing *777# or *966#, through Orange Max it and jood mobile Apps, or visit one of Orange's shops, and the call center.
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Orange Jordan announces updates to Saudi Passenger roaming bundles for Hajj Season
In line with its ongoing efforts to support Jordanian pilgrims during Hajj, Orange Jordan has announced an update to its roaming offers, including a range of exclusive discounts and flexible Saudi Passenger Roaming Bundles. These enhancements aim to ensure that pilgrims can stay in touch with their loved ones throughout their Hajj journey in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Passenger Roaming offer includes four different bundles, giving customers greater flexibility to choose the option that best suits their needs during their stay in Saudi Arabia, whether in terms of Validity, Internet, or Voice Minutes. As part of the new updates, the weekly bundle, which includes unlimited internet and 150 voice minutes, is now available at a 25% discount, priced at just 15 JOD instead of 20 JOD. Additionally, a new two-week bundle has been introduced, offering unlimited internet and 250 voice minutes for only 20 JOD, ensuring pilgrims stay seamlessly connected with their families during Hajj. Orange Jordan is the only local operator providing unlimited internet with 5G roaming on STC and Mobily networks in Saudi Arabia. With a range of roaming bundles designed for worry-free connectivity, customers can enjoy fast and reliable calls and internet. The offer runs from May 22 to June 11, 2025, covering the entire Hajj and Eid al-Adha period. Orange Jordan is always keen to offer its customers special roaming bundles for every season and occasion. Knowing how important the Hajj season is for travelers, we've updated the 'Saudi Passenger Roaming' bundles to be more flexible and varied. This way, we continue to design exclusive offers that truly meet our customers' needs and keep providing real value, making Orange their trusted and preferred choice. The roaming bundles are available to all Orange Jordan traveler to Saudi Arabia. A new bundle can be activated by dialing *777# or *966#, through Orange Max it and jood mobile Apps, or visit one of Orange's shops, and the call center. About Orange Jordan Orange Jordan, with over 1800 employees across nearly 300 shops and locations throughout Jordan, strives to provide the best customer experience through an integrated set of digital solutions including fixed lines, mobile lines, internet, data, and Smart Life Solutions to around 4.6 million customers in Jordan. Orange Jordan is a subsidiary of Orange Global Group, which is present in 26 countries worldwide. In line with the Group's strategy 'Lead the Future' and through its positioning as a true responsible digital leader, Orange Jordan supports the national digital transformation vision. Orange Jordan prioritizes community service, and in this context, it implements a comprehensive CSR strategy that revolves around 4 pillars including digital education, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, climate, and environment. In addition to serving individual customers, Orange Jordan offers tailored solutions for businesses through its sub-brand, (Orange Business).
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Why post-Brexit roaming charges in Europe are here to stay
Efforts by ministers to return free roaming to UK travellers appear doomed to failure, with European governments fearing their citizens could subsidise British holidaymakers. One of the most tangible benefits to British travellers of membership of the European Union was the gradual reduction – and finally the removal – of international roaming charges for mobile phone use across Europe. While a member of the EU, the UK had championed the 'Roam Like at Home' deal. It relies upon Brussels-imposed caps on the wholesale rates that mobile phone providers can charge foreign counterparts. The British gained most from the deal, with tens of millions of travellers heading for Europe each year. But when the Brexit transition phase reached an end on 31 December 2020, so too did free roaming. The DCMS said on that day: 'A number of mobile operators have stated that they have no current plans to change their mobile roaming policies.' But change they did, with EE, Three and Vodafone soon introducing charges. Of the big providers, only O2 still allows free roaming. The Telegraph is now reporting that Kier Starmer tried to persuade EU negotiators to allow the UK back into the free roaming deal as part of the 'Brexit reset'. Under the headline 'Cheap holiday phone use blocked by EU in another Brexit reset failure,' the newspaper says the prime minister 'had attempted to end roaming charges for UK tourists on the Continent by requesting that they be allowed back into a scheme letting travellers use mobile data at local rates when abroad'. Southern European nations including Spain and Italy objected, The Telegraph says. Had the UK been allowed to rejoin the harmonised roaming zone, telecom providers in popular holiday hotspots would have had to cut the wholesale charges they make to British mobile networks. This loss of revenue could mean domestic consumers paying more. An ' explanatory memorandum ' to a statutory instrument issued by the Boris Johnson government in 2019 makes it clear that roaming charges were set to rise after Brexit. The document says: 'The costs of regulating retail roaming charges without harmonised wholesale charges may lead to roaming becoming unaffordable for many operators. 'This would then lead to roaming services being removed from some packages used by customers, or mobile services as a whole becoming more expensive to compensate for the increased costs. 'Only by limiting wholesale roaming rates, can operators guarantee not to charge customers for roaming services. 'It will not be possible to impose a limit on the wholesale charges faced by UK operators when their customers use networks owned by EU operators. 'This instrument therefore removes provisions requiring guaranteed surcharge-free roaming.' In 2022, then-culture secretary Nadine Dorries claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter): 'We proposed to the European Commission that maintaining surcharge free mobile roaming be part of Brexit negotiations. They rejected that.' In fact, the only reference in the Draft UK Negotiating Document was to discuss roaming charges three years after the Brexit agreement took effect.
Sky News
21-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Holiday coming up? Here's how data roaming charges compare by network
Why you can trust Sky News Brexit brought an end to the guarantee of free roaming for UK residents who visit countries inside the EU - although some providers still offer free services up to a certain point for travellers in Europe. Here, the Money blog team takes a look at the UK's major phone providers and what they're offering customers when it comes to roaming across the globe... Vodafone Vodafone splits its roaming charges into four different "zones". For pay monthly customers who took out their contract on or after 11 August 2021, how much you pay depends on which zone you're headed to: Zone A - Ireland, the Isle of Man, Iceland and Norway - no extra charge; Zone B - Europe and EU member states (48 destinations) - £2.57 a day for customers without the Xtra Euro Roam plan; Zone C - 32 destinations including the US, Australia, Barbados and South Africa - £7.86 a day for customers without the Xtra Global Roam plan; Zone D - 73 destinations from Argentina to Uzbekistan and Vietnam - £7.86 a day. All charges are based on customers sticking to the 25GB fair usage limit. Countries outside zones A-D are deemed "rest of world zones" by Vodafone - these include destinations such as Belize, Nepal and Angola. Data is charged for each megabyte (MB) used, with charges typically £1.20 per MB, but may be cheaper. Those with contracts which started before 11 August 2021 pay nothing for Zones A and B, and £6 a day for Zones C and D. There is also the option of a £15 eight-day pass covering 47 destinations, rising to £20 to cover 15 days. O2 O2 hasn't brought back EU roaming charges for customers using up to 25GB data abroad. That means both pay monthly and pay-as-you-go customers heading to its Europe Zone (more than 40 destinations) are free to call, text and use data as they would in the UK. For anyone travelling further afield, the charges depend on what plan you're on. Customers whose contract includes the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone can roam in 27 destinations outside Europe, including Australia, New Zealand, the US and southern American countries. If it's not part of your plan, you can purchase a travel bolt-on for £7 per day, which allows for data roaming in 63 destinations. Contract holders with O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Ultimate can roam freely in 75 destinations outside Europe. Three Three's Go Roam Europe service lets pay monthly customers use their data allowance in 49 destinations at a cost of £2 a day. Those using the Go Roam Global service (22 destinations outside Europe) pay £5 a day, while Go Roam Global Extra (92 destinations outside Europe) comes at a cost of £7 a day. The charges apply to customers who took out their contracts on or after 1 October 2021 - there are no charges for customers who were with Three before that. Three imposes a 12GB fair usage cap for all customers on a monthly contract when roaming abroad and 9GB for those on pay-as-you-go. EE Anyone with an EE plan that began before 7 July 2021 will have EU data roaming included. For newer customers, it costs £2.59 a day to use data roaming while travelling in its European zone, up to the 50GB fair usage limit. EE's Roam Abroad Pass - which was £25 a month - was removed in December last year. This means there are new costs to be aware of, with EE splitting countries into different zones. For the US, China, Australia and other countries, you may pay a £5 daily charge or opt for a seven-day £25 charge. In Brazil or Japan, the day charge is £7.50 for up to 500mb, and there is no seven-day option. BT Customers can use their phones abroad in 47 destinations without paying extra roaming charges with BT Mobile's Roam Like Home scheme. If travelling outside Europe, BT mobile customers can use still use their phones but will need to buy a Mobile Travel Data Pass to access their data. It costs £6.79 for 500MB that must be used within 24 hours. It covers 12 countries, including the UAE, US, Australia and Canada. Giffgaff Giffgaff lets customers roam for no extra charge within the EU and other selected locations, with a 5GB fair usage cap. If this is exceeded, roaming is charged at 10p per MB. Anyone travelling outside the 37 locations in the EU and beyond will have to add credit to their account to use their phones as normal. They'll also be charged a rate per minute, text or MB, which varies depending on where you go. Tesco Mobile Until 2026, anyone travelling to one of Tesco's 48 Home from Home destinations can use their phone as normal with no extra charge. Roaming charges apply for travel outside these countries - but Tesco will cap data usage at £40 for anyone who hasn't already put in a safety buffer, to avoid anyone coming home to a shockingly high bill. Generally, data costs around £5 per MB and texts 40p, but costs for calls can vary. Sky Sky's Roaming Passport Plus lets customers access their UK allowances for £2 a day in more than 55 popular holiday destinations, including EU countries, the US, Australia and more. The pass is valid for 24 hours. Unused data can be carried over but the £2 charge still applies. Anyone heading to other far-away destinations will see out-of-tariff roaming charges apply. iD Mobile If you've got a phone or SIM-only contract with iD Mobile, you can use your UK monthly allowances in 50 destinations worldwide, up to 30GB. It's much more expensive elsewhere, however, with £9.60 per MB in Jordan, for example. Wherever you do travel, the firm has a £45 roaming data limit in place as standard. Roaming has to be activated beforehand through your online account or the iD Mobile app. Lyca Mobile Anyone with a Lyca Mobile SIM may roam in the EU with no extra charges. Elsewhere, it's best to check directly with Lyca. What about e-SIMs? Standing for "embedded SIM", e-SIMs are virtual SIMs that have been built into most newer devices like phones, tablets and smartwatches. While perhaps not so useful inside the UK and for short EU trips, they could be a way to avoid those hefty out-of-tariff fees for travel further afield. As they can be activated without a physical card, it makes them particularly useful for overseas trips, as you can easily switch between several different carriers if you need to. To use one, you'll need to purchase an e-SIM for the country you're heading to and adjust the settings on your phone to allow it to be used. There are many different providers offering e-SIM services at varying prices for different destinations, making them difficult to compare. Search for e-SIMs in the app store.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
All the mobile firms that DON'T charge for data while you're on holiday – and how to set a limit to avoid sky-high bills
HOLIDAYMAKERS heading overseas this summer will no doubt want to update friends and family at home with a few snaps on social media. But the cost of using your phone abroad can give a nasty financial shock when you return home. 1 Prior to Brexit Brits could use their data plans in Europe at no extra cost. But since we left the European Union many operators, including EE and Three, and have reintroduced the charges meaning you could end up with a pricey bill after a holiday if you're not careful. Happily there are networks still offering free roaming when you hop overseas. It means customers can carry on using their minutes, texts and data at no extra cost when on holiday. And if you frequently travel in Europe it could be worth switching provider. However, look at the small print carefully as some still have a cap on free roaming and after this you'll be charged. One way to make sure you don't overspend is through a 'spending cap' that you can put in place with your provider. Most mobile phone companies in the UK give customers this option - though you'll need to set it up first. So you tell your provider the maximum amount that you want to spend each month. Check what is includes first and if data roaming is, it could stop you racking up a huge bill while jet-setting. Here are the networks offering free roaming in Europe: Asda Asda will let you roam for free in 46 European countries. You don't need to tell Asda if you're going away, you can simply carry on texting, calling and streaming as you would at home. However, customers a have a data roaming limit of up to 5GB so make sure you don't go over. After this, usage will cost 10p per MB. The provider says it will let you know when you reach 80% and 100% of your data limit. Avoid these common holiday booking mistakes for a stress-free vacation BT Mobile BT Mobile's 'Roam Like Home' offering lets its customers roam for free in 47 destinations. You can use your mobile plan allowance to use data, make calls and send texts back to the UK as well as to receive calls and texts for free when you're roaming in these zones. GiffGaff GiffGaff plans can be used in the EU and some other destinations at no extra cost. However, there is a cap of 5GB and if you go over it'll cost 10p/MB. If you're a pay as you go customer, the provider will charge you at the usual UK rates. iD Mobile Roaming comes as standard on all iD mobile phone and SIM only plans. Customers can use their UK monthly allowances of minutes, text and data in 50 destinations worldwide up to 30GB. Lebara Lebara customers can use UK plan allowances while roaming in the EU or India for no extra cost. There is a fair use cap of up to 30GB on the unlimited data plan. O2 O2 is the only major network provider that has not brought back roaming charges. If you're travelling in what it calls its 'Europe Zone' which covers more than 40 destinations, you can call text or use data like you would in the UK and for no extra cost. There is a cap of 25GB. Smarty Smarty lets its customers roam in the EU for no extra costs. If your plan includes calls and texts, they'll also work as usual. However, there's a cap on data of up to 12GB. Talkmobile Talkmobile offers free EU roaming to countries in a list of 'zone A' destinations. This includes France, Spain, Portugal and other popular European spots. Outside of these zone A countries, you'll be subjected to charges. You can check the list of countries covered by zone A on its website at There is a fair usage of 5GB or 15GB depending on when you became a customer. Tesco Mobile Tesco Mobile has once again extended its free roaming offer until 2026. That means that you can use your text, call, and data allowances at no extra cost in 48 destinations How to avoid roaming charges Simrat Sharma, a mobiles expert at Uswitch, said switching to an eSIM - short for embedded SIM - can be cheaper than using international roaming. 'eSIMs make it easier to change networks," she said. "So for example, if you're abroad you can quickly connect to the local network to pay local rates - without having to add or swap a physical local SIM card for your device. "This means travel eSIMs are almost always cheaper than using international roaming, as users are effectively tapping into the same network plans as locals. If you're regularly switching numbers or travelling to different locations, you'll be able to keep them all safely in digital format rather than carrying around a number of small cards. 'The software can easily be accessed via your device's app store and uploaded to your phone in a few quick steps."
