Telephone Roaming from a UK SIM

[jacko 8,822]

When I am in the UK for 4 weeks a year ( 2 trips) I always plugged my UK SIM card into my phone...basic phone, no smart stuff.

 

I use O2 Pay as you Go there..Talkalot... Every-time I was in the UK I put £20 on it... that gave me free calls to Ma and brother/sis etc as they were in the same postcode. My credit built up to £70 or so, silly really, too much. Anyhow, I used to get back to Thailand, the credit didn't expire, pulled out the UK SIM card when in Thailand and put the Thai one in. Credit sat there on my UK O2 account. Ready for the next trip.

Then I got a new phone and got in the habit of leaving the UK SIM in the old phone.......turned off in a drawer when in LOS.

 

Then I got into the habit of using the old phone when I timed my garden sprinklers.... it used to connect to the AIS network when I turned it on, but no calls, no texts, in or out, so no problem I thought. Remember this is not a smart phone, no data or internet.

 

Today I noticed my UK phone/SIM no longer connects to AIS, checking via my computer my £70+ credit is ZERO with O2.......

I can only surmise my frequent connection to roaming, without calls/texts in or out, has cost me.

Whether the charges are from AIS or O2, I do not know.

O2 PAYG does not let you look at the charges you incur.

How the hell does one keep these fuckers hands out of your pockets! Worse then Katoeys.

Edited April 12, 2012 by jacko

[9cisco999 107]

I've learned the hard way how the phones or phone company can drain the credit on a phone. I use a smartphone and learned if I don't have it on airplane mode, it automatically connects to the internet and pleasures itself while sucking me dry. I'm using the roaming for Happy here in the States and the carrier changes from TMobile to AT&T. While the charges are pretty high for roaming, it did serve my purpose at the time; I had functioning phone service when I landed at the USA airport.

 

 

I've since discovered the range of pre pay phones available for a super reasonable price along with low calling fees: Straight Talk, Virgin Mobile, Republic Phones and etc.

 

 

In your case Jacko, it sounds like your credit may have simply expired.

[Bazle 1,500]

I agree with Cisco - it could be that your credit has timed out. I don't see how you would have incurred charges if you had not made or received any calls or texts.

[s77656769 5]

Many prepay plans expire the credit if you haven't used it. That is what I expect of my 12call SIM and I haven't been disappointed yet. Maybe the fine print changed on your SIM, or they finally got around to implimenting expiry policy. I suggest you find and read the T&Cs.

[jacko 8,822]

 

 

In your case Jacko, it sounds like your credit may have simply expired.

Don't think so, it never did before. and since each trip I put a bit more on, why would it all expire?

[jacko 8,822]

Many prepay plans expire the credit if you haven't used it. That is what I expect of my 12call SIM and I haven't been disappointed yet. Maybe the fine print changed on your SIM, or they finally got around to implimenting expiry policy. I suggest you find and read the T&Cs.

Boy have I been trying to find them......

I have an email complaint logged in...... but this is not the longest I have gone without a top up. There was never an expiry date when I did a balance enquiry.

[jacko 8,822]

I got onto their chat line and the SIM had been cancelled as I hadn't made a call for 6 months. I thought going on the network and receiving a SMS would cover that.

[9cisco999 107]

I got onto their chat line and the SIM had been cancelled as I hadn't made a call for 6 months. I thought going on the network and receiving a SMS would cover that.

 

 

 

back to the matter of expiry... .555

 

 

Never before did this happen? Isn't the only constant in the universe, change?

 

 

Sorry about your loss. Unfortunately it pales in comparison to mine in similar situations.

 

 

 

 

edit:

 

 

for the yanks I should have said "Republic Wireless".

Edited April 13, 2012 by 9cisco999

[jacko 8,822]

back to the matter of expiry... .555

 

 

Never before did this happen? Isn't the only constant in the universe, change?

 

 

Sorry about your loss. Unfortunately it pales in comparison to mine in similar situations.

 

 

 

 

edit:

 

 

for the yanks I should have said "Republic Wireless".

Well you said credit expired, which on my Thai SIM can happen, as there is a 'valid until' mentioned with every balance enquiry.

Irrespective of usage.

 

I guess in the UK they go about snatching your money in a different way . They said..

You need to make a chargeable call in any 6 month period otherwise the Sim is disconnected and the number reclaimed.

 

I suppose the fact that it was in-use (ie going on-line in Thailand ) frequently did not tell them it was still 'live'.

 

Luckily I spotted it and got it reconnected, otherwise the number and credit could have been lost.

Edited April 13, 2012 by jacko