Three mobile data plans and using abroad

[geeman237]

I've got a THREE PAYG SIM that I use when I visit the UK from the US. I am now in the US and want to dial the UK. I bought a 10GB 1 month data plan thinking I could use this from the US to dial UK numbers. I don't have any 'cash' credit on the PAYG SIM at the moment. From what I can tell of the Three T&Cs I should be able to dial UK numbers from the US and they will use the 10GB data allowance I have. It's under their Go Roam plans.

Today I tried to dial a 0191 xxx xxxx number (I'm trying to dial the UK Pensions Department) but when I did I got a message saying I don't have enough credit. I went onto the Three app and got onto a chat with customer support in India. Chap looks into my question and says the T&Cs state business numbers or non-personal etc are not included in the 10GB plan allowance. As far as I know an 0191 number is a normal landline . How does Three know such details of who the owner of the number is?

Anyone any knowledge or experience to back up the call centre response?

[rustyuk]

Maybe I'm missing something but isn't the 10gb a Data Allowance and is nothing to do making calls.

Three have removed all free roaming from their packages for both data and calls and you can no longer use your inclusive minutes or data.

Our recent holiday to Turkey I was being charged about £1 a min to use Google Maps.

Edited to say a Go Roam SIM will use your call and data allowance, if of course you have credit.

[geeman237]

rustyuk said:

Maybe I'm missing something but isn't the 10gb a Data Allowance and is nothing to do making calls.

Three have removed all free roaming from their packages for both data and calls and you can no longer use your inclusive minutes or data.

Our recent holiday to Turkey I was being charged about £1 a min to use Google Maps.

Edited to say a Go Roam SIM will use your call and data allowance, if of course you have credit.

Maybe I'm being stupid, but I interpreted it that the 10GB Data pack allowed you to make calls.

[Jordie Barretts sock]

Data and call allowance are totally different things.

Data is not used for calls or texts. Or at least, they don't come out of your data allowance.

[geeman237]

I have figured it out I think. My data plan also includes unlimited calls and texts. I trawled through the Three website looking for some help and stumbled on the 'how to dial' bit.

Dialing from the US you have to dial exactly +44 1xx xxx xxxx in that format. Now I know to some of you that's probably a 'duh stupid', but sometimes I have to dial 011 44 1xx xxx xxxx to get a UK number; I don't ever recall dialing the '+'. On my iPhone it took me a second to figure out how to get the '+' to prefix the 44. Its a press and hold the keypad '0'.

[QJumper]

geeman237 said:

I have figured it out I think. My data plan also includes unlimited calls and texts. I trawled through the Three website looking for some help and stumbled on the 'how to dial' bit.

Dialing from the US you have to dial exactly +44 1xx xxx xxxx in that format. Now I know to some of you that's probably a 'duh stupid', but sometimes I have to dial 011 44 1xx xxx xxxx to get a UK number; I don't ever recall dialing the '+'. On my iPhone it took me a second to figure out how to get the '+' to prefix the 44. Its a press and hold the keypad '0'.

Either way, you still won't be able to call the UK from the US without credit. The ability to use your call allowance is based on you paying the go roam charge of £5 a day on the days you wish to make use of it.