2 ms·

How mobile networks flunked my summer roaming spend

8 points by bensummers 17y ago

windsurfer 17y ago
Only $10 per MB? Wow, I wish I lived in europe. Even if you're in your local calling region, it's $35 per MB here in Canada.
- adrinavarro 17y ago
  With spanish operators, roaming is about 10€ (~15$) for each megabyte... So 3,5€ for each megabyte is "cheap" for me. Anyway, it's still really-really expensive. And they really could lower the price, as the home operator (the operator you're roaming with), and not the "roam operator" is getting most profits from data roaming. I think Vodafone offers in Europe a rate of 200MB-60€, that's about 0.3€/megabyte. Veredict? Operators have really inflated prices for data roaming... ... In fact, it wouldn't be expensive (for them) to offer a flat rate of unlimited (or with a reasonable data limit) mobile internet, at least in Europe. But money is money.
adrinavarro 17y ago
It looks like this guy went to Spain, so a few things that may interest you if you're going to travel there and use data: There's a virtual operator (simyo, http://simyo.es http://simyo.es) which offers a reasonable rate of 1€/first 100mb of the day, 9ct/megabyte after those first 100mb/day, and a cap of 5€ if you don't exceed 500mb in a month (if you use 300mb in a day, you don't spend 1€+0.09*200=18€, but 5€. Vodafone also offers prepaid internet offers: 1GB for 7 days (19€), 15 days (29€), 30 days (49€). Locked modem costs 50€, but you can use those cards with any 3G modem and most smartphones (I tether with a soft-unlocked iPhone). It's hard to get a SIM card: anonymous SIM cards (even for data traffic) don't exist there, and it can be a pain to get a pay-as-you-go if you're a visitor (that's because of the 11M terrorist attacks, yeah, gbye privacy!). Also, be aware of internet coffees. A good price is 1€-1,5€ for 1h.. Starbucks don't have WiFi, but some McDonalds have it. You have to buy something (I love McFlurrys!) and ask for a WiFi card (if they have wifi, of course, you'll see a sticker outside). Just connect to the open Wifi and type the number that is in the card (that will give you 30 minutes of navigation). And... good luck!

8 points by bensummers 17y ago

Only $10 per MB? Wow, I wish I lived in europe. Even if you're in your local calling region, it's $35 per MB here in Canada.

adrinavarro 17y ago
With spanish operators, roaming is about 10€ (~15$) for each megabyte... So 3,5€ for each megabyte is "cheap" for me. Anyway, it's still really-really expensive. And they really could lower the price, as the home operator (the operator you're roaming with), and not the "roam operator" is getting most profits from data roaming. I think Vodafone offers in Europe a rate of 200MB-60€, that's about 0.3€/megabyte. Veredict? Operators have really inflated prices for data roaming... ... In fact, it wouldn't be expensive (for them) to offer a flat rate of unlimited (or with a reasonable data limit) mobile internet, at least in Europe. But money is money.

adrinavarro 17y ago

It looks like this guy went to Spain, so a few things that may interest you if you're going to travel there and use data: There's a virtual operator (simyo, http://simyo.es http://simyo.es) which offers a reasonable rate of 1€/first 100mb of the day, 9ct/megabyte after those first 100mb/day, and a cap of 5€ if you don't exceed 500mb in a month (if you use 300mb in a day, you don't spend 1€+0.09*200=18€, but 5€. Vodafone also offers prepaid internet offers: 1GB for 7 days (19€), 15 days (29€), 30 days (49€). Locked modem costs 50€, but you can use those cards with any 3G modem and most smartphones (I tether with a soft-unlocked iPhone). It's hard to get a SIM card: anonymous SIM cards (even for data traffic) don't exist there, and it can be a pain to get a pay-as-you-go if you're a visitor (that's because of the 11M terrorist attacks, yeah, gbye privacy!). Also, be aware of internet coffees. A good price is 1€-1,5€ for 1h.. Starbucks don't have WiFi, but some McDonalds have it. You have to buy something (I love McFlurrys!) and ask for a WiFi card (if they have wifi, of course, you'll see a sticker outside). Just connect to the open Wifi and type the number that is in the card (that will give you 30 minutes of navigation). And... good luck!