USA Roaming - Watch out for Smarty leaving you high and dry (or in danger!)

[SeanDon_1618668]

I’m in Franciso for a few weeks. I tried to use WiFi as much as possible but needed Data for being out and about. I topped up 3 times for max £15 each time - it’s very expensive and disappears quickly. Next thing I know, I get a text msg to say I’d reached a maximum topup ceiling of £45 so that was it until end of monthly billing cycle. I’m in a dodgy area, Call centre closed, chatbot no better than asking a passing cat for advice. Why a) don’t you make this clear and up front in your roaming info b) why don’t you allow ability to increase limit in app c) include in SMS message when you first top up so you have a chance to contact you before you’re stranded without ability to use Uber, google for cabs etc?

[SeanDon_1618668 · Accepted solution]

You have my apologies - I mistakenly thought I was talking to Smarty employee. I will talk directly to Smarty.

[MSF]

@SeanDon_1618668 Thank you.

[SeanDon_1618668]

I was aware of the USA roaming costs (which we both agree are extortionate). I switched off mobile data for pretty much every app and used Wifi when available. The issue I have is that you did not make we aware (burying an important detail like that in T&Cs page whatever, is not making customers aware). I just needed to be able to top-up - the limit you set was not explicitly advised and is set too low for USA given the fact that costs are so high. You may well be right re eSim/Local Sim but I needed my UK number to be online to receive calls. I still maintain you could handle this a lot better e.g., SMS with limit soon as roaming kicks in, and to allow cusotmers to change this online with account - you have MFA in place so why not. 

[MSF]

@SeanDon_1618668 I'm not sure why you insist on using the second person - "you". We are members of the Community Forum and not employees of Smarty.

If you feel so strongly, you will need to take this up with the company directly, perhaps via complaint.

I don't see them changing anything however as they quite probably are protecting more customers than they are inconveniencing.

My view is that companies cannot take every single factor into consideration, particularly when I suspect that not many customers will use non EU roaming to a great extent precisely due to costs.

[MarkSco_2831591]

I don’t agree with smarty “community” reply. Smart is a technology company so should be able to offer tech solutions rather than  saying “we told you so” on an occasion like this. I have often gotten to the end of data and if I was permitted to add data which could be used by the amount I was about to add I would have less agitation towards smarty. Telling someone the have hit the buffers and they can’t do anything about it without doing to a different establishment to jet out of the hole is poor business - unless there is some special reason Smarty is not trusted by EE. That is bad news for smarty customers. 

[MSF]

@MarkSco_2831591  Smarty relies on Three network and therefore has limited negotiating powers. If theorise is clear, then I do not see what the problem is - if it were hidden, that would be different.

You can certainly have more data, but need to pay for it; a limit is set so that people do not get a Nast surprise - what's wrong with that?

Don't know what EE has to do with it - they are competitors and so why would they 'trust' Smarty?

[MSF]

@SeanDon_1618668 The price for roaming is crystal clear in the Price Guide pages 18 to 20.

USA is band 1 and the price is 10p per megabyte. Given that there are 1024 Megabytes to a Gigabyte, the charge for roaming is £102.40 for a gigabyte. Yes, it is extortionate but that's what they are charged by the US networks I guess.

T&C's 5.27 indicates that there is a limit for top ups and this is changed from time to time - it is in the interests of customers' security.

Why not buy a local sim or use an Esim if your phone accepts it - much cheaper.

[MarkSco_2831591]

I don’t think you live in the real world or don’t work at the coal face.  This sort of response doesn’t endeer smarty to me. The rip off rates for data in the USA are badly negotiated by smarty and profits are shared by them. 

i want to use my phone using my telephone number and not put myself on potentially dangerous position. 

why not arrange rates with suitable rip off rates but users can still pay for. 

this “we are doing this for your safety sounds like banks who are saving the user when in fact they are saying themselves. 

[MSF]

@MarkSco_2831591  How would Smarty be in a strong position to negotiate rates with Gian USA networks? The amount of business is minuscule and so they do not have any strong bargaining position - that is the REAL world!!

Putting a limit on is a safety measure for the customer - you would soon gripe if your account was hacked and someone starting spending money on your account like water!