Britain’s road hauliers are among a fleet of UK industry sectors facing surging mobile roaming charges, since they have been reintroduced across Europe this month. A Swansea-based mobile industry expert is urging them to tell these charges to hit to road, by making a savvy switch.
Paul Hooper, MD of Swansea-based Uplands Mobiles, says:
The road haulage and transport industry is worth £124Bn GVA (Gross Value Added) to the UK economy, with 493,600 commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes registered in the UK. It is, of course, an industry already under the cosh thanks to the multiple challenges of soaring fuel prices, a driver shortage and increased red tape when crossing from Britain to the EU. Now, firms that work within the EU and need to communicate with their drivers and other teams remotely face the added burden of new EU roaming charges. This will have a real impact on the bottom line of many haulage and transportation firms. Many of these firms are telling these EU roaming charges to hit the road by switching to O2, which has kept the service free. We are an O2 Direct Partner, so we are helping a number of firms make the switch.
Uplands customer CJBird Transport, a family-run firm is based in Llantrisant, South Wales, has just renewed its contract with Uplands, and cost was a key factor in this decision.
Lisa Bird, Company Director at the firm, said:
We have just resigned with Uplands for another term, because their service is great, and they have reduced our costs again. With a significant proportion of our fleet operating in the EU, along with the recent EU roaming charges increase on the Vodafone and EE networks, we simply could not consider a move away from the O2 network.
Paul adds:
Free data roaming in the EU is an integral part of O2 tariffs, so data (subject to roaming limit), minutes, text and data allowances will work in the Europe Zone, just like they do at home. O2 users can roam using their phone across 48 destinations and call and text back to the UK at no extra cost. The O2 Europe Zone includes all EU/EAA countries and the Channel Islands, Switzerland and Monaco.
If your UK monthly data allowance is over 25GB, you'll have a Roaming Limit of 25GB when roaming in the Europe Zone. This means you can use up to 25GB of your allowance at no extra cost – O2 will text you if you're getting close to the limit, and again if you reach it. You can still use data if you reach our Roaming Limit, but you'll be charged at £2.50/GB.
By contrast, as of January 2022, Vodafone UK charges customers with monthly plans started after August 11 2021 £2 per day to roam in the EU. Free roaming continues for earlier contracts, Data Xtra plans and for travels to Ireland. From March 3 2022, EE charges £2 per day to roam in 47 European locations, Ireland excluded. The new policy will apply to plans started from July 7, 2021. Three UK announced a £2 daily fee to roam in the EEA, except for Ireland. The charge applies from May 23, 2022 for plans started or upgraded since October 1 2021.
Uplands Mobiles, based at Swansea Enterprise Park, is a leading managed services company delivering flexible voice, data and mobile communications. The firm specialises in independent network management and providing bespoke, converged solutions that aren’t tied to technology and supplier.
To find out more go to: www.uplands.co.uk/contact-us
