# Providers that allow roaming on their sister networks



## RMCF (4 Jan 2010)

I currently use 3 UK (live on the border), but am considering moving from them as I am tortured with my phone roaming on to O2 IRL, which costs me.

I like the fact that I can use 3UK and also 3IRL and my incusive mins and texts count on both, but their service is rubbish in the fact that you can't lock the phone and it often roams on to other providers when you don't notice.

Does anyone know if I was to switch over to O2 woudl I be able to use O2 UK and O2 IRL and still use inclusive texts/mins?


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## gipimann (4 Jan 2010)

I'm with O2 and I can't use my inclusive minutes when on the UK network.   Calls and texts cost me when I'm in NI or UK.


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## RMCF (4 Jan 2010)

gipimann said:


> I'm with O2 and I can't use my inclusive minutes when on the UK network.   Calls and texts cost me when I'm in NI or UK.



Thats disappointing to hear. O2 was going to be my choice of provider. 

Perhaps if I get an O2 UK account it might allow me to roam in Ireland?


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## anniemac (7 Jan 2010)

I have to be honest - live on border and have o2 contract for way too long [ reason being all family on O2] they are REALLY bad to contract to, their staff are a so difficult to deal with now compared to say 18 months ago. I will be out of contract in June and will NEVER use o2 again. Look to ANY other provider if you are near the border - vodafone seems to be working really hard to help with this situation and I know about 20 + other people beside me who have gone to VF or 3. sorry not any help!


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## ardmacha (11 Jan 2010)

In general prepaid subscribers may do better here, as they can use credit throughout Ireland without having their minutes confined to three quarters of the country. For bill pay O2 actually do have a provision to use minutes in NI, they tried to abolish this in September, but there were so many complaints that they didn't. That said O2 are indeed decreasingly helpful, one good resource is their forum. You can ask the forum people to put you on the tariff. See this thread on the cross border issue

[broken link removed]


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## ardmacha (18 Feb 2010)

O2 have now restricted the free use of minutes roaming in Britain, but have kept this for NI. Hopefully this will be the long term situation.



O2 UK also have a very useful "Ireland" add on.


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