Internet at Sea - beware with mobile devices
My UK iPhone has an unlimited data allowance and thanks to the new EU rules I can use this all over Europe. However, because I kept the roaming on, the trip from Portsmouth to St Malo with Brittany Ferries started racking up data charges for background apps running on the phone when we had left a UK signal. This happened overnight whilst we were asleep in our bunks, so the texts went unnoticed
Luckily I had a roaming data cap on which limited the damage to £25. I managed to speak to Three (my provider) about when we came within French waters (and a French 3G signal), however it wasn't Three's fault.
I don't believe Brittany Ferries made it transparent enough to their customers about the costs of linking to a roaming Internet at Sea 3G/4G signal. Mobile devices are in use all the time, particularly by the younger generation and this problem will just keep getting bigger until a proper system is put in place to warn people, and to limit any damage.
Perhaps the Club should be doing a full page feature in the magazine on the issue? I'd be happy to draft some copy of my experiences as a warning and explaining the implications of not turning your roaming option off whilst at sea.
I will be tackling Brittany Ferries about this issue, which appears to be a cynical way of emptying their customers' pockets in an underhand way, with responsibilities dodged and ignored
Comments
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Alan, this is very interesting and something I have not heard of before. If I understand you correctly the 3G signal your phone linked up to on the ferry was provided by BF and was deemed neither a UK nor a French signal and thus not provided for under the EU roaming rules ? this all sounds very odd indeed and strikes me as a loop hole in the EU rules. Have I understood this correctly ?
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I had a brief warning of the charges flash up on my Three mobile as I left Caen on Friday; I quickly twigged it was Brittany Ferries satellite connection so switched off phone.
I can see this being a big issue for those not too savvy with how the system is operated, the more so now our guard is down in assuming the EU roaming charges are gone.
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I suppose it depends on if you read the info they give you while you are waiting to board. We had several hours as were last on due to height, ☹️ so I had plenty of time. It does mention the fact, so I would think they are covered. However, we went in May, before the change, so data roaming was firmly turned off in any case. Perhaps now the charges have been removed for most of Europe they should highlight it more. A separate flyer in big print would be a good idea.
Just as an aside as you go past the Channel Islands you lock on to their transmitters. These did not used to be covered, so you would have been charged if you used them. I wonder if this has also changed?
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As the Channel Islands have not been in the EU then I would take the safer option not to assume they are signed up to the roaming charge relaxation brought in by the EU.
It would be interesting if others know definitively the stance they have taken?
In any case personally, I would have roaming turned off so not to be clobbered by Brittany Ferries system's charges.
You can with a Skype account then simply phone out etc using that via the free onboard wifi, though that I found struggled with its bandwidth on most things I tried to look at.
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You should still get a decent signal until you reach the West Princessa buoy just past Bembridge on the eastern end of the Isle of Wight, so you should be OK for the first half hour or so.
Where I'm on a cruise I always switch to Airplane mode after we leave port.
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Birderbilly that is correct. Conversations overheard at Breakfast in the morning after the night crossing indicates that others had suffered the same fate.
I have had a reply from Brittany Ferries this morning, essentially just pointing me to the article in he FAQs which I saw yesterday evening.
The matter does not have nearly enough prominence for customers - although they can demonstrate the info is out there, it's obvious they are making money out of people who aren't clued up.
A shame really - everything about the crossing and he service was great, but this episode has left a bad taste and smacks of profiteering by the operator.
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The text of my response from BF is as follows:
Good morning.
Thank you for your email.
I have sent you a link which explains on our website about charges.
http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/faq/ships-and-ports/will-my-mobile-phone-work-on-board-the-ferry
Yours sincerely
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The text of my response to that is:
Thank you for your response which doesn't address the fundamental issue of contention in my email - i.e. the warnings about mobile signal roaming are just not prominent enough.
Please would you escalate in order that I get confirmation of Brittany Ferries policy in this regard? If you have nothing more to say than pointing me in the direction of the FAQs please confirm this is the case?
I would be interested to learn how much BF earns for carrying the satellite internet and mobile reception signals - is it a percentage of revenue raised? Please confirm
Thanks in anticipation
Regards
Alan Hind
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Thank you Alan. A useful warning for the unwary.
Other people travelling might find it helpful to know that Brittany Ferries has a free wi-fi service over parts of all their ships, and the access code is printed on the boarding cards you get at check in.
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It always has been the case that whilst at sea and away from land based signals you have to pay the international sea rates, which as pointed out are significant. What did you do before Alan when crossing the sea, nothing has changed there. It is no different than going to, lets say Jamaica, and having to pay the international roaming charges. I personally do not let the apps update on mobile data or let them do it automatically and I have the phone set for Wi-Fi only. I then only select which Aps I want to use the mobile data. It has been this way ever since I have used a smart phone regardless of whether I am roaming or in the UK. Regards, Roy
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The "difference" since the 15th June 2017 is that calls within the EU come at your UK allowance charges.
From what I observed people are taking that literally. Whilst on board they are IMO not unreasonably assuming they are still in the EU, not hoisting on board that once out of range of a viable land transmitter a very different "roaming" situation applies.
No real issue for those clued up on these things, but a costly learning mistake for those that are not, and I agree with others one that should be blazoned out very evidently by the ferry operator. It is not that one is likely to twig in the first minute and only get burnt by a £3 odd surcharge, some will rack up umpteen minutes worth of surcharges before next seeing their bill.
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Alan1406
I know this probably won't help much now but the financial section of the Daily Mail ran a two page spread on this very subject.
So not sure if you could find the feature,it was only in the last two weeks or so.
Turkey falls into the grey area of data roaming as well.
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Jersey and Guernsey are included in the new rules, ie no roaming charges.
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The range of replies on here from very experienced tourers and relatively "new to touring overseas" people like me indicates the scale of the problem.
I've had another response from BF essentially just repeating the standard phrase that is in the FAQs. Incidentally, you have to search for the word "roam" or "mobile" on the FAQ page to reach the page - it is not obvious and featured on the main FAQ page. I'm going to ask BF the direct question if they consider their actions adequate and in line with customer fairness before I take it forward.
Personally, I'd suggest the words "Remember to turn your mobile device roaming off to avoid costly rates" on each boarding card and / or cabin keycard. They print the wifi code on, nut not anything about mobile signals
My gut feel is that BF's stance / approach just does not seem fair. If they continue with such a stance I see trouble ahead for them. Banks / PPI springs to mind!
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The principle of 'caveat emptor' probably applies.
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Alan1406, I think you are shooting at the wrong target. Brittany Ferries isn't charging you for using your your mobile phone at sea. It's your phone service provider which is. Have they not given you the prices for using your phone via a satellite link in the sky?
The ferry company gives out a booklet at check in about services on board - it includes a warning about costs from phone service providers, and a recommendation to use their own free wi-fi on board instead.
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It would be interesting to know if a Brittany Ferries satellite type system could be set up on land, by passing any of the normal permissions. There are plenty of areas / places in the U.K. with very poor or non existent mobile signals. Now many folk will be returning from holiday and forgetting to switch of data roaming, plenty of pickings for an unscrupulous operator. One would hope that the big mobile providers would police this, not granting links and passing on charges to all and sundry. Although I would not bank on it.
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I thought mobile phones only allowed you to connect to Partner networks whilst roaming rather like you do in the UK?
David
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Both ours EE and O2 certainly connected to Brittany Ferries. However, we had data roaming off, so there were no charges unless we had made or accepted a phone call. I think they just go for partner networks first, if they are available. If not the phone hunts for others. I know in the past when a partner signal got unacceptably weak, I managed to get into the set up and force it to go for a stronger, non partner, signal.
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Thanks everyone for the comments on this important topic. What is clear to me is the range of understanding is vast. Some travellers are well on top of the situation, others not. Some understand the technical background but I suspect others are baffled.
All I am asking BF for (and the CAMC for that matter to feature regular articles) is greater prominence for the warnings to turn roaming and mobile data off. What is disappointing is that BF appear to be happy at how they communicate this at the moment to customers. I just don't think it is acceptable on this basis.
Incidentally does anyone know categorically if the ships' operators get a cut of the revenue raised by "Internet at Sea"? After all they receive the signals and boost them around the ship...
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It is probable sea going vessels are using the Iridium Satellite system which is also available, at a price, to land based users. Its just too expensive to have just for use in UK areas where there is little to no other service provider. What would help in the UK is if you could roam from one UK network to another.
peedee
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I do think the 'user' has to shoulder some responsibility, after all they purchased the mobile phone and should take the trouble to investigate and understand its workings. This 'problem' is flagged up everywhere, from the ferries to the network providers and has been for some time.
There is 'Airplane' mode on/off, there is 'Data roaming' on/off, there is 'Mobile data' on/off and then there is the big off switch, too much emphasis these days of wanting to be in touch 24 hours a day.
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I agree that the user should bear responsibility to find out the charging structure of their phone's use when away on holiday. My point is how easy it is to find out.
Many of the club's older members may well be puzzled by the need to be connected, but it's a fact that this is a standard requirement for many people. In years to come we will see 24/7 connections as basic - much in the same way as electric windows and air conditioning in cars is considered fundamental these days.
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If in doubt switch on flight mode which disables all calling and messenging functions and turns off mobile data, wi-fi and bluetooth are also switched off. Then go back to settings and switch on Wi Fi. (At least thats how it works on my own Samsung)
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