Score76

You can call the same numbers as when not roaming, there's no difference. You should really prefix with +44 or +351 rather than 00... 00 doesn't work in countries with different international access codes such as the US or Canada, using a + works everywhere.

Pilotabroad

That's not quite correct.
Whilst roaming you can call either a UK number OR a local number as part of your plan.

I.e. If you have a UK number but are in Portugal you call other Portugal numbers as part of your allowance.

RichardHenshall

And it will work with the prefix regardless of which country you're in when you dial, so if you store your numbers with the full format they'll work at home and abroad without needing to remove the prefix.

wellinever

lol.what do i know, except that in any case superdrug is no longer supported by meo in portugal, or NOS.
I suspect that maybe if you have a 3 sim (proper) maybe that can still connect to other Porto providers.
Guess thats the way Superdrug used to be able to offer such a good deal on 1 month contract at £20 unlimited data and voice, that also worked in Portugal on MEO.

On another disappointing note. Vodafone just about manages to give me an EDGE signal at home, so no net at all.
On the other hand if I drive less than 1km toward the town this morning I did a speedtest when signal was showing 4G at 77db and the download reached 110mbps and upload 32mbps ....but just got worse as I travelled the final km until outside at my house it was 2.1mbps dl and 0.3upload, then inside it switched to EDGE so nothing brilliant

Score76

Have they confirmed that?

I have a couple of friends with native 3 sims, they've also lost Nós and Meo roaming.

wellinever

I have no idea what 3 have done, all I know is that I use a superdrug sim on contract which up until 31st Dec has worked fine for data in Portugal for the whole of 2020.
Every provider in Portugal was always available to connect to while roaming.
Then on 31st Dec all Portuguese providers, except Vodfone PT, now shows as `forbidden` and you cannot connect to any of those.
I have spoken with Superdrug, and as usual they talk about APNs and setting up phone.all irrelevant.
My guess is that 3 is maintaining a limited EU connectivity, and as such can say that they still provide free roaming in the EU. Some will be OK and some not.
As I said above if I lived 1km down the road the speeds are amazing, but my experience of Vodafone is that the general coverage is pretty poor again in my area
Yet to find out if MEO is still giving free roaming when in the UK. But in any case MEO does not allow full plan availability when roaming.
It is based on the wholesale cost of data in per GB and that is set by the EU at about 3euros I think, so if you pay 30euros in Portugal on contract per month then you would get an allowance of 10GB while roaming.
But of course all pointless if there is zero signal

liveaboard

Many phones have 2 simcard slots. mine does. They don't necessarily even cost more, but check the specs or ask the salesperson which phones are dual SIM.
Get one of those, then have a UK and a PT card.
We all have to adapt to the new reality.

fergus

Is there any update on smarty roaming in portugal? Just wondered whether now the technicians are back to work after the new year, if someone may have flicked a few switches and now all is okay and as before?

Score76

Nothing yet, still only getting a Vodafone Portugal signal and nothing further from the complaints team. It did say that they try to answer complaints within 7 days, it hasn't been that yet. Will update once I hear anything.

fergus

I have contacted their support centre before and I can tell you that all I received was a follow up email to ask if I was satisfied with the service, even though I had never received a response! However, there on line chat (when you can use it) is the quickest way to make progress. Assuming you get to 'chat' with a person and not a 'bot'.

Fredbargate

That is the system I have used for many years when holidaying outside of Europe, my main number in one slot so I can always be contacted by friends and family and a local sim in the other slot for local calls and data.

wellinever

I use a Superdrug monthly contract for data and unlimited calls and texts at £10 per month.
At same time as all Portuguese providers except Vodafone were forbidden for Smarty, same happened to my Superdrug sim. (both smarty and supedrug use the 3 network)
It would be interesting to know if any who has an actual contract with 3 in the UK is experiencing the same thing in Portugal. Or if other forums for other EU countries have a similar loss of providers.
This might be 3 being clever and cutting costs by reducing EU carrier to just one, (maybe special cheapo deal with Vodafone in the whole of the EU) lets face it MEO is only in Portugal ,NOS is only in Portugal, but Vodafone is worldwide.
But 3 can still say that they offer data usage in the EU even tho with reduced providers

fergus

Wellinever may be right. What smarty have suggested (via online chat) is that you try and select the network manually. Another good idea is to turn phone off and turn on and see if that makes a difference.

fergus

I just received this from Smarty------"We haven't changed anything at the moment, so there shouldn't be any effects as of now. Whenever we do make changes, we'll always inform before hand with ample of time for you to take any decisions".

Unfortunately the same person also posted in the chat that she did not know much about any changes!

wellinever

Tried selecting manually first thing.....but all except Voda are forbidden...tried in 2 unlocked phones. Data and voice/text all connect to Vodafone only