PHone Calls on O2 from Norway (and Cruise)

[garethEds]

My wife and I leave for Norway on Saturday on a P&O cruise to the Fjords. Due to illness in the family we need to be in touch at all times.

 

I'm aware that phoning from the ship or connecting my iphone (or iPad) to the ship wireless to use Skype is going to be expensive - although maybe cheaper than phoning.

 

So we are thinking about phoning from the various stops we make during the week - Bergen, Stavanger etc. Would we be better using phone cards or will my phone connect to a Norwegian mobile phone company?

 

We will be turning data roaming off on both our phones as I've heard that can put the costs up.

 

Any advice would be welcome,

 

Many thanks

 

Gareth

[SteveBentley]

Your phone will happily connect to an overseas network providing you've arranged international roaming with O2 - on some networks this is a default option, on others you have to request it.

 

O2's roaming charges are listed at Standard rates and data costs - International - O2

 

But bear in mind that in the middle of the North Sea you might not get much of a signal.

 

International Roaming Sims are another option for voice calls but don't always work out to be a better deal than for roaming (and you'll likely need to get the handset unlocked), some background info and advice at Mobile Roaming: Use your phone abroad for free...

 

Depending on what you will need to communicate with the family it's almost certain to be cheaper to text than call - and cheaper for them to call you than you to call them - they pay what they usually would if you were at home, you pay 14p/minute.

Edited August 20, 2010 by SteveBentley

[adampat84]

I'd also read this.. as i believe iphone wifi an data are linked... dunno if they can be turned on individually...

 

Apple iPhone users hit with huge bills for surfing web abroad | Mail Online

 

[rush_tech]

I contacted O2 when I recently went abroad and they where very helpful, they might be able to sort something out for you

[somabc]

You could get something like this

 

Rentals from O2 - Euro Travel SIM card

[DrummerBoy]

Since you're with O2, and I just renegotiated our compamy contract with them, see if they offer the bolt onfor reduced cost roamed calls. This should be available as a month long only bolt on, although you will obviously pay more than for an annual bolt on. It won't help on board ship unless a mobile oporator has fitted the ship with a satellite upling. Other than that, whilst at sea it's all Inmarsat.