O2 Travel... Data roaming speeds?

[DuraAce]

Anyone used /using O2 Travel for data use outside the EU?

I'm getting a rather marvelous 0.01Mbps in the USA which is effectively useless.

Alternative UK networks?
What are you on? And what speed can you get in the USA?

I know there are many variables, I'd just like enough speed to open an email or read the news.. I don't expect to be able to stream Netflix in 4k.

[Dift]

O2 is terrible for roaming (not just the speeds but charges too).
I made the mistake of swapping from Vodafone to O2 without going my due diligence on o2s roaming.

There isn't much you can do to improve the situation. In the end I bought a cheap Vodafone sim and old phone and connect the O2 phone via hotspot so I can use Vodafone roaming.

[tim0409]

I use Three “Feel at home” when on holiday in the US and it’s always been fine, although sometimes I turn off automatic network selection and choose another network as the default AT@T was slow where I was staying.

[cat with a hat]

I would say speeds in the US vary drastically depending on where you are.. Much more so than our tiny little island.

Where are you? A big city and you've got problems? In a national park or on a highway miles from anywhere.. I'm not surprised.

[drmcw]

tim0409 said:

I use Three “Feel at home” when on holiday in the US and it’s always been fine, although sometimes I turn off automatic network selection and choose another network as the default AT@T was slow where I was staying.

Me too. I'm with O2 via GiffGaff and US usage rates are a joke. Three at home with a £15 card works very well.

[DuraAce]

Dift said:

O2 is terrible for roaming (not just the speeds but charges too).
I made the mistake of swapping from Vodafone to O2 without going my due diligence on o2s roaming.

Yeah, I've really dropped the ball this time. I foolishly figured data abroad would be similar to the UK. I didn't expect lightning speed, just 2-3Mbps would be nice so I can read the news or check my emails!

[DuraAce]

cat with a hat said:

Where are you? A big city and you've got problems? In a national park or on a highway miles from anywhere.. I'm not surprised.

Moving along theWest coast. Its same low speed everywhere (0.01) even in downtown LA.

I'll put a complaint into ofcom for all the good it might do, just want to get out of my contract (1 month into a 2 Yr) if possible and move to 3. tts!

[GeneralSinn]

Best roaming I have experienced in the US was when I was with EE but 3 is close second imho

[bloomen]

tim0409 said:

I use Three “Feel at home” when on holiday in the US and it’s always been fine, although sometimes I turn off automatic network selection and choose another network as the default AT@T was slow where I was staying.

That would be my suggestion. The standard network 3 latched on to when I was in the US was basically useless. When I found another it became just about bearable.

Then again there were certain states where I couldn't get any anywhere.

[JDiz]

o2 never seem to get decent speeds, 3g at most, in the bahamas we connect to BTC, at best its 3g with the o2 sim in, switch to a prepaid BTC sim and full 4g speeds.