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Conflicting fair usage policy statements on the same page - which one applies?


I have a monthly SIM (pre June 2023) and now need to buy a monthly SIM for a motorhome Wifi.  

I am totally confused about the fair usage policy as the iD page has two apparently conflicting statements - one that usage is unlimited and directly below it different limits depending on the date of contract https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-advice/eu-roaming/fair-usage-policy 

I’m assuming/hoping the top statement applies but is it me and the fair usage policy seems to say two different things?  

Also, has anyone used an iD SIM for a motorhome Wifi - thoughts please?

 

TIA

Best answer by Daz_S

@Kingyclan 

Do you mean this bit?

Use Your Full UK Data Allowance at No Extra Cost!

From 1 October 2024 and until further notice, all customers can use their full UK data allowance in Roam Free destinations*, at no extra cost! We’ll notify you when the promotion ends and when the 30GB Roaming data limit is reinstated. Have a great trip!

 

If so then yes until further notice you can use your full data allowance. What they won’t say is when this notice is going to be made.

 

But note this

Permanent Roaming.

We understand that sometimes you will want to roam abroad for short periods of time. Our Roam Free feature is available to our UK resident customers who travel occasionally, rather than those living abroad. If over a 4-month period you spend 63 days or more in our free roaming destinations, you will be subject to further charges.

If we notice that you might not be following our Fair Usage Policy or if you're using our services in a way that goes against our Terms and Conditions, we might temporarily restrict your account.

We will notify you 14 days before the charges are applied to help you avoid incurring any surprise costs. The additional roaming charges applied to your plan will be:

 

And as Tyler mentions iD don’t support their SIMs in anything but phones currently.

 

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. There are some on here that use their SIM in mobile routers without any issues whatsoever. The only thing I’d say is that depending on the brand of router you may need to tweak the data network setting to 4G only. Also during the set up you’d need to put the ‘router’ SIM into a phone to get the text. Once it’s up and running (with that SIM added to the app) you should be good to go.

 

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13 replies

Tyler
iD Mobile Employee
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  • iD Mobile Employee
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  • December 19, 2024

Hey there ​@Kingyclan, thank you for reaching out.

 

The fair usage policy for 30GB only refers to contracts/upgrades purchased from 20th June 2023, and for roaming abroad in European countries listed as inclusive on our website. So if you joined us or upgraded past this date, you’d be subject to the monthly 30GB fair usage policy.

 

There is no fair usage as such in the UK.

 

Please also note that we only officially support the usage of our SIM cards in our supported handset devices listed on our website, so we cannot guarantee if our SIM card will work in any other devices outside of those, it’s a case of it may work, it may not.

 

Thank you,

Tyler

 

 


Daz_S
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  • December 20, 2024

@Kingyclan 

Do you mean this bit?

Use Your Full UK Data Allowance at No Extra Cost!

From 1 October 2024 and until further notice, all customers can use their full UK data allowance in Roam Free destinations*, at no extra cost! We’ll notify you when the promotion ends and when the 30GB Roaming data limit is reinstated. Have a great trip!

 

If so then yes until further notice you can use your full data allowance. What they won’t say is when this notice is going to be made.

 

But note this

Permanent Roaming.

We understand that sometimes you will want to roam abroad for short periods of time. Our Roam Free feature is available to our UK resident customers who travel occasionally, rather than those living abroad. If over a 4-month period you spend 63 days or more in our free roaming destinations, you will be subject to further charges.

If we notice that you might not be following our Fair Usage Policy or if you're using our services in a way that goes against our Terms and Conditions, we might temporarily restrict your account.

We will notify you 14 days before the charges are applied to help you avoid incurring any surprise costs. The additional roaming charges applied to your plan will be:

 

And as Tyler mentions iD don’t support their SIMs in anything but phones currently.

 

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. There are some on here that use their SIM in mobile routers without any issues whatsoever. The only thing I’d say is that depending on the brand of router you may need to tweak the data network setting to 4G only. Also during the set up you’d need to put the ‘router’ SIM into a phone to get the text. Once it’s up and running (with that SIM added to the app) you should be good to go.

 


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  • December 21, 2024

Thank you, that’s really helpful.  We’ve never used a motorhome wifi so we’ve got some learning to do but some good tips there ty.


Daz_S
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Once you’ve got the SIM registered (via the phone first) and the iD app set up, give it a go and see how you get on.

I’m not too bad with router related stuff (I wrote an how to for connecting 2 routers together). Though this tends to be ISP issued routers.

 

You can leave the router as it came out the box, or if you want to learn how it works, the main things are, if there’s the option change the default admin credentials, then configure how you want it to work (WiFi name change and WiFi passkey change, IP address range, if you want it to auto connect to the network or if you want 4G only, things like that), it you want a guest WiFi network, do you need parental controls, where to site any external antennae etc. If you mess it all up simply hit the reset button.

That sounds like a lot but it really isn’t. I’d guess to say there would be many videos on places like YouTube that show how to manually adjust/configure the router for optimum performance.


Kathleen Sutherland
Active Contributor

This continues to confuse. Does contradict NEW information provided by ID Mobile. Stating you can use 30G each month whilst roaming in Europe until further notice, using their full data allowance.

Understood previously that fair usage would come in if over a 4 month period if you spend 63 days or more in free roaming destinations. WHICH IS IT? 
 

Further confusion when informed available for UK residents who travel occasionally, rather than those living abroad!  I’m a the former a UK resident that travels occasionally, but will travel for 90 days, but may be penalised for using more than 63 days, but not abroad for 4 months - 120 days!  The information stated doesn’t tie up. Can you please clarify for all your customers as the information provide is causing so much confusion.  Thank you.

 


Kash
iD Mobile Employee
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  • January 29, 2025

Hi  ​@Kathleen Sutherland,

You can use your full allowance whilst roaming in EU inclusive countries.

The fair usage policy will be in affect If over a 4-month period you spend 63 days or more in our free roaming destinations, you will be subject to further charges.

As soon as you roam 63 days or more over a 4 month period the charges would begin, regardless of if you are on holiday or live abroad.

 

Kash


Kathleen Sutherland
Active Contributor

Kash

Kash wrote:

Hi  ​@Kathleen Sutherland,

You can use your full allowance whilst roaming in EU inclusive countries.

The fair usage policy will be in affect If over a 4-month period you spend 63 days or more in our free roaming destinations, you will be subject to further charges.

As soon as you roam 63 days or more over a 4 month period the charges would begin, regardless of if you are on holiday or live abroad.

 

Kash

So to confirm, even if within 3 months I use 63 days, I will be charged?  Therefore, if this is the case, I would suggest that ID Mobile make this clearer to their customers as what they are stating is terribly misleading. Thank you


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  • January 29, 2025

That is correct ​@Kathleen Sutherland 

 

We will most definitely pass on your feedback for review.

 

Nat 


Daz_S
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Kathleen Sutherland wrote:

This continues to confuse. Does contradict NEW information provided by ID Mobile. Stating you can use 30G each month whilst roaming in Europe until further notice, using their full data allowance.

 

What iD are saying is that since October 2024 you can use your full data allowance. So if you have more than 30GB, lets say 60GB, you can keep using it until you have used all of your 60GB per month BUT you need to take into consideration their fair usage policy (its there to stop us misusing the roaming service.

But prior to October 2024 (but for this example I will ignore when we joined or renewed with iD) we could only use 30GB, irrespective as to how much data you had over that amount. When this offer ends then we’re back down to 30GB or whatever they next decide.

So if you only had 10GB per month that was all you could use (ignoring any additional usage charges)

 

Kathleen Sutherland wrote:

Understood previously that fair usage would come in if over a 4 month period if you spend 63 days or more in free roaming destinations. WHICH IS IT? 

 

Both (if I’ve understood your question). You have your normal UK total data usage but to prevent misuse of the roaming service you can only roam for 63 days within a 4 month period - but if you have WiFi available you can stretch your mobile data usage passed the 63 days, or in your case 63 days continuos roaming if you have access to WiFi.

 

Kathleen Sutherland wrote:

Further confusion when informed available for UK residents who travel occasionally, rather than those living abroad!  I’m a the former a UK resident that travels occasionally, but will travel for 90 days, but may be penalised for using more than 63 days, but not abroad for 4 months - 120 days!  The information stated doesn’t tie up. Can you please clarify for all your customers as the information provide is causing so much confusion.  Thank you.

 

So in your case being as you wish to roam for 3 months (~90 days) here’s what you could do to make your mobile data allowance stretch for the 90 days without being penalised for going over the mobile allowance of 63 days. The roaming clock stops when you’re not roaming (even though your phone is not in the UK) However you’d need access to WiFi and you wouldn’t be able to use the phones normal voice calls or texts.

You could turn roaming off on both your account and phone or as a more full proof way do that and toggle the phone into airplane/flight mode and toggle just the WiFi back on and connect to a WiFi network - You would then be using WiFi and thus not roaming - so as an example connect to WiFi at 23:59 on a Monday and stay on it until Thursday at 00:01 (you then have those days to use on mobile roaming). If you had access to WiFi for 5 days doing the above but on a Sunday at 23:59 and staying on the WiFi until Saturday at 00:01 you would have 5 days to add onto the 63 days.

I hope that makes some sense?

 

And I have no idea why they picked 63 days!


Kathleen Sutherland
Active Contributor
Daz_S wrote:
Kathleen Sutherland wrote:

This continues to confuse. Does contradict NEW information provided by ID Mobile. Stating you can use 30G each month whilst roaming in Europe until further notice, using their full data allowance.

 

What iD are saying is that since October 2024 you can use your full data allowance. So if you have more than 30GB, lets say 60GB, you can keep using it until you have used all of your 60GB per month BUT you need to take into consideration their fair usage policy (its there to stop us misusing the roaming service.

But prior to October 2024 (but for this example I will ignore when we joined or renewed with iD) we could only use 30GB, irrespective as to how much data you had over that amount. When this offer ends then we’re back down to 30GB or whatever they next decide.

So if you only had 10GB per month that was all you could use (ignoring any additional usage charges)

 

Kathleen Sutherland wrote:

Understood previously that fair usage would come in if over a 4 month period if you spend 63 days or more in free roaming destinations. WHICH IS IT? 

 

Both (if I’ve understood your question). You have your normal UK total data usage but to prevent misuse of the roaming service you can only roam for 63 days within a 4 month period - but if you have WiFi available you can stretch your mobile data usage passed the 63 days, or in your case 63 days continuos roaming if you have access to WiFi.

 

Kathleen Sutherland wrote:

Further confusion when informed available for UK residents who travel occasionally, rather than those living abroad!  I’m a the former a UK resident that travels occasionally, but will travel for 90 days, but may be penalised for using more than 63 days, but not abroad for 4 months - 120 days!  The information stated doesn’t tie up. Can you please clarify for all your customers as the information provide is causing so much confusion.  Thank you.

 

So in your case being as you wish to roam for 3 months (~90 days) here’s what you could do to make your mobile data allowance stretch for the 90 days without being penalised for going over the mobile allowance of 63 days. The roaming clock stops when you’re not roaming (even though your phone is not in the UK) However you’d need access to WiFi and you wouldn’t be able to use the phones normal voice calls or texts.

You could turn roaming off on both your account and phone or as a more full proof way do that and toggle the phone into airplane/flight mode and toggle just the WiFi back on and connect to a WiFi network - You would then be using WiFi and thus not roaming - so as an example connect to WiFi at 23:59 on a Monday and stay on it until Thursday at 00:01 (you then have those days to use on mobile roaming). If you had access to WiFi for 5 days doing the above but on a Sunday at 23:59 and staying on the WiFi until Saturday at 00:01 you would have 5 days to add onto the 63 days.

I hope that makes some sense?

 

And I have no idea why they picked 63 days!

Thank you once again. Your explanation is totally clear. ID Mobile’s explanation isn’t. I’ve seen so many customers confused over this issue. Their terms are severely penalising customers who have and pay for a lot of data in the UK. This is extremely disappointing. UK residents are allowed to spend 90 days in Europe and, as you say, why 63 days, I do not understand the sense in this number. No forward thinking by ID Mobile. Moving the days to a 90 days allowance would be a fairer for their customers and bring the 4 months down to 3 month allowance. It would be so much simpler for their customers to understand. 


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  • January 30, 2025

We apologise if the responses have not been clear ​@Kathleen Sutherland  and we thank ​@Daz_S for their support with this matter. 

 

Thanks, 

 

Nat 


Kathleen Sutherland
Active Contributor

@Natalie W can you explain why only 63 days allowance when UK citizens can travel, not living but on holiday, for 90 days?  Where does 63 days come in with the train of thought from ID Mobile?  Why not allow 90 days allowance over 3 months - take away 4 months as this makes absolutely no sense for UK holiday makers. ID Mobile are missing attracting lots of more customers to switch to them is they put this in place. Please pass my thoughts on to the correct department. Thank you.  ​@Daz_S has been fabulous assistance, ID Mobile have been useless simply stating back exactly the policy but did not help explain in any other detail.  Extremely disappointing. 


Daz_S
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Kathleen Sutherland wrote:

Thank you once again. Your explanation is totally clear. ID Mobile’s explanation isn’t. I’ve seen so many customers confused over this issue. Their terms are severely penalising customers who have and pay for a lot of data in the UK. This is extremely disappointing. UK residents are allowed to spend 90 days in Europe and, as you say, why 63 days, I do not understand the sense in this number. No forward thinking by ID Mobile. Moving the days to a 90 days allowance would be a fairer for their customers and bring the 4 months down to 3 month allowance. It would be so much simpler for their customers to understand. 

 

I didn’t know about this reply Kathleen (​@Kathleen Sutherland) as the email notification didn’t come through until after 3pm today and I didn’t want you to think I’d ignored your post. Posts not showing happens and there’s nothing sinister going off, just the system false flagging and thus it gets sent for review.

 

I’m happy to help (or at least try to anyway) my fellow customers. At least when we band together its not just you versus iDM. And the good thing is I can (to a degree) speak my mind whereas staff may have an opinion but they have to consider their employment.

 

I have raised various issues with iD as and when I find them. Some get corrected, others are passed on for review, some don’t get a reply and others do not get corrected. Personally speaking the whole roaming subject needs refreshing* or more clarification in one area, although I’m aware things are being tidied up within iD. With that said I had to look in several places for the info I posted and that’s half the problem, its dotted all over the place. I’d sooner see information stating things like Roam Free in Europe as you would at home but you have 30GB to use per month and this can only be used for 63 days in a 4 month window - its honest, they’re being transparent and everything is all there in one sentence, then put the terms and conditions within the same tab/window/section.

*I don’t agree to the fact PAYG was substantially cheaper than those of us on a rolling month or fixed term contract and they raised the PAYG prices to make it fair - IMHO they should have dropped the higher costing ones and slightly increased the PAYG so they met in the middle.

 

Although we may never find out it would be good to know why they decided on 63 days. Even when you factor July and August that’s only 62 days.

 

I also know there are many FAQ’s covering almost every possible subject but there are still questions we have that either don’t have an answer or don’t have a simple to find answer.

 

I’m not one to defend iD but I do like the fact we can currently roam free in Europe whereas many other providers now charge a day/week rate.