Do calls to the UK from abroad require "International Calls" or just "International Roaming"?

[nogaff]

In my account, under "Manage your service settings", there are two options named "International Roaming" and "International Calls", both of which can be turned on or off independently of each other.

If all I want to do is call (and receive calls from) UK numbers while I'm on holiday in the US, is it enough to merely have "International Roaming" turned on, or must I also have "International Calls" turned on?

I will not need to call any US numbers via my Three SIM since I will have a separate local SIM for that, in my dual-SIM phone.

Edit: For clarity, here are the descriptions of the two options:

• International Roaming: If you want your voice, text, and data services to work while you’re abroad, you can set that up here.
• International Calls: Choose whether you’d like to make calls to other countries.

So when I'm in the US, does a call to the UK count as "calls to other countries", thus requiring the second option to be enabled?

[sc1999]

As with a lot of things with 3, mud-like clarity is their specialty. As I read it international roaming is calls, texts and data whilst abroad. International calls is making international calls from the UK. There is an add-on if you spend a lot of time making international calls from the UK.

The 3 website states: United States is a Go Roam Around the World destination. If you’re on an Advanced Plan or Pay As You Go, you’ll be able to use your data, and call and text back to the UK. A daily roaming charge applies if you’re a Pay Monthly customer who joined or upgraded on or after 1 October 2021.

[nogaff]

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@sc1999 wrote:

As with a lot of things with 3, mud-like clarity is their specialty. As I read it international roaming is calls, texts and data whilst abroad. International calls is making international calls from the UK.

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Yes, that was exactly my interpretation too, which leads me to believe I will not require "International Calls" to be turned on in order to call the UK from the US, but I was hoping someone in the know might be able to categorically confirm that, just to be sure. 👍

[SuziM]

Morning @nogaff!

So, this is one of these ones where we can actually see where the confusion's come from, but also one of these ones where once you know what's what, it's a total lightbulb moment 💡🙌. This would be the perfect place to insert a Minions GIF here.

You've listen two explanations above - 

• International Roaming: If you want your voice, text, and data services to work while you’re abroad, you can set that up here.
• International Calls: Choose whether you’d like to make calls to other countries.

The International Roaming one is where you're making calls from your UK number, whilst you're physically in the US, to other UK numbers back home. This is where your Go Roam comes in.

The International Calling one is where you're calling a US number from your UK number, whilst you're physically in the UK or anywhere else in the world. Basically, when you're calling a non-UK number from your UK phone. This is where the International Saver add-on will come in super duper handy. There's a search bar on that page for seeing what it'll cost to call your non-UK number.

So while you're in the US and you're wanting to make calls to UK numbers back home, this does not count as calls to other countries, and the minutes will just come out of your allowance as normal under the automatic £5/day allowance unlock charge. There is no second option to be enabled 😊

Hope this helps! Feel free to reach out again if you have any other questions!

SuziM x