UNFORTUNATELY, as I write this month’s article I am not somewhere exotic, I am not on a flight to somewhere exotic, and I have no current plans to be anywhere exotic in the immediate future (that could change!). I am sat in my comfortable air conditioned office in Moulton Park. (See previous issues one written in Dubai and the other on a flight to sunny Spain).
Holiday time is upon us, it is now August and the Mediterranean countries are all on annual leave as usual. Have you had your holiday? Or is it this month or later? Will you be at home or in the EU somewhere? And finally, if you are in the EU are you expecting your mobile telephone calls, text and data to be free? Well think again my friends!
The networks love to tell us that something is free when in fact at best it is part of your UK allowance, so how is it free? Use up that allowance and the charges on your next invoice may make your eyes water.
But something else is in hiding! Are you, as most readers of the Business Times will be, on a business tariff. Well, if so, your network operator may not have implemented this for you or your independent provider. Why not you may ask? I have asked the networks many times about similar changes, only to be told that ‘business tariffs are more complicated and not so easy to change quickly’. Or could it be that the consumer tariffs have to be changed as per EU directives and businesses are under a different contract allowing the powers that be to delay, or even put off such changes for as long as possible.
Draw your own conclusions, but before using your telephone with gay abandon while you are away only in the EU (roaming charges have not come down for the rest of the world) be sure that you have the benefits being shouted about on TV and in the press by our wonderful network operators.
As for me? Well ‘Her indoors’ or ‘The one who must be obeyed’, take your pick, has agreed to have the grandchildren over the summer holidays again so I may have to spend more time on courses (golf) or even in the office. More news and views then. Over and out – for now!