Mystery Caller: SIM-only contract during Euro 2012

Mystery Caller going to Euro 2012 and wants a SIM-only deal enabling him to call back from Poland and Ukraine to the UK and keep in touch with friends who are following teams. What can the operators offer?

5: O2

I got another unnamed CSA – I assume they are now under orders to hide their identities as well as their contact numbers

Manner – 1/5
Understanding – 2/5
Knowledge – 1/5
Helpfulness – 1/5
Clarity – 2/5
Overall – 1/5
Total – 8/30

4: Virgin

I stopped myself from pointing out that I wasn’t going to need a TV service when I would actually be at the tournament

Manner – 2/5
Understanding – 0/5
Knowledge – 1/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 2/5
Overall – 2/5
Total – 9/30

3: Orange

Danielle didn’t offer me one of the few deals for the Ukraine

Manner – 2/5
Understanding – 2/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 3/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 14/30

2: T-Mobile

Steven put in a great performance but T-Mobile’s offer was one of the poorest available

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 3/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 3/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 18/30

=1: Three

I appreciated the fact she hadn’t beaten about the bush, but Three was hamstrung by its lack of reach in Europe

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 4/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 19/30

=1: Vodafone

Unsurprisingly there was a catch. Vodafone Passport would do wonders in Poland, but absolutely nothing for me in Ukraine

Manner – 4/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 3/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 4/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 19/30

Summary

The one thing that came out of this week’s Mystery Caller is quite how difficult it is to get a good deal for calling the UK from Ukraine.

O2 bounced me back and forth but still couldn’t give me the right information, while Virgin simply reverted to its previous muddled performances.

Orange’s performance was incomplete, and they didn’t recommend one of the few deals that covered Ukraine, while Steven at T-Mobile did his best with a pathetic package. In the end Vodafone and Three shared first for providing the best customer service overall.

Full review in Mobile News issue 516 (June 18, 2012).