Melita announces 'lowest' roaming rates

Philip Noble

Jul 3rd 2009, 20:26

Lets face it Melita cable used to be the only provider in Malta, but now one can choose any provider to their hearts delight there are loads to choose from and they are all in competition with each other, so i say let the best provider win. Shop around for a good bargain i say, the way i look at Melita must go a step further before i am convinced., stating by lowering the prices...Yes?

Paul Pull

Jul 2nd 2009, 19:57

With Melita you get what you pay for . Which is not much . Double promises of nothing . i diconnected my mobile becuase i the reception is rubbish and with roaming you my as well send a postcard if you want to send a message back home . I disconnected my mobile service . I did not pay the 18month contract penalty for monthly fees which incidentally is illigal as i did not consume the service and made my intentions clear that i want to disconnect immidiately . You can also complain to the office of fair competition . Cheaper simpler better with big savings at double the speed and half the cost on mega plans . Pull the other one

Jason Attard

Jul 2nd 2009, 17:38

Actually roaming with Melita costs 0c. It is virtually impossible to make or receive calls while roaming. The service just does not work. If you want to save money get Melita, you will not be able to spend a penny.

Mark Galea

Jul 2nd 2009, 15:59

@Galea. L
You attack everything so much that I became curious ... from what you write, I am trying to deduce your profile.

Galea. L

Jul 2nd 2009, 15:51

Mark Galea
Is it anyone's business what I do?
NO

Mark Galea

Jul 2nd 2009, 15:24

@Galea. L
My friend, if you do not have services with Melita, why did you complain so much about GO, and Vodafone? Think you just spend your day trying to be heard.

Galea. L

Jul 2nd 2009, 14:42

Mario Micallef
I think that you should read again what Melita said.

"It said calls made from any EU country to another now cost 47 cents (VAT included) for the first 30 seconds."
It didn't say for the first minute, but for the first 30 seconds Mario.

"Incoming calls on Melita Mobile cost 18 cents (VAT included) per minute while roaming in any EU country."
Where did it say that they will be charged per second immediately Mario?

OK about VAT where I was under the impression that it was 5%. So everyone now knows that we are paying VAT at 18% on our sms's and phone calls.

But still Melita tried to take the people for a ride by trying to show how benevolent it is when it was simply obeying an EU directive. This is apart from trying to mislead the people when it said calls are 47c per 30 SECONDS when they are 47c per MINUTE and also did not mention that incoming calls are charged by the second immediately but only said that they cost 18c per minute which I am sure would have been the case had this not surfaced.

Mario Micallef

Jul 2nd 2009, 14:09

@ L Galea

You are simply UNREAL!! a text message according to directive should cost €0.11 excl.VAT..if you work it out €0.11 x 1.18 that works out to..€0.1298 which is €0.13!!! VAT on such service is 18%!!!

Im not defending nobody but calls made should be charged first by 30sec and each subsequent second on a per second basis...as with regards for those received you are charged per second immediately!! you're simply mixing the facts!! the Commission sets prices always excluding VAT since rates differ from 1 country to another!!

Looks like you are having problems even with reading. This means that calls made which last less than 30sec are charged as 1 minute...and if you go to the 31sec you will be charged accordingly!!... which is half the rate ear marked and the equivalent of 1 sec of the 1 minute rate!!

Mario Micallef

Jul 2nd 2009, 14:04

@ L Galea

You are simply UNREAL!! a text message according to directive should cost €0.11 excl.VAT..if you work it out €0.11 x 1.18 that works out to..€0.1298 which is €0.13!!! VAT on such service is 18%!!!

Im not defending nobody but calls made should be charged first by 30sec and each subsequent second on a per second basis...as with regards for those received you are charged per second immediately!! you're simply mixing the facts!! the Commission sets prices always excluding VAT since rates differ from 1 country to another!!

L.Cachia

Jul 2nd 2009, 13:54

@L.Galea
You almost got your calculations right, except that you need to add 18% VAT and not 5% VAT!!!!

Galea. L

Jul 2nd 2009, 13:29

Mark Galea
With whom I have my services is none of your business Mark, but you can rest assured that it is not with Melita. As for complaining I shall continue to complain against any service provider if I need to. Maybe you are one of Melita's shareholders Mark?

"Introduce per-second billing after 30 seconds for roamed calls made and from the first second for calls received abroad. "

Why did Melita not mention this Mark? Why did it give the impression that the minimum charge is for one minute?

Go on. Download the information from the EU website and see how Melita is trying to take everyone for a ride.

sabine grech
If they have not kept their part of the contract you are not obliged to abide by it and you can just send them a registered letter telling them that you no longer need their services and pay them nothing and they cannot do anything about it.

Miriam Buttigieg

Jul 2nd 2009, 13:22

Melita cable how concentrating on Gozo for a change we pay the same rent don't we.

sabine grech

Jul 2nd 2009, 13:06

I really regret that I signed up with Melita !!!!! They are soul catchers... promising everything and dont stick to their promises. If you want to get out of the contract because THEY did not fullfill "sorry but you signed it " and its not cheaper either .. 9 month to go

Galea. L

Jul 2nd 2009, 13:02

Part 2
As indicated in Part 1, it says roaming calls "must not cost more than €0.43 per minute".
Why are you saying 47c for the first 30 seconds?
If you take VAT at 5% on 43c it comes to 2.15c.
43 + 2.15 = 45.15c not 47c for 1 minute not 47c for 30 seconds Melita.

"a text message from abroad in the EU costs a maximum €0.11"
Why is yours 13c?
VAT at 5% on 11c = 0.55c
11 + 0.55 = 11.55c and not 13c Melita.

"Holidaymakers and business travellers can also surf the web, download movies or send photos with their mobile without fear of ‘bill shocks’ while roaming thanks to a wholesale cap of € 1 per megabyte (MB) downloaded."
Why are you charging €18 per Mb?

Who do you think you can take for a ride Melita?

People, don't be misled by Melita showing what a great heart they have.

Go to the link and download the EU document yourselves and see how Melita always tries to take customers for a ride.

Mark Galea

Jul 2nd 2009, 13:00

@Galea. L
which operator are you with?
You complain about Melita (see below)
You complain about Go (other posts)
You complain about Vodafonre (other posts)

But tell us, which of the above have you services with (I suspect with all three)

Galea. L

Jul 2nd 2009, 12:48

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1064&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en IP/09/1064 Brussels, 1 July 2009
End of 'roaming rip-off': cost of texting, calling, surfing the web abroad to plummet from today thanks to EU action
As of today, sending a text message from abroad in the EU costs a maximum €0.11, almost three times cheaper than the previous EU average of €0.28 (excl. VAT). To make a roamed call in another EU country must not cost more than €0.43 per minute, and no more than €0.19 to receive a call. From today, outgoing roaming calls will be charged by the second, after the first 30 seconds, rather than by the minute, and incoming calls will be charged by the second from the first second. Holidaymakers and business travellers can also surf the web, download movies or send photos with their mobile without fear of ‘bill shocks’ while roaming thanks to a wholesale cap of € 1 per megabyte (MB) downloaded. All these measures are expected to cut roaming charges for EU consumers by a further 60% and increase mobile phone use. The EU first acted on roaming in 2007 reducing the cost of voice roaming calls by 70%.
Part 1

E. Attard

Jul 2nd 2009, 12:45

With Melita pre-paid you cannot phone from France and Spain. I have experienced this blunder.

K.Vassallo

Jul 2nd 2009, 12:14

I dont trust Melita. First they have the lower rates and then they send you a letter at home telling you sorry, now that you're with us - we are going to increase the rates for you.

The is like their TV service - l-ewwel hafna competition ma l-ohrajn and then we start loosing channels and not replaced (degradation of service!) and then sopra corne bastonate, we recieve a letter that they are going to increase the rates we pay. U mela, that is why I will never put my eggs in one (melita) basket.
This is not to mention the awful, disgraceful, substandard, disgusting, I don't care attitude they have when you phone them with a complaint.

Thanks Melita, I'd rather pay (for now!) a bit more but my mind is at rest with other providers.

Mrs.Dina Galea

Jul 2nd 2009, 12:02

Its a good start in the right direction, now all thney got to do is to educate their staff a little bit of customer care service.

Miriam Falzon

Jul 2nd 2009, 11:27

Oh Goody Goody lets all throw a party and celebrate, peanuts anyone?

Francis Cassar

Jul 2nd 2009, 11:23

Roaming rates in the EU may be the cheapest but outside the EU rates are as high as € 3.50 per minute compared to GO at € 3.03.

L.Cachia

Jul 2nd 2009, 11:12

Melita are making all this fuss just because they are €0.03c /€0.04c per minute cheaper on outgoing and incoming roaming calls within the EU, then Voda and GO, however they fail to mention that on their website they are still showing that they are charging data roaming in the EU at a staggering €18 per MB, while Voda & GO are charging it from as low as €3.00 per MB for Voda and €2.50 per MB for GO. Lowest roaming rates, my foot!!!!!!!

Jake Micallef

Jul 2nd 2009, 11:10

@Vella
Could you publish your GO/Vodaphone employee number?
The article itself states that this is in line, and ahead of, EU regulations expectations.

The reality si that they are cheaper than the competitors published yesterday and that's what I care about as a consumer...

brian borg

Jul 2nd 2009, 10:59

last month i was in asia for holidays.....couldnt even send 1 text msg !! all failed.......and im a Melita Subscriber........din imisshom jaraw!

matteo lamanna

Jul 2nd 2009, 10:54

most propably i do not understand italian or i became a bit ........... but according to RAI NEWS
the EU has fixex a maximum prise on rooming at 13 cents per min. and not any references has been made per second!!!

Galea. L

Jul 2nd 2009, 10:52

Lorraine Vella
You are right.
And most people I've heard talk about their sham service including their other services.

Carlo Vella

Jul 2nd 2009, 10:36

@ L Vella

Melita roaming call rates - 47 cents
Vodafone & GO's roaming call rates - 51 cents (see yesterday's Times)

The readers can do the maths about which rates are cheaper, if you can't. Which part of "According to EU obligations, we could have introduced our present roaming rates in 2010" did you not understand?

Lorraine Vella

Jul 2nd 2009, 10:02

my foot! who is going to believe this? don't they at Melita know that it is the EU who is requesting such a cut in prices? Even Vodafone and Go have cut their rates. So no big deal Melita. Ha! what a joke Melita is