Everyone knows that the billing of calls, SMS-messages and other services that the subscriber uses abroad differs from the one that operates within the country. This is due to the presence of roaming - the provision of services in a territory that is far from the subscriber's home network. Due to the fact that another operator is actually engaged in servicing the user, the cost of all services increases.
More details about how roaming works, we will tell in this article on the example of the Russian mobile operator MTS.
Types of roaming
Let's start with the fact that there are several types of roaming available in MTS tariff packages. These are national, international, network and "Crimean". Let's start with the latter, since the easiest way to explain how it works is the tariffs for communication with the peninsula. Since, due to the geographical features of the location, Crimea is served by local operators, specialized tariffs are introduced for the communication of Russian subscribers with it. With their help, you can, for example, communicate with relatives who went on a summer vacation.
Another type of roaming is network. This is a term that characterizes the connection of a subscriber with users who are not related to his network. For example, if a MegaFon client calls a phone number served by MTS, this can be called network roaming with confidence. Calls outside the network are usually more expensive due to the fact that the operator engages another company to provide communication services.
However, the topic of our today's article will not be these two types of roaming, but national and international. It is to them that we will pay attention.
Roaming within the country
Within Russia, given its size, there are also different mobile network coverage areas. Due to this, in the process of moving a subscriber between them, he is served by different operators. For this reason, when traveling around the country, remember: in some cases, communication can be more expensive. Keep in mind that you are calling people from other places, and therefore different companies can serve these calls or messages, which increases the cost of services.
Earlier, MTS roaming in Russia consisted of several tariff plans, which could be chosen based on their cost and conditions. However, now everything has changed somewhat - the company's tariff line has a package that reduces the cost of calls in its network. At the same time, the company turned off roaming within the country.
MTS innovation
This was written on the operator's website on May 25, 2015. The news is that MTS has canceled roaming in Russia, making the conditions for calls outside the region the same as "home" tariffs. Now we are talking about Smart plans - they equated the cost of calls, messages and the Internet to whatthe user receives, being served on "home" conditions. This, of course, is a very attractive innovation in the eyes of subscribers, because other operators still continue to serve customers at a cost that depends on the location of the person.
Due to this, MTS roaming in Russia actually ceased to be such. This, according to a message on the company's website, will bring the service both in terms of quality and price to a completely new level, due to which new subscribers will be attracted. And the reduction in price will contribute to the communication of people with each other.
So far, MTS roaming within Russia cannot be connected back - the action has acquired too wide a resonance. And, apparently, it is beneficial for the company if the operator can keep prices at this level.
Overseas roaming
With communication outside the country, of course, this will not work. The cost of services provided abroad will always remain quite high. You can verify this by considering the rates that are set on the company's website to this day.
Prices for international roaming MTS sets depending on the country where the subscriber resides. You can see the cost of MTS roaming on the official website, after selecting the country where you intend to go. It also describes how to use the services provided by the operator, as well as some tips with which service in another country will be easier and more convenient.
Howuse the services?
Let's start with the fact that before using all the possibilities of communication abroad, you need to activate two services provided by MTS - "International and national roaming", as well as the option "International access". They are connected by a single team, provided that the user has been served for more than 6 months and makes contributions to a mobile account of at least 550 rubles a month, or has been a subscriber for more than 12 months and at the same time simply makes some replenishment of the account (regardless of the amount). In the event that you fail to activate the service in this way, MTS roaming abroad is provided through the "Easy roaming and international access" service. Unfortunately, the site does not really indicate what the difference is between them. Both service packages are mutually exclusive, so it's quite difficult to really understand how they work.
Let's just say: if you are looking for how to enable roaming on MTS, both of these services are suitable for you. You can try to activate the one that works with higher requirements; if the service life of the number is less, you can try to connect "Easy roaming".
How do I get prices?
To find out about the cost of services and how to enable roaming on MTS, check out the list of countries and find yours there. On the operator's website, you can easily and simply find out at what price calls (incoming and outgoing calls), SMS messages, and Internet access services will cost you at the time when you are within a foreign country.state.
The cost is calculated depending on the conditions under which cooperation with the operator of a particular country takes place. A list of companies that work with MTS can be found here. Judging by it, MTS international roaming extends its action to a fairly large number of countries. In some, the operator has several partners, which obviously makes the service cheaper.
Recommendations to subscribers
On the page for users looking for information about roaming, there are also tips before traveling. The most useful ones include such as a recommendation to replenish the account in advance in order not to look for points where this can be done abroad. In addition, MTS recommends that you study the prices for communication services in your country as detailed as possible and calculate how much you will approximately spend for each call. It should be understood that the elapsed time is rounded up (in favor of the operator). For example, if you talk for 2 minutes 2 seconds, the system will count that you spoke for 3 minutes.
Also, the operator recommends not to forget that the data on the funds spent are updated with a delay. If you see that less than you expected was withdrawn from your account, you should not continue the conversation and think that you have deceived the operator. Then it turns out that you "leaked" the balance, and it will be a shame.
Rescue
Finally, so that users know how to enable roaming on MTS, employees also talk about additional services available to customers. Oneof them - "Rescue". It is useful for those whose phone was blocked due to a negative balance, which is why there is simply not enough money for an urgent call.
You do not need to activate this option separately - just in case your balance shows “zero”, dial the combination 880subscriber number. In a few seconds, he will receive an incoming call, during which the robot will offer the person to contact you at his own expense. Thus, he will have a choice - to accept a call from you or refuse.
Your travel expenses abroad
The second interesting service that you also need to keep in mind when you are looking for how to enable roaming on MTS is "your expenses on foreign trips." This option allows you to receive messages when communication costs reach certain amounts - 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 rubles. Apparently, these amounts are fixed, which means they cannot be changed.
The service must be activated: this is done in the "Personal Account", by sending SMS 588 to 111 or via the USSD command 111588. This possibility takes into account only those costs that were made after leaving the territory of Russia. It is valid for only 30 days, but it is very convenient because it helps to control the tariffs served by MTS. Roaming can be very costly, so it's best to have SMS like this keep you up to date on what's going on with your account.
