British Armed Forces given free calls overseas to be in contact with family members
The offer has been announced by phone network giant Vodafone in the run-up to this weekend’s Remembrance Day, allowing our Armed Forces to keep in touch with loved ones
British forces personnel will be given free calls abroad, allowing them to stay in touch with loved ones from almost anywhere in the world.
The offer has been announced by phone network giant Vodafone in the run-up to this weekend’s Remembrance Day.
It means our Armed Forces can use their mobile for calls and data from wherever they are deployed as if they were at home in Britain for no extra cost.
New research shows that being able to stay in touch with family and friends ranked as the number one concern in the first 100 days of deployment for military staff – above operational readiness and personal safety.
The gesture effectively eliminates global roaming charges and gives them the Vodafone Global Traveller package for free, so they can use their mobile for calls, messages and data in 83 countries throughout the globe as if they were at home.
The mobile carrier’s Steve Knibbs said: “We at Vodafone know what a magnificent job the men and women of our armed forces do for this country and the sacrifices they make on our behalf.
“We are proud to announce we are helping them in this small way – especially at this time of the year when Remembrance Day is at the forefront of our thoughts.”
International roaming charges are often more expensive because they cover the costs of accessing and maintaining secure, reliable mobile networks abroad.
A one-hour call from places where troops can be based like the USA, Canada or Kenya could cost £144, and for countries like Germany, Gibraltar and Cyprus it would be £36.
It comes as a study shows that more than half of our military personnel restrict contact with loved ones when they are stationed abroad because they can’t afford it.
And two thirds say they suffer emotional problems from being isolated from those at home.
Mr Knibbs, Director of Vodafone Business Security Enhanced (VBSE), said the move will “make a real difference to people’s lives”.
He added: “Our research findings highlight just how essential it is for service personnel to stay connected with their families – not just for morale, but for their emotional wellbeing as well.
“Far too often, members of the armed forces have faced difficult decisions about when and how to reach out to their loved ones because of cost concerns.
“By removing roaming charges globally, we’re making it easier for armed forces personnel to maintain those all-important connections, wherever their service takes them.”
