The country’s biggest mobile operator has warned more than 100,000 phone customers of possible disruption to roaming costs and data access in a week’s time.

Vodafone says that technical updates will mean that its customers won't be able to add data to packages for four days, starting Thursday March 22, which may leave some of its customers without access to popular messaging services such as Whatsapp, Facebook and Snapchat.

“You will not be able to purchase additional data during the update process, this includes instant data bundles,” according to a Vodafone service message.

However, it has confirmed that existing data allowances will continue to work as normal.

The operator is also cautioning that customers won’t be able to opt in to its ‘Red Roaming’ services during the same period.

The €3-per-day cost of using a phone in the US is meant to help avoid standard Vodafone roaming charges, which can cost hundreds of euro per day for using normal phone and data services. Visiting a Facebook page, for example, can cost around €50 with the operator’s standard €6.15-per-megabyte rate.

Vodafone is warning that Vodafone customers travelling to the US during the four day period need to register for ‘Red Roaming’ in advance to avoid the exorbitant charges.

The company also says that other services will be restricted such as applying add-ons, using the app, accessing the ‘My Vodafone’ service or making changes to a customer’s existing plan.

“During this time you'll be able to call, text and use data on your phone as usual,” said the company via a service message. “However, requests for additional services will be restricted. During the short period while we are updating our systems, you will not be able to track your usage on our website or the app. If you are travelling during this period, please ensure you opt in to Red Roaming before Wednesday, March 21. Visit our website for further information on our Red Roaming service.”

However, the company confirmed that direct debits will continue to be processed, despite the systems maintenance.

Online Editors