Lebara review

I wrote about Lebara a few months ago.

Lebara is a SIM-only, pay as you go option piggybacking on the Vodafone network and aimed at those who make lots of overseas calls. You also get £20 credit to start you off. It's been heavily promoted at mainline stations and tube stations in the London area; not sure about outside London.

The rates sounded good, but I hadn't heard from anyone using it. Then today I got this from Petimi, a Hungarian who runs a web design company:

Lebara Mobile low-cost international calls work like a charm on my
mobile. Absolutely flawless voice quality and very reasonable prices.
I also wrote a quick Lebara review on my blog. ind it here if
interested: http://blog.pi-imagedesign.com/?p=26

The bottom line is that when Petimi calls home he pays 4p per minute for a landline and 14p per minute to a mobile.

He seems a happy bunny but I can't verify the authenticity of the review having not talked to him directly.

Meanwhile in other news Lebara has announced that it is to sell top ups through 1,900 Tesco outlets. This apparently relates to 26,000 till locations, bringing the retail outlet total for Lebara to 90,000.

Comments

[julie]

I have just been charged £30 by Lebara Mobile as I have just noticed this on my bank statement. I have never even heard of them and no idea how they have got by bank details. Am furious!

[James]

Labara BROOKWOOD randomly started appearing on my debit card statements. When calling lebara they acted like they have never heard of this issue before but I have read MANY instances of this occuring. Basically it is a scam and they somehow obtain your address, BIRTHDATE, debit info and start charging for credit. Luckily my Bank of America account blocked it and I was able to claim fraud. Real mess.

[UlverWang]

I have called on 13th December to Lebara company to begin a 20 pounds monthly payment plan. At the beginning of phone call Lebara company claims every conversation is recorded. I said very clearly in the phone I wanted 20 pounds , I repeated this requirement twice to make sure the total amount would be 20 and got the positive answer from their operator, then I provided them my debit card and security number. But later on 15th December Lebara has charged me of 30 pounds. I phoned them again to ask an explanation and refund/change, they ignored me at the beginning; I kept calling and finally they answered, the operator told me there was no phone record of my calling(!), no evidence, nothing can prove that I said 20 pounds. I have filed several complaints to their website many days ago, haven't received anything. I recognized they are completely fraud.

In addition, they also used my card details charging me an extra unnamed fee of 22.07 pounds. They didn't give explanation about what it is about, and didn't send me any bill/receipt according to this charge. They charge whatever they want since they got my card details.

[m]

Oh dear,we were hopefull and sold hard the idea at tesco of cheap international rates,so got 2 with a lot of credit for a friends holiday,the credit disappeared and lebara email just says "not enough money on the phone",a lot of money was credited on it,AVOID.