Do I pay extra to use my phone in other EU countries with a plan from the UK?
Surcharge-free roaming in EU and EEA countries is no longer guaranteed for UK customers. Since 1 January 2021, UK providers have been free to set their own EU roaming prices, and many charge a daily fee. Check your package before you travel.
With a plan from an operator in the EU or EEA, calls, texts and data in other EU and EEA countries are generally charged as at home, within fair-use limits. Other rules apply to plans from other countries; what applies with a plan from the UK is below.
📜 The rules in the UK
The details
- When your phone connects to a network abroad, your provider must send you a free automatic message about roaming charges and usage limits, unless you've opted out. (ofcom.org.uk)
- That message must say whether your plan includes a roaming allowance, what you'll pay, including above the allowance, and any data limit before charges apply. (ofcom.org.uk)
- Near the Northern Ireland border your phone may roam onto an Irish network by accident. Providers must tell you how to prevent this and help you limit roaming costs while in the UK. (ofcom.org.uk)
- Mobile providers must publish their roaming charges on their websites. (ofcom.org.uk)
Ofcom
The UK communications regulator. It sets and enforces the rules for phone and broadband providers. It can't investigate or resolve individual complaints, but reporting faults and problems to it helps it act on wider issues.
🪜 Step by step
- Check your plan before you travelSee which countries your plan treats like home and whether it has a separate data allowance abroad.
- Read the welcome messageWhen you arrive, your operator usually sends a message with the prices and limits that apply.
- Watch the fair-use limitUnlimited or very large data plans can have a smaller allowance abroad. Above it, a surcharge can apply.
- Take care on ships, planes and near bordersThere your phone can connect to a network outside the usual roaming rules. Switch off roaming or use flight mode when in doubt.
📇 Who to contact
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❓ Questions
What does fair use mean?
Operators may limit roaming at home prices to normal travel, not living abroad for good, and may cap data abroad on very large plans.
Which countries count as home?
That depends on your plan and on where your operator is based. The rules for the UK are on this page.
Are calls back home free?
Calls home usually cost the same as at home when roaming at home prices applies. Calls to other countries can cost extra.
📎 Sources
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