Roaming charges after Brexit: Is your network ending free roaming?

(Pocket-lint) - Having near the European Union successful January 2021, the UK is nary longer bound by EU mobile roaming rules. And that's not large quality for those wanting to proceed to usage their phones abroad.

Unless a woody is yet struck betwixt the UK and EU to alteration British networks to usage their European equivalents comparatively surcharge-free, that means other costs volition beryllium incurred and that is inevitably being passed connected to the consumer.

However, not each UK mobile providers person opted to reintroduce EU roaming charges, portion others are trying to support the caller costs wrong manageable levels.

Here's everything you request to cognize astir the reintroduction of roaming charges successful Europe.

Which UK networks are reintroducing EU roaming charges? 

Even though the large UK networks antecedently suggested they wouldn't reintroduce EU roaming charges aft Brexit, each but 1 are.

EE, Vodafone and Three person each announced plans to scrap escaped roaming this year.

Vodafone volition bring charges backmost astatine the extremity of January 2022. EE volition reintroduce charges from March 2022 (delayed from January). While Three is removing its Go Roam payment from May 2022.

However, Virgin Media O2 has confirmed that it volition not beryllium reinstating EU roaming charges - enabling each customers connected Virgin Mobile and O2 wage monthly, SIM-only and pay-as-you-go plans to proceed to usage their data, calls and texts limits successful EU states arsenic successful the UK. There is simply a 25GB bounds connected information usage for those connected plans that usually connection much information per month.

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How overmuch volition UK networks complaint for EU roaming?

Here are the presently announced charges each web volition complaint erstwhile utilizing your telephone successful Europe.

EE

EE volition charge a level interest of £2 per day to usage your existent program arsenic you would successful the UK.

Vodafone

Vidafone volition besides charge a level interest of £2 per day, though you volition besides beryllium capable to acquisition 8-day oregon 15-day bundles which volition trim the outgo to astir £1 per day.

Three

Like the others, Three will complaint £2 per time for EU roaming. It volition besides guarantee cipher goes implicit a £45 bounds connected spending. Incidentally, it volition besides present a caller £5 per time interest for roaming successful non-EU countries, specified arsenic the USA.

A loophole discovered by Pocket-lint enables Three customers connected one-month rolling contracts taken retired earlier 1 October 2021 to proceed to payment from escaped roaming aft May 2022, arsenic agelong arsenic they bash not upgrade oregon renew the contract.

Virgin Media O2 (Virgin Mobile and O2)

Virgin Media O2 is committed to offering EU roaming astatine nary other cost for Virgin Mobile and O2 customers, nary substance which terms program they are on.

There is simply a 25GB information bounds though, which applies if your existent program usually has a higher information cap. Charges volition beryllium incurred astatine £3.50 per GB implicit that limit.

Pocket-lint is checking with different networks connected EU roaming charges and volition update erstwhile possible.

Is determination a bounds to however overmuch I volition beryllium charged portion roaming? 

EU mobile operators are mandated to use a fiscal bounds for information roaming usage tp €50 euros - this is £45 successful the UK. This has remained successful spot successful the caller UK legislation, truthful there's nary alteration there. Operators are besides required to nonstop an alert erstwhile you've reached 80 per cent and 100 per cent of your ain information roaming bounds - wherever successful the satellite you are.

What countries are affected by the caller EU roaming charges?

EE's database (which is thought to beryllium the aforesaid universally) is:

Austria, Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Canary Islands, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana Guyana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal (including Madeira), Reunion Islands, Romania, San Marino, Saint Martin (French), Saint Barthelemy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (including the Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland and Vatican City (Italy).

It (and Three) counts the Republic of Ireland arsenic a home location, truthful roaming charges aren't applicable there.

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Writing by Rik Henderson. Originally published connected 6 February 2019.