‘Essential’ thing to know to avoid unexpected roaming charges and mobile charges abroad – depending on your network

For Brits spending the last few weeks of their summer in Europe, getting your mobile phone plan right can help them avoid a brutal surprise bill at the end of their holiday. Experts at eSIM provider Holafly have revealed what Brits need to know about each network before unknowingly racking up charges they didn’t budget for.

CMO and co-founder Pedro Máiquez at Holafly, noted: “It’s essential to understand your network plan to avoid any big bills. Taking these steps before you get started can minimize your risk of unexpected costs and help you have more control over your data usage. This guide may provide guidance or new knowledge about your dating network’s roaming policy abroad, however if you’re still unsure then it’s worth contacting your provider directly.”

O2

O2 customers on monthly contracts and pay-as-you-go customers are subject to a fair usage roaming policy, which allows them to use their data abroad as they normally would in the UK, up to a limit of 25 UK. If they exceed this limit within a 63-day period, they will be charged an extra £3.50 for each additional GB they use.

EE

Monthly EE customers can use their data in the European roaming area for £2.47 per day, up to 50GB per month. If you’re away for more than a week, experts have recommended considering the Roam Abroad plan, which costs £25 a month and lets you use your monthly data plan in Europe without the daily charge, which can be cheaper for those leaving in two weeks or more.

Pay As You Go customers can receive a notification to sign up to EE’s Roam like Home plan for 24 hours, costing £2.50 a day, or a seven-day special for £10.

Three

Pay Monthly customers will be charged £2 daily roaming charges with a 12GB plan. Data usage beyond this limit will be charged at 10p per MB, adding up to an extra £10. Pay As You Go Three customers will receive a text confirming roaming charges in that country.

Vodafone

Vodafone contract customers can get EU roaming data for £2.42 a day, £12 for eight days or £17 for 15 days. Pay As You Go customers are offered Europe Roaming Extra from £12 for eight days.

VoiBRIDGE

Voxi customers can add a European roaming pass to their plan for £2.45 per day, £12 for eight days or £17 for 15 days.

Tesco Mobile

Until 2025, Tesco Mobile customers are not liable for roaming charges or fair use data caps when traveling abroad, allowing them to use their data as they normally would in the UK.

Customers with a number of network providers will not face additional roaming charges as long as they stay under the network’s roaming limit. These include Giffgaff and Asda, which both have a 5GB cap, iD Mobile, which has a 30GB cap and Lebara with a 30GB cap. Each provider has different rates for data used beyond these limits, ranging from 0.2p per MB to 10p per MB.