Currently, you can ‘roam like at home’ while using your mobile phone when travelling within the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
The current rules generally require providers to charge pay-monthly and pay-as-you-go mobile customers the same price for calls, text messages and data services as you pay when in the UK.
However, there may be some instances (such as when a provider has a fair use policy in place) where you may be charged more than your domestic charge, so make sure you know what roaming product your provider offers before heading off.
Providers offering roaming services should automatically apply ‘roam like at home’ to all existing and new customers – you don’t have to sign up. Check with your provider if you want to confirm that this has been activated on your mobile phone.
If you’re travelling outside of the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, roaming charges can be much higher, and you may want to talk to your provider to understand the best available deal for the country you're travelling to. Alternatively, it might be worth considering buying a SIM for the country you are visiting.
We’ve put together some frequently asked questions to help you understand the ‘roam like at home’ rules, and how they apply in practice:
Current rules generally mean that people can use their mobiles in Europe without paying more than they would in the UK.
Under the terms of the UK/EU Withdrawal Agreement, these rules will continue to apply during the transition period, which is expected to last from 1 February 2020 until 31 December 2020.
After this, customers could see changes to how they use their mobiles abroad. This will depend on the outcome of the UK/EU future economic partnership that the UK Government agrees with the EU.
