Using your mobile abroad


Since 31 December 2020, the EU rules on roaming charges ceased to apply in the UK. This means that, like other destinations, the amount your mobile provider can charge you for using your mobile phone in EU countries, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein is no longer capped.

Each of the UK mobile providers has different approaches to roaming charges and fair use policies. It is important to check with your provider to see what their approach is before you use your mobile abroad.

Since 1 July 2022, the roaming rules as previously set out in UK legislation no longer apply. These covered things like roaming welcome messages and data roaming spend limits. Some providers will still provide these services from 1 July, on a voluntary basis. Ofcom is now looking into the options for roaming protections for customers. We do not have the power to stop mobile providers charging customers for using their services when travelling, so this work will not be looking at the level of roaming prices.

For general advice on roaming, and to help you understand the protections that remain in place at the moment, we have answered some frequently-asked questions.