Crackdown on roaming charges for EU travellers’ mobile phones

NAOMI CAINE

what is or is not included in your current mobile deal. Not knowing what’s included could lead to some surprising charges on your next bill.”

The regulations cover all 28 EU member states, but if you are travelling to a non-EU country roaming charges could still apply.

Remember, too, that non-EU countries include popular destinations such as the Channel Islands, Switzerland and Turkey.

It is worth checking with your mobile phone operator because some firms include more than 28 countries in their roaming territories, though the countries vary. Vodafone, for example, includes Turkey, but others do not.

Consumers should also bear in mind that as of August 1 roaming charges for countries outside the EU will incur VAT at 20 per cent on top of normal network rates.

It is also worth noting that roaming charges do not cover calls and texts from UK mobiles to the EU. If you want to call Spain from Scotland, it will cost more than a call within the country.

You will be charged in the EU as you would in the UK for exceeding agreed minutes, texts and data. As mobile phone firms charge different rates for breaching contract limits the costs can be high.

Fair usage limits apply to roaming and your mobile phone company might even

Thanks to a crackdown on roaming charges, anyone travelling to an EU country can now use their mobile phone as if they were still in the UK.

apply a lower cap in the EU than at home.

In other words, you will have a smaller data allowance and could rack up high charges if you exceed the limit.

“Confusingly each network applies a different fair usage policy, depending on your data allowance and the plan you’re signed up to,” said Doku.

“Take, for example, O2’s pay as you go Big Bundle at £30 per month. In the UK you get a monthly allowance of 20GB. But under the terms of the ‘fair use’ policy, this is actually capped at 10GB when you’re using your phone in the EU.”

The future for roaming charges is now less certain thanks to the UK’s planned withdrawal from the EU. When the UK does finally leave, it is possible that the regulations on roaming charges will no longer apply and networks could put up the cost of using a mobile within Europe. However, some experts are optimistic that few changes will be seen.

“As for the impact Brexit might have on roaming, this is still unclear, though any plans to revert back to a world of roaming at an extra charge would likely be unpalatable for consumers, and so seems an unlikely manoeuvre,” Doku said.

To ensure you do not rack up additional charges it is vital that you check your provider’s roaming territories before setting off on holiday as some firms do not impose roaming charges in countries outside the EU. If roaming charges apply to your destination, consider a travel bolt-on.

Frequent travellers might consider a tariff that offers roaming at no additional cost across multiple destinations. For example, Three’s Feel at Home tariffs offer roaming at no extra charge in 60 destinations, or Vodafone’s Roam Free tariffs cover 50 destinations.

Many consumers have a roaming cap that helps keep spending in check. Whatever you do, do not be tempted to remove the cap – once it is lifted, charges can easily rack up.