The common mobile phone roaming mistake that could cost you £6 to use a minutes worth of data
HOLIDAYMAKERS need to beware of sneaky rules which could see them overpay on their mobile data.
Martin Lewis and his team at MoneySavingExpert.com are warning travellers not to get caught out.
The UK’s biggest consumer website has today published a damning report containing worrying findings on EU roaming rules, which suggest that people are paying for more than they’re getting.
Customers are being caught out by unexpected roaming costs after a key piece of EU legislation – carried over temporarily after Brexit – recently expired.
According to the report, some travellers are paying for a day’s worth of data but only getting a minutes worth.
This is due to the mobile networks having different ways of defining the term “day.”
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EE, Three, Vodafone, Sky Mobile and Voxi are some of the largest firms to have reintroduced roaming charges for UK travellers in the EU.
It costs these customers £2 “daily” to use their UK data allowance in EU countries. However, some aren’t getting a full day’s worth.
Most firms state that you get 24 hours of data from first use, but EE defines a day’s use in the EU as any time up to 11.59pm UK time – irrespective of the local time zone.
This means if you landed at 11:58pm (GMT) in an EU country and turned your roaming on – you’d only get a minute’s worth of data. You’d then be charged again minutes later to cover your allowance for the next “day”.
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For Vodafone customers, the same rule applies for travellers outside of the EU where it costs £6 a day to use your UK data allowance.
Martin Lewis said that this is not explained in the arrival text that customers receive when entering their destination.
Martin said: “We need to ban a daily roaming fee charged for use ‘up to 11.59pm’ without even mentioning in which time zone.
“Instead, we recommend all providers must define a roaming ‘day’ as a 24-hour period from first use, clearly explain that in the arrival text, and alert customers at least an hour before the daily charges end.”
A number of mobile networks haven’t introduced EU roaming charges – so if you’re a keen traveller it may be worth switching contract.
You’ll only be able to switch once your current contract is up for renewal or else you’ll face hefty exit fees.
Price comparison sites like MoneySupermarket and Uswitch will save you time by helping you browse the best deals on the market.
Which firms don’t charge for using your data in Europe?
The vast majority of firms have now reintroduced charges for travellers in the EU.
Giffgaff is the latest to have joined Tesco Mobile, Vodafone, EE, Three and Sky with their roaming changes.
Right now, five mobile networks still allow customers to use their UK data allowance while abroad in the EU free of charge.
BT Mobile and Plusnet
Both owed by the BT Group, these two carriers allow all customers to continue enjoying inclusive roaming when they travel to the EU and beyond.
Under their “Roam Like Home” policies, both BT Mobile and Plusnet customers can use all of their data allows while abroad without facing any international fees.
However, if you use all your data allowance, you’ll be charged. BT Mobile customers will pay 11p per mb and Plusnet customers 10p per mb.
iD Mobile
All iD Mobile plans come with inclusive EU roaming.
This feature lets you roam like at home in 50 destinations throughout the EU, European Economic Area and beyond.
The minutes, texts and data you use simply come out of your remaining monthly allowances.
If you use all your data allowance, you’ll be charged 10p per mb from then on.
O2
If you’re travelling within the EU on O2, your allowances will work as they do in the UK. However, data usage within EU is subject to a roaming limit.
If your UK monthly data allowance is over 25GB, you’ll have a roaming limit of 25GB. This means you can use up to 25GB of your allowance at no extra cost.
You can still use data if you reach the roaming limit but you’ll be charged £3.50 per GB for your ongoing usage.
If your UK monthly data allowance is less than 25GB you won’t be subject to the 25GB roaming limit. But if you use all your UK data abroad, you’ll need to buy a data “Bolt On” if you want to keep roaming.
Data “Bolt On’s” costs start at £3.
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile offers a “Roam Like Home” policy which enables customers to use their UK allowance of minutes, texts and data in the EU just as you would in the UK.
If you use all your data allowance you’ll be subject to extra charges at £4.79 per GB.
You’ll usually be sent a text once you hit 80% of your usage to keep you aware of how close you are to running out.
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Smarty
Subject to the firms fair usage limit, you can use up to 12GB of data each month out of your monthly allowance when travelling in the EU.
If you need more data, you can buy a data add-on. You can spend between £1 and £14 to get up to 15GB of extra data to use while you’re abroad.