'ESSENTIAL' THING TO KNOW TO AVOID HEFTY ROAMING CHARGES ON HOLIDAY - CHECK YOUR NETWORK

Brits jetting off to soak up the last of the summer sun in Europe could be hit with hefty mobile charges if they don't brush up on their network's fine print, as industry insiders spill the beans on avoiding data drama while abroad. As the summer holiday season winds down, savvy Brits heading to European destinations should get to grips with their mobile plans to dodge a nasty bill shock post-holiday.

Specialists from eSIM company Holafly have laid out the essential info for each carrier to prevent holidaymakers from accruing unexpected fees that weren't part of the travel budget. Pedro Maiquez, CMO and co-founder of Holafly, stressed the importance of knowing your mobile plan inside out: "It is essential to understand your network's plan to avoid any large bills.

"Taking these steps before you set off can minimise your risk of unexpected costs and help you be more in control of your data usage. This guide can offer guidance or new knowledge of your network's dating roaming policy abroad, however, if you are still unsure then it is worth contacting your provider directly."

O2

For O2 users, both those on monthly contracts and pay-as-you-go deals face a Roaming Fair Usage Policy. This means they can use their usual UK data allowance up to 25GB when abroad without extra cost. But beware, if you go over this cap within a 63-day window, you'll be slapped with a £3.50 fee for every additional gigabyte used.

EE

EE monthly customers can expect to be charged £2.47 per day for data usage in the European roaming zone, up to a limit of 50GB per month. If you're planning to be abroad for more than a week, it's recommended to consider the Roam Abroad Pass, which costs £25 a month and allows you to use your monthly data plan in Europe without the daily charge, potentially saving money for those away for two weeks or more.

Pay As You Go EE customers may receive an offer to opt into the Roam like Home for 24 hours plan, costing £2.50 per day, or a seven-day special for £10.

Three

Pay Monthly customers will face daily roaming fees of £2 with a 12GB limit on their plan. Any data usage beyond this limit will then be charged at 10p per MB, equating to £10 for each additional GB. Pay As You Go Three customers will receive a text confirming the roaming charges in that country.

Vodafone

Contract customers can access roaming data in the EU for £2.42 per day, £12 for eight days or £17 for 15 days. Pay As You Go customers have the option of Europe Roaming Extra from £12 for eight days.

Voxi

Customers have the option to add a European Roaming Pass to their plan for £2.45 a day, £12 for eight days or £17 for 15 days.

Tesco Mobile

Customers won't have to worry about roaming fees or fair use data caps when travelling abroad until 2025, allowing them to use their data as they would normally in the UK.

Customers with several network providers won't face additional roaming charges as long as they stay below the network's roaming cap. This includes Giffgaff and Asda, both of which have a 5GB cap, iD Mobile with a 30GB cap, and Lebara also with a 30GB cap. Each provider has different rates for data used beyond these caps, ranging from 0.2p per MB to 10p per MB.

2024-07-06T13:58:19Z dg43tfdfdgfd