Experts have revealed which mobile networks you should be using when travelling abroad this summer
School holidays are a matter of weeks away and this summer plenty will be jetting off to a variety of European destinations to enjoy a little bit of summer sun with the family. But one thing that can definitely put a damper on the holiday bliss is unexpected fees especially when it comes to using your data to make and share memories.
When abroad your phone will automatically start doing something called data roaming. This is when your mobile phone connects to a network in a different country, and UK providers have ‘contacts’ with foreign providers so that its customers don’t lose connection while away from home.
But holidaymakers may not realise that data roaming could cost you extra on your next phone bill. Experts at eSim provider, Holafly, have shared the prices UK tourists can expect from the different network providers this summer.
O2
According to O2’s roaming fair use policy, customers who pay for their service monthly can use their data as they normally would up to a limit of 25GB. If this is exceeded over a 63-day period users will be charged £3.50 for each GB used over. For those on pay as you go contracts the data roaming can be used in the same way, up to 25GB.
EE
Phone users with EE aren’t quite as lucky and will have to pay a daily charge of £2.47 but can use up to 50GB a month as part of their contract. Or if you don’t want to be charged to use your data abroad while with EE then you do have the option to purchase a Roam abroad pass for £25 a month. Even if you’re only going for two weeks this option will still be cheaper than sticking with the daily rate by nearly £10.
Pay as you go is slightly different, with a text being sent to offer one of two options: Roam like Home for £250 a day or Roam like home for £10 which’ll cover your or seven days.
Three
Pay monthly customers have a limit of 12GB at a rate of £2 per day in daily roaming fees. If customers go over that limit the cost is then 10p per MGB, which is £10 per additional GB. Those using pay as you go will receive a text upon arriving in the country about the costs they can expect for that country.
Vodafone
Contract customers with Vodafone have a handful of options to choose from when it comes to the amount of data they wish to use. The daily rate is £2.42 or they can pay £12 for 8 days or £17 for 15 days with a cap of 25GB. Those on pay as you go have one option of paying £12 for 8 days as a Europe Roaming Extra.
Tesco Mobile
Easily the best deal currently available as Tesco Mobile users don’t have to pay a single penny extra for roaming charges until 2025. So you can enjoy using your data as you normally would.
Voxi
Customers will need to add a European Roaming Pass to their plan which start at £2.45 a day or £12 for an 8 day pass or £17 for 15 days.
Giffgaff
Giffgaff users will have up to 5GB of no extra fees when roaming in the EU and that’s for both pay as you go and monthly contract users. But after 5GB users will have to pay 10p per MB .
If you’re looking to avoid unexpected costs from data roaming this summer experts have shared these tips:
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Understand your plan – know what your plan allows and if there’s a fair use policy
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Be prepared – Maybe purchase a travel pass as it may be more cost effective
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Monitor data usage – Know how much you’ve used and what you have left so you don’t go over your limit
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Use messaging apps – If you can connect to free WiFi phone apps like Skype, WhatsApp and Messenger will allow you to message easily
