The Traveller's Magazine
Hate paying roaming fees (let’s be honest, who doesn’t!)? Then we have some great news for you. Since June 15, 2017, roaming costs are no more in the European Union!
The move means that anyone with a mobile tariff from an EU country will now be able to use their phone abroad, more or less as if they were at home. Data and phone calls will be charged at the rate included in your tariff – so no more super high fees for using your data abroad!
So, if you want to Snapchat that panoramic view from the Eiffel Tower; search for directions to the beach in Barcelona; or call home to update your friends and family on your trip, you’ll no longer need to pay extra.
In general, the deal is this: you can use your phone as normal, with no extra charges, in any of the 28 EU member states – as long as your tariff comes from one of those countries too. So if you’ve got unlimited data on your UK contract, you could have unlimited data on your EU holiday too!
However, it’s worth noting that there are a few terms and conditions attached, and we’d strongly recommend checking with your mobile provider before splurging on data while on holiday.
Useful information:
- After 4 months abroad, roaming fees will become applicable again
- Switzerland, Andorra and Monaco are not included
- The UK will benefit from the new regulations until it leaves the EU in Spring 2019
- Check with your mobile operator to be sure of the terms of use, as there may be limits to the amount of data you can use.
No more roaming charges also mean it’s easier than ever to use the liligo.com app to compare flight fares across the EU – happy browsing!
