What is mobile phone roaming?
Mobile phone roaming is when you use your mobile phone's data while you're outside of the UK. Your phone will connect to the local mobile network, allowing you to access the internet, make calls, or send texts.
If you're travelling abroad and aren't connected to Wi-Fi, you'll need to have data roaming enabled to stay connected. This is essential for activities like texting loved ones, using Google Maps, posting on social media, or anything else that requires internet access.
Although roaming is available in most countries, costs can vary significantly depending on where you are. It's a good idea to avoid unexpected charges by cautiously using data roaming, especially if it's not included in your mobile plan. We recommend using it sparingly to keep your bills in check.
Read our 'mobile data roaming explained' guide for more information about roaming.
How to avoid costly roaming charges
When travelling abroad, it is easy to quickly rack up an expensive phone bill, even in Europe. However, there are some things you can do to reduce this risk:
Use a Travel eSIM
A travel eSIM allows you to pre-purchase a set data package for your chosen destination, allowing you to enjoy local rates without paying high fees.
For more information check out our full eSIM guide.
Turn off data roaming
The easiest way to avoid roaming fees is to turn it off. By disabling data roaming on your mobile phone entirely, you can prevent your smartphone from browsing the internet on a foreign network. To do this on:
- iPhones. Go to Settings > Mobile Service > [select SIM] > Data Roaming
- Android. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > tap your active SIM > toggle Roaming off
- Samsung. Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Data Roaming off
Download maps and apps offline
Using your phone maps is the perfect way to navigate a new place you are visiting, but that can come at a data cost. However, if you download maps as well as translation apps, and entertainment content for offline use, you don’t need to rely on mobile data to access vital information or entertainment on your travels.
Google Maps, available for both iOS and Android, lets you save maps for offline use. Because GPS doesn't need a data connection, you can navigate in a new location without incurring roaming fees, as long as you've downloaded the offline maps beforehand.
Activate low data modes on your device
Data-saving modes can be used on both Apple and Android devices to reduce data consumption. However, enabling these modes will alter your app experience when Wi-Fi is unavailable.
- iPhone. Go to Settings > Mobile Service > [select SIM] > Data Mode > select ‘Low Data Mode’.
- Android. Go to Settings > Network and Internet > Data Saver > select ‘Use Data Saver’
- Samsung. Go to Settings > Connections > Data usage > Data saver > Turn on now
Use apps to make and receive calls
Apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime allow you to make calls without incurring voice roaming fees. They’re an excellent way to stay in touch with friends and family as long as you’re on WiFi or have activated data roaming via an eSIM.
Check out our range of Travel eSIMs deals
Choose between dozens of travel eSIM data bundles on Uswitch.
Which network is best for roaming?
That largely depends on where you like to holiday. We'll be looking at the following providers based on their costs, data allowances, and general roaming policies:
- Three
- Vodafone
- O2
- EE
- Virgin Media
- iD Mobile
- Sky Mobile
- TalkTalk
- BT Mobile
- giffgaff
- Tesco Mobile
- SMARTY
At the time of writing, Three’s Go Roam scheme covers 160 worldwide locations, more than any other network. And winningly, it includes popular destinations like the USA, Australia and Hong Kong.
However, a lot of these destinations are only available on a Three Advanced plan, which is usually more expensive than a regular Three deal.
Typically, Advanced plan contracts work out at around £3 or £4 a month more than an Essential plan. But, in addition to Three’s Feel at Home inclusive roaming scheme, an Advanced plan will also get you Go Binge (if you took a plan better between 24 April 2018 and 30 September 2020), allowing you to use select streaming services without eating into your data.
Still, if you normally travel in the EU and don’t use streaming services on the go, you might be better off saving some money and going with an Essential plan instead.
Similarly, EE’s Roam Abroad scheme aims to cover 47 European destinations and five outside of Europe.
For an additional £25 a month, you can use your plan's minutes, text and data allowances in the Roam Abroad locations.
If you’re planning a trip abroad and you’re still locked into a contract, you could get a one-month SIM only deal or a pay-as-you-go SIM plan that comes with inclusive roaming for your destination.
If, for example, you’re heading off to the USA for a fortnight and you’re currently on an O2 pay monthly contract, you have a couple of options. You could pay £6 a day for an O2 bolt-on that’ll give you 120 texts, 120 minutes, and all the data you’ll need, which would cost you a total of £84 over your two-week holiday.
Or you could get a one-month Three Advanced plan SIM that’ll give you inclusive roaming in the US. At the time of writing, you can get 600 minutes, unlimited texts, and a generous 8GB of data for just £14 on a one-month rolling contract. If you cancel your contract with 30 days’ notice, this deal works out at £55.86 cheaper than a bolt-on.
Below, we take a look at each network to see what's on offer.
Compare network roaming plans
Roaming policies vary widely from network to network. So, how do you know whether you'll be able to use your phone when you're abroad and how much it will cost?
Luckily, we've done your leg work in this handy network-by-network guide.
| Network roaming scheme | Who does it apply to? | Cost | Destinations covered | Fair usage (if data tariff above amount mentioned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three's Go Roam | All Advanced plans | £2 for Go Roam in Europe and £5 for Go Roam Around the World | 160 | 12GB. Can spend up to 2 months in roaming zone over 12 month rolling contract period |
| Vodafone Roam Free | All customers on new monthly plans | None | 48 | None. Can spend up to 2 months in roaming zone over 4 month period |
| Vodafone Roam Further | All customers on new pay monthly plans (except Basics) | £6 per day to use your UK plan | 104 | 25GB. Can spend up to 2 months in roaming zone over 4 month period |
| EE Roam Abroad Pass | Available to customers on plans taken on or after 7 July 2021 | £25 a month | 47 European destinations | 50GB fair usage allowance |
| O2 Europe Zone Usage | All customers on pay monthly plans (not PAYG) | None | 48 Europe Zone destinations | 25GB monthly fair usage allowance |
| O2 Full Travel Bolt-On | Select phone-and-tariff plans on 4GB or 15GB or above | None | 75 | 10GB. Can spend up to 60 days in roaming zone over 120-day period |
| Tesco Mobile Home from Home | All customers on pay monthly or PAYG plans | None | 48 Europe Zone destinations + 6 | 12GB. Can spend up to 60 days in roaming zone over 120-day period |
| Sky Roaming Passport | All customers on pay monthly plans | £2 per day | Over 55 destinations | None |
| BT Roam Like at Home | All customers on pay monthly plans | None | 47 | 15GB. Can spend up to 60 days in roaming zone over 120-day period |
| iD Mobile Roam Like at Home | All customers on pay monthly plans | None | 50 | Only applies to some SIM only customers. Can spend up to 60 days in roaming zone over 120-day period |
| SMARTY roaming | All customers | None | 35 | 12GB and cannot roam for more than 60 consecutive days at a time |
This information was correct at the time of writing.
Three
Three’s Go Roam includes 160 global destinations where you can make calls, send texts, and use your data. This feature comes in two formats: Go Roam in Europe and Go Roam Around the World.
Acquiring a Go Roam pass, available for 3, 7, and 14 days, allows you to access your UK allowances within Go Roam in Europe and Go Roam Around the World. These passes can be purchased prior to your travels.
Unless specified otherwise, a daily roaming fee applies to activate your UK allowances in Go Roam destinations for a 24-hour period. The fee is £2 for Go Roam in Europe and £5 for Go Roam Around the World.
You'll incur charges upon using any of your plan's allowances in a Go Roam destination.
To find out how much you could save, use the special calculator on Three's website.
Want to know more? Take a look at our Three roaming FAQs.
See our latest Three SIM deals
Vodafone
Vodafone offers a selection of roaming schemes.
Roam-Free lets you use your regular monthly allowance for calls, texts, and data in 48 European countries at no extra cost.
Roam Further allows you to access your monthly allowance in a further 104 countries for an additional £6 per day.
There's also the Global Roaming Plus scheme. At the time of writing, it was reserved for customers on Vodafone's Red Entertainment plans. This scheme allows customers to use their UK allowances in 77 locations, including those in the EU and much further afield.
Vodafone has a 25GB cap on its roaming allowances, although that should be more than enough to see you through.
Find out more with our Vodafone roaming FAQs.
See our latest Vodafone SIM only deals
O2
All O2 pay monthly and business customers qualify for inclusive roaming in 48 European destinations. These are deemed to be in O2's Europe Zone.
Customers who sign up for a plan with a 4GB or 15GB data allowance or more also qualify for the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On roaming in 27 locations further afield, including the USA, Australia, Argentina, and New Zealand. In these destinations, customers are granted a daily allowance of 120 texts, 120 minutes, and 150M of data.
The O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, included on select plans, lets you roam in a further 27 international destinations. If you’re not on an eligible plan, the Bolt-On costs £6 per day.
If you're not on a cheaper plan that doesn't include an extended worldwide roaming scheme as standard, you can sign up for an O2 Full Travel Bolt On for £6 per day. That buys you 120 minutes and 120 texts per day and uncapped data to use in locations outside O2's Europe Zone.
Want to see which countries are covered? Have a read of our O2 roaming FAQs.
EE
EE customers who signed up on or after 7 July 2021 will need to pay £2 a day to roam in the EU. Anyone who is on an EE contract that started before that date won't have to pay EU roaming charges.
EE has introduced a new range of Roam Abroad plans for new and upgrading customers. These plans allow customers to use their monthly allowances across 47 European destinations for an additional £25 a month.
These include EU countries as well as the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. This covers over 80% of the time EE customers spend overseas.
Take a look at our EE roaming FAQs.
iD Mobile
iD Mobile offers inclusive roaming in 50 destinations in the EU and beyond with its Roam Like Home scheme.
The offer applies to SIM only contracts, pay monthly mobile phone contracts and pay as you go.
Want to know more? Check out our iD Mobile roaming FAQs.
See our latest ID Mobile SIM only deals
Sky Mobile
All Sky Mobile customers can use their mobile data, calls, and texts in over 55 destinations for £2 a day.
One major benefit of Sky Mobile as far as roaming goes is that if you've already stored a trove of unused data in your Sky Piggybank, you can use the data when you're in Europe, too.
Find out more with our Sky Mobile roaming FAQs.
See our latest Sky Mobile SIM deals
TalkTalk
TalkTalk customers can use their monthly allowance of calls, texts and data for no extra cost in 49 destinations.
However, it's worth bearing in mind that customers who have been with TalkTalk for less than 3 months will need to pay £25 as an advanced payment to activate roaming.
Want to see which countries are covered? Take a look at our TalkTalk roaming FAQs.
BT Mobile
Thanks to BT's Roam Like Home scheme, customers on BT Mobile can enjoy inclusive roaming in 47 destinations, including the Canary Islands, Norway, and Switzerland.
You can use the BT Mobile app to track your usage so you can make sure you don't go over your allowance.
Want to see which other locations are covered? Read our BT Mobile roaming FAQs.
giffgaff
giffgaff offers inclusive roaming for all its customers in 37 locations in the EU and beyond, but with a cap of 5GB.
And topping up overseas is easy too. All you need to do is head to the giffgaff website, which free to access, even if you’ve run out of credit.
It's worth noting that you won't be able to use your allowance if you're visiting a country not included in giffgaff's 37 locations.
Want to know which countries are covered? Take a look at our giffgaff roaming FAQs.
See our latest giffgaff SIM only deals
Tesco Mobile
All Tesco Mobile customers can use their monthly allowance of calls, texts and data for no extra charge in 48 European destinations.
Customers travelling further afield will still be able to use their phones while on holiday, but they will need to pay extra.
Want to find out which destinations are covered? Take a look at our Tesco Mobile roaming FAQs.
See our latest Tesco Mobile SIM only deals
SMARTY
SMARTY now lets you use your regular monthly allowance of data, calls and texts from anywhere in the EU for no extra cost.
Travelling further afield? You can buy an add-on for that.
Want to find out more? Check out our SMARTY roaming FAQs.
