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Using your mobile phone when you travel

Roaming in the EU

Mobile phone users across the EU benefit from free ‘roam like at home’ roaming. Roam like at home means that you can use your mobile service in the same way as you can at home when travelling abroad in the EU. When travelling in the EU you should:

  • be informed of charges, any fair use data limit that may apply and how to access the 112 emergency number free of charge;
  • be informed about types of services that can bring additional costs that can be free of charge or cost less when phoning from home, such as customer service numbers or helpdesks;
  • be notified when you reach a fair use limit;
  • be informed about additional charges for using roaming services on so-called non terrestrial networks such as a satellite network provided on board an aircraft or boat;
  • receive a message to remind you of the 112 emergency facility and available alternatives;
  • be able to use mobile services in the same way as at home, where technically possible.

We have a page on our website with advice and information on using your mobile in the EU, which includes information on which EU country you can ‘roam like at home’ and what the limits are that you can be charged when roaming in the EU.

When you travel in the EU, you can test the quality of your network with netBravo, a tool developed by the European Commission. You can download the app on Apple or Android.

Roaming outside the EU

The cost of roaming outside the EU varies for different countries and it can be significantly more expensive than roaming in the EU.

If you are planning to travel outside the EU, we advise you to always contact your service provider and check the roaming costs for the country you are visiting. Your service provider may offer alternative roaming tariffs at discounted rates.

We have a page on our website with advice and information on using your mobile outside the EU.

This includes information on the alerts you should receive when roaming outside the EU and how you can manage your roaming costs, including on a ferry or a plane, where you might inadvertently roam.

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