Martin Lewis warning to EE, Vodafone and Three customers going on holiday this summer

A number of companies, including EE, Vodafone and Three, have reintroduced fees for using their phone when 'roaming' in Europe.

By Rory Poulter, Personal Finance Reporter

09:50, Wed, Jun 12, 2024 | UPDATED: 09:51, Wed, Jun 12, 2024

Martin Lewis discusses credit card payment holidays

The legal right for Britons to use their mobile phones across Europe without being hit with extra charges came to an end following Brexit.

A number of companies, including EE, Vodafone and Three, have reintroduced fees for using their phone when 'roaming' in Europe.

Previously, you could roam in Europe using your existing call, text and data allowances at no extra cost.

But post-Brexit, three of the major providers - EE, Vodafone and Three - have re-introduced roaming charges.

Martin Lewis and his moneysavingexpert.com team have identified how people can protect themselves when going on holiday.

Martin Lewis

Three of the major providers - EE, Vodafone and Three - have re-introduced roaming charges (Image: ITVX)

How to cut your mobile costs and avoid any nasty surprises when you get your post-holiday bill

1. Play it safe and turn roaming off

2. Most providers have automatic spending caps for roaming, but for safety you can also set your own

3. Be aware of your provider's 'fair use' policy – going over the limit could cost you dear

4. Use Wi-Fi wherever possible – plus use free apps to 'call home'

5. Turn off voicemail

6. Get 'beach mobile ready' – download music, films & boarding passes before you go

7. Be extra careful if you're on a cruise or at sea

What the firms are doing:

EE - Extra charges: £2.47/day (or £25/month) for contracts: £2.50/day (£10 for 7 days) for pay-as-you-go. Fair usage cap of 50GB.

Three - Extra charges: £2/day for contracts. None for pay-as-you-go.

If you need more than your UK data allowance, you can buy a Data Passport for £5 for unlimited data in 89 countries (valid until midnight after activating to a maximum of 24 hours). Fair usage cap of 12GB

Vodafone: £2.25/day (or £10 for 8 days or £15 for 15 days) for contracts. From £7 for 8 days for pay-as-you-go. Fair usage cap 25GB.

How to beat roaming charges in Europe

* Try an international eSim.

An eSim ("embedded Sim") is a digital version of the plastic physical Sim cards we all have that control our call and data allowances. If you've got one of the latest iPhone, Google or Samsung smartphones, it's likely to be compatible with an eSim.

An eSim plan for many destinations can be a lot cheaper than using your home network and buying roaming add-ons whilst abroad, as eSims work as if you were a local. You can buy and load one onto your phone before you leave the UK.

But be aware, international eSims generally only give you data – so you can't make calls or texts, though you can make calls and send messages using internet-based apps, like WhatsApp, Skype and Facetime.

As it's a digital Sim, it can be added to your phone alongside your UK Sim (whether physical or digital), so you can keep your same mobile number and get calls and texts as normal (though you may be charged pricey international rates to receive these). Then you can just use the prepaid eSim for data.

There are plenty of providers online offering eSims for virtually every country, and you can get ones that cover multiple countries if you're off on a world tour. For an idea of how much they cost, we looked at buying at least 10GB of data in the US and India. See our full eSims guide for more info.

* Switch to a provider that still offers free roaming in Europe. While three of the big four firms have reintroduced charges for roaming in Europe, O2 and some smaller networks haven't yet. If you take out a new contract now, it's likely you'll keep the roaming benefits for the length of the contract, even if the firm introduces charges later.

Portrait of Teenager With Smartphone

An eSim ("embedded Sim") is a digital version of a plastic physical Sim card (Image: Getty)

* Ensure you're on your provider's cheapest plan. If you're happy with your provider, and don't mind paying a bit extra to use your allowance in Europe, check how much yours charges in Europe.

Most charge around £2 per day, but if you're going away for longer, it can be cheaper to buy a bundle. For example, with Vodafone it's £10 for 8 days or £15 for 15 days. See our full firm-by-firm roaming charges list above.

* Grab a separate Sim (with no contract) that allows roaming in Europe at no extra cost for less than a £2 a month.

Some firms offer rolling one-month Sim contracts, which include European roaming at no extra cost, so you could grab one of these before you go, pay for one month to use the Sim while abroad, then cancel (remember to diarise cancelling it when you get home).

Some providers offer Sim-only deals for less than a quid a month. For example, right now you could get a Sim with 5GB of data for £1.90 a month for six months (rising to £4.90 after six months) from Lebara.

This is about getting an additional Sim with a new number to pop in your phone to use for roaming abroad, not replacing your current one (though if you are paying more than £8 a month for a Sim-only plan, you could save by switching to one of these cheaper deals).

* Use a Three pay-as-you-go Sim for roaming at no extra cost.

While Three has scrapped free roaming for pay-monthly customers, it still offers it on its pay-as-you-go Sims. While it's unlikely to beat a cheap rolling one-month Sim, it could still work out cheaper than paying daily rates some firms charge to use your allowance.

* Pick up a local prepaid Sim card at your destination for cheap data, local calls and texts. This is usually a cheap way of using your phone in one country. You can grab a cheap prepaid Sim card for a local mobile network in your destination.

More details can be found here.