Europe receives around 700 million visitors a year - and this year, events like the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics and the men's Euro 2024 are projected to increase that number even further. Stay on top of your planning and learn how to make the most of your mobile data in the EU with our guide.
How does data roaming in the EU work?
The European Union first formalised its flagship mobile network policy, known as ‘roam like at home’ in 2017. This was recently extended to at least 2032 and allows everyone with an EU-based mobile provider to use their mobile data across 29 European nations without paying international roaming fees.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be a resident of the EU to take part. Even if you’re just visiting, you can simply download a European eSIM and get online just like a local (provided your device supports eSIMs - find out here).
Data roaming regulations within the EU
The ‘roam like at home’ policy eliminates international roaming charges within the shared European area. If you’re lucky enough to live in an EU or EEA (European Economic Area) member country, this should come as no surprise to you. Calls, SMS and data usage throughout will be billed just the same as they would in users’ home countries.
It’s important to note that roaming is intended in this context as temporary data use within the host country, and not long-term. In cases of extremely high data consumption, a data cap be applied by the local network provider, though this is unlikely to affect most people. The EU itself defines roaming as ‘occasionally travelling outside the country where you have stable links, i.e. you work or study there’.
‘Roam like at home’ also means that any call or text sent from one EU country to another will cost the same as a local one – there are no international surcharges.
Travellers will still be notified via SMS when they pass from one EU country to another – rest assured though, this is just a gentle nudge to remind users of the temporary nature of roaming and ask them not to abuse their privileges.
Do UK residents need to pay roaming charges in the EU?
Since the UK voted to leave the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum, phone companies have taken different approaches to enforcing roaming costs abroad for their UK customers. As it stands, some UK companies have introduced roaming charges in Europe, and some have not (for now). Here’s a brief outline:
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Three, EE and Sky Mobile charge around £2 a day on top of their normal fees to roam in the EU and EEA
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Vodafone also charge £2 a day for most UK customers, though they also offer premium contracts which come with EU roaming included
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Virgin Media, O2, giffgaff, BT and Tesco Mobile do not currently charge their UK customers any roaming fees in the EU and EEA
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Some other businesses, such as the neobank Revolut, include free roaming in the EU for certain accounts
It's also important to note that if customers exceed their data limits while in the EU, phone companies can charge hefty fees on excess data usage. Under UK law, this is capped at £45 a month before the user is required to opt-in and buy more data.
Do EU residents need to pay roaming charges in the UK?
So what about the other way round? Do EU residents now need to pay roaming charges when they visit the United Kingdom?
After Brexit, European phone companies were free to charge their customers roaming fees when they visited the United Kingdom. While the majority so far have not, many have – charges vary between the company and country and can change over time. If you’re planning on travelling to the UK from an EU country, we therefore recommend you check with your mobile provider’s website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Is the European shared roaming zone only for EU citizens?
Fortunately, you don't have to be a citizen of the European Union to enjoy continent-wide data roaming. Even if you're just visiting Europe for a holiday or temporary work, you can simply purchase a local SIM or eSIM and roam away. The easiest option for most travellers is an eSIM plan, as it can be downloaded in minutes and enables access to the local network the minute you arrive in the country.
Roaming outside the EU
The Europe-wide roaming policy is one of the EU-member benefits that is extended to the 3 countries that are not in the EU, but are in the EEA (European Economic Area): Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
Roaming outside the EU can quickly get confusing however, as charges vary depending on the country, your phone provider, and the length of your stay. Meanwhile, most mobile carriers don’t include free data in non-EU countries as part of their standard plans.
Fortunately, BetterRoaming Europe+ plan users can roam freely through all 49 European countries, both inside and outside the EU, on a single prepaid data plan. This includes many non-member nations such as Switzerland, Turkey, Albania and more. Find out more about our Europe+ packages here.
And if you’re travelling further afield, BetterRoaming offers tailored travel eSIM packages for 160 countries around the world and counting. Discover your perfect eSIM plan here.
