UK holiday-goers are facing EU roaming charges from next month, when wanting to use their data, calls and text in European countries.
EE and Vodafone customers will see new fees kicking in from January 2022, after the companies confirmed moves towards post-Brexit extra costs earlier this year.
Three and O2 have also announced new roaming fees for its customers.
It comes as UK phone providers have been allowed to bring back roaming charges from next year because the Brexit trade deal signed by the government did not say otherwise.
Customers will now have to pay £2 per day to access their UK phone allowances, after they previously enjoyed free roaming when visiting EU countries while Britain was part of the bloc.
The change will reportedly only impact new customers and those who recently upgraded their plans – from July for EE and from August for Vodafone.
Travellers will start being charged from 3 March next year in roaming zones including holiday destinations such as Spain, Portugal and France.
EE, which is Britain’s biggest phone operator, has brought in a ‘Roam Abroad’ scheme which will help travellers avoid huge bills by buying a £10 monthly add-on for their contracts.
A Vodafone UK spokesperson told City A.M: “Next month, some of our customers will pay to roam in Europe, with bundles available from £1 per day. Inclusive roaming will still be a part of selected plans. For roaming in Europe, customers can choose a plan that has roaming included, purchase an additional 8 or 15-day roaming pass for the equivalent of just £1 per day, or pay a £2 per day daily rate.”
“This will only affect customers who signed up to a new contract after 11 August 2021, and roaming in the Republic of Ireland will still be included for all customers. Customers who signed up to their current contract before 11 August 2021 will not be impacted by these charges while they remain on their price plan. Customers will also be able to set their own limits via our Vodafone Spend Manager, which is free to set up on the My Vodafone App.”
Earlier this year, mobile network provider Three announced a flat £2 daily charge when roaming within an EU country will apply to customers who are new or upgrading from October 1, though the changes do not come into effect until 23 May next year.
Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, said at the time: “If you’re an existing Three customer, these charges shouldn’t affect you immediately, but make sure you check the small print if you’re due an upgrade in the coming months.
“When it comes to travelling, don’t leave it until the last minute to check the roaming charges for your destination, and use hotel and cafe Wi-Fi when on holiday where possible, but make sure any public access points are safe and secure before logging on.”
Related: New entry requirements to many EU countries for Brits in 2022
