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O2 roaming explained for international & EU countries

You can roam and use O2 within most countries around the world.

You can use your regular allowance for free within 48 European countries, with a data fair usage policy of 25GB per month.

With selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only plans and Volt plans, you also get the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On for free, which allows you to use unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts in 27 international destinations outside the EU.

Alternatively, all O2 mobile customers can get the O2 Travel Bolt On for £6 per day, which gives you unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts in 63 international destinations outside the EU.

What's the best O2 SIM for roaming?

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You can use your allowance for free within the EU with all O2 SIMs .

You can find the cheapest O2 SIM Only deals by using our comparison tools. O2 SIMs will work with all phones, including the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 and Apple iPhone 16 .

With O2 Europe Zone, you can continue to roam for free and use your allowance within the EU.

O2 Europe Zone is included with all plans at no additional cost.

O2 are one of the few networks which will not introduce charges for roaming within the EU after Brexit .

In accordance with the fair usage policy, if your regular allowance is greater than 25GB, you cannot exceed 25GB per month when roaming in the EU.

If you go over your regular allowance, or you exceed the fair usage policy of 25GB per month, you will be charged £3.50 for each additional GB you use when roaming in the EU.

You must also be considered a permanent UK resident. You cannot roam within qualifying European countries for excessive or consecutive periods at a time.

You can use your allowance for free within 48 European destinations:

• Canary Islands
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland
• Vatican City

With the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, you will get unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts within 27 international countries.

The O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On is included at no additional cost with selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only plans and Volt plans. It is not included with any 30 day SIM only plans or pay as you go plans.

If your plan doesn't include the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On for free, you can choose it as your O2 Extra with the following plans:

There is no fair usage policy on the amount of data you can use - you get unlimited data. However, excessive usage may see your data speeds temporarily restricted.

The following 27 international countries are covered by the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

If you’re not eligible for the free O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, you cannot pay for it. However, you can purchase the similar O2 Travel Bolt On, which covers 63 international destinations for £6 per day. See below for more information.

The O2 Travel Bolt On is available for £6 per day, and covers 63 international destinations.

Similar to the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, you get unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. However, there is a 2Mbps speed limit in place.

You can get the O2 Travel Bolt On by texting TRAVEL to 23336 or by enabling it via your O2 account.

The £6 daily fee will automatically be charged when you use mobile data, make a call or send a text message. Using Wi-Fi or receiving calls and texts will not trigger the charge.

The moment the charge is triggered, you'll have access for 24 hours, until the trigger resets. There are no limits on the amount of consecutive days you can trigger the Bolt On.

It is important to note you must enable the O2 Travel Bolt On before you use data, make a call or send a text. If you don't enable the Bolt On, you won't be charged the £6 daily fee - instead, you will be charged at a standard roaming rate, which can be expensive.

There is no fair usage policy on the amount of data you can use - you get unlimited data. However, there is a 2Mbps speed limit in place.

The O2 Travel Bolt On works in the following 63 destinations:

• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Dominican Republic
• Netherlands Antilles
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• South Africa
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks & Caicos
• United Arab Emirates

The O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On is free with selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only plans and Volt plans. It works in 27 international countries. You cannot buy the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On if you are not eligible for free, however you can choose it as an O2 Extra with select tariffs.

On the other hand, the O2 Travel Bolt On is available to all pay monthly customers for £6 per day and works in 63 international destinations.

Both Bolt Ons give you unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. However, the O2 Travel Bolt On comes with a 2Mbps speed limit.

If you’re using your allowance for free within O2’s Europe Zone, you cannot exceed 25GB data per month if your regular allowance is greater than this amount. If you go over this limit, you will be charged £3.50 per GB until your allowance resets during the next month.

In addition, you cannot roam within the O2 Europe Zone for more than 63 days within a 4 month period - the offer is not intended for extended holidays. If O2 thinks you are abusing the free EU roaming policy, you will be given a 2 week notice, before a surcharge is applied:

The surcharge will be dropped when you return and stay in the UK for a reasonable time.

For the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, there is no fair usage policy on the amount of data you can use, however O2 states they may implement a temporary speed limit if your usage is deemed excessive. The O2 Travel Bolt On does not have a fair usage policy, however there is a permanent 2Mbps speed limit in place at all times.

If you exceed your data allowance or go over the 25GB limit when roaming for free in the Europe Zone, you will be charged £3.50 per GB, until your plan resets during the next month.

If you don't have an roaming Bolt On when travelling outside of Europe, or you're not in an eligible country, you will charged at a standard out of plan rate.

The out of plan rate is typically expensive, and varies between countries. For full charges, see O2 roaming rates

The following shows the O2 out of plan rates within a few international destinations.

No, 5G is only available within the UK with O2 . The maximum signal you can get when roaming with O2 is 4G.

Yes, all O2 customers can use their regular allowance for free with O2 Europe Zone, covering 48 European destinations.

Before roaming with O2 , you must enable roaming in your phone’s settings.

For Android users:

• Go to Settings
• Go to Connections -> Mobile networks -> Roaming
• Enable Data roaming

For iPhone users:

• Go to Mobile data -> Mobile Data Options
• Enable Data Roaming

If you're roaming in the EU and go over your data allowance or the 25GB limit, you will be charged £3.50 per GB until your plan resets at the next month.

Yes, you can tether to as many devices as you like when roaming with O2 . Any regular data limitations that apply when roaming will also apply when tethering while roaming.

The O2 Travel Bolt On is available with all pay monthly plans for £6 per day. You can get the O2 Travel Bolt On by texting TRAVEL to 23336 . Alternatively, you can purchase the Bolt On through your O2 account.

The O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On is available for free on selected O2 Refresh, O2 SIM only contracts and Volt plans. You may also choose it for free as an O2 Extra, with eligible plans.

Both Bolt Ons come with unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts. However, they each cover different destinations.

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O2 Travel International Roaming Review: Countries, Speeds & Fair Usage

On O2, you can use your mobile phone abroad at no extra cost in up to 75 destinations, depending on your price plan.

The countries in which you’re able to use the O2 Travel offer depends on the price plan you have. On O2’s Pay As You Go plans, you’ll have access to international roaming at no extra cost in 43 European destinations. This increases to 48 destinations on Pay Monthly plans, and to 75 destinations on Pay Monthly Plus (and on regular Pay Monthly plans if you’re living in a Virgin Media household ).

In this article, we’ll review the O2 Travel offer including the countries where you’re able to use it and how much it will cost. We’ll also look at data speeds when abroad, the fair usage policy on O2 Travel and alternative roaming offers from other networks. Finally, we’ll look at how you can keep your current phone number if you’re moving to O2 to take advantage of their O2 Travel offer.

• 1.1 O2 Europe Zone Countries
• 1.2 O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Countries
• 1.3 O2 Travel Countries
• 2 Roaming Speeds
• 3.1 Within Europe
• 3.2 Outside Europe
• 4 Keeping Your Phone Number
• 5 More Information

What is O2 Travel?

On most O2 price plans, it’s possible to use your mobile phone abroad when travelling to other countries. The destinations that are included within the O2 Travel offer depend on the type of price plan you have:

For customers with an O2 mobile broadband plan , the O2 Travel offer isn’t currently available. This is because international roaming is not available on O2’s mobile broadband service.

O2 Europe Zone Countries

The following destinations are part of O2’s European roaming zone (locations marked with a † are only available on Pay Monthly plans) :

• Canary Islands
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man†
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland†
• Vatican City

† If you’re an O2 Pay As You Go customer, inclusive roaming is not available in 5 European destinations (Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco and Switzerland). Instead, you’ll need to pay £1.99/day for up to 100MB of data in these countries.

Within Europe, you’re able to use your inclusive minutes and texts to contact any other number within O2’s Europe Zone. Your usage of European roaming is subject to the fair usage policy described here : the most important being that it should only be used “for periodic travel, like holidays or short breaks”. If you use your mobile phone abroad for 63 days or more in any four-month period, O2 reserves the right to apply a regulated surcharge to your usage (currently 3.3p/minute, 1p/text and £3.50/GB).

You’ll be able to use up to 25GB data per month when abroad (or less if your normal UK data allowance is less than 25GB).

On O2’s Pay As You Go plans including Big Bundles , roaming is not included in Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco or Switzerland. In these places, you can pay £1.99/day for 100MB of data.

O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Countries

Within O2’s Travel Inclusive Zone countries, you’ll get unlimited minutes, texts and data when abroad in the following destinations:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

There’s traffic management applied when you’re abroad, so your download speeds could be slowed down, depending on your usage.

O2 Travel Countries

You can use the £6 per day O2 Travel offer in all of the following destinations:

• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Costa Rica*
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador*
• Madagascar*
• Netherlands Antilles
• New Zealand*
• Saint Lucia
• South Africa
• St Kitts & Nevis
• St Vincent & the Grenadines
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turks & Caicos islands
• United Arab Emirates
• United States*

* This country is also part of the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone offer. If your tariff includes this offer, you won’t need to pay the £4.99/day charge.

To opt-in to the O2 Travel offer, text TRAVEL to 23336. It can take up to 24 hours for O2 Travel to be enabled on your account so it’s best to opt-in before departing on your trip. To opt-out of the offer and to pay O2’s standard international roaming rates instead, text NOTRAVEL to 23336.

The £6 per day O2 Travel offer isn’t available to customers on O2 Pay As You Go .

Roaming Speeds

According to their terms and conditions , there’s now a download speed limit of 2Mbps when you’re travelling abroad in other countries. This has applied from June 2022.

The 2Mbps speed limit should be enough for most day-to-day use such as browsing the web, sending messages and using social media. It’s also enough for things like maps and for listening to music. If you’re streaming online video, it should be possible to stream in standard-definition. However, it won’t be possible to stream in HD quality.

Fair Usage Policy

O2 has a fair usage policy for their O2 Travel international roaming service. The fair usage policy depends on whether you’re travelling to another European country or to a country outside of Europe.

Within Europe

According to O2’s terms and conditions , a surcharge may be applied for your usage if you spend more 63 days abroad in Europe over a rolling 4-month period. If you exceed the 63-day limit, O2 should give you the opportunity to demonstrate prevailing use in the UK. They should also give you two weeks notice before a surcharge is applied at a rate of 3.3p/minute, 1p/text and £4.50/GB of data.

Outside Europe

• The download speeds available for file transfer, online gaming, peer-to-peer downloads and network backup services is restricted. According to O2, these services “may not work with O2 Travel”.
• Audio and video streaming optimisation are in use. This may reduce the quality of your streaming content when abroad.
• The use of tethering and personal hotspot is not permitted in O2 Travel countries. This means you’re unable to share your data connection with other devices.
• When using O2 Travel outside Europe, your SIM card can only be used inside a smartphone.

Keeping Your Phone Number

If you’re joining O2 to take advantage of their O2 Travel offer, it’s a straightforward process to keep your current phone number .

To do so, ask your current mobile network to provide you with a PAC Code . You can get this through your mobile network’s website or app, or by texting PAC to 65075.

Once you’ve received the PAC Code from your old network, order your new mobile phone or SIM card from the O2 website. When it arrives, you can provide the PAC Code to O2 by submitting it through this online form . Your phone number transfer will then be scheduled by O2, normally for the next working day.

For a step-by-step guide on moving your phone number to O2 , please select your current mobile network from the drop down menu below:

Select your current mobile network:

Your current mobile network... BT Mobile EE giffgaff O2 Sky Mobile Three Virgin Mobile Vodafone 1pMobile ASDA Mobile Honest Mobile iD Mobile Lebara Mobile Lycamobile Orange Plusnet Mobile Smarty Superdrug Mobile Talk Home Talkmobile TalkTalk Mobile Tesco Mobile T-Mobile Vectone Mobile VOXI

   More Options

More Information

For more information about O2 Travel, please see O2’s official website .

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Where is the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone? Phone provider’s data policy explained

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We’ve all been there – the plane lands, you whip out your phone and then feel a moment of panic over whether to turn on data roaming.

Let alone agonising over how much it will cost to call home.

Depending on your contract, and your network, using your phone on holiday can be just the same as at home – or very pricey.

It’s all got so much more complicated since Brexit , as some companies reintroduced roaming charges .

The trick is to get clued up and sorted before you go, so there are no unexpected surprises.

Because when you’re hitting the beach for some much-needed R&R , fretting about your phone bill will just pile on the stress.

So if you’re on the O2 network, what’s included – and what isn’t?

Here’s what you need to know.

Is O2 free in Europe?

In its Europe Zone, O2 contracts work as they do in the UK – so you’ll get the same number of minutes, texts and the same data allowance (up to a limit of 25GB). You can use this for up to 63 days in any four-month period – more than this will trigger a ‘fair usage’ text and after that you could be charged £3.50 per GB for data, 3.3p per minute for calls and 1p per text.

If your data allowance is more than 25GB in the UK, it will be capped at that level in Europe – you can use more, but you’ll have to pay for it.

The Europe Zone also applies to pay-as-you-go – data will come out of your allowance or be charged as it would in the UK.

Note that a handful of Europe Zone destinations on pay-as-you-go are slightly different: in Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco or Switzerland, you can buy a travel bolt-on £1.99 for 100MB of data, texts are 1p and calls within these countries or back to the UK for 4p a minute.

Countries in the O2 Europe roaming zone are:

• Canary Islands
• Cyprus* (excluding Northern Cyprus)
• Czech Republic
• French Guiana
• Isle of Man
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Saint Barthelemy
• Saint Martin
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City  

What’s the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone?

The ‘Travel Inclusive Zone’ is a list of 27 countries outside of the Europe Zone.

Countries in the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone are:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

Who can get the Travel Inclusive zone?

It’s offered as a bolt-on on certain O2 Selected Plus Plans (including pay monthly and 12 and 24-month sim-only) to cover unlimited minutes, texts and data roaming in these areas (with no cap on the data).

It’s not available on 30-day sim-only tariffs or on pay-as-you-go.

What about outside the Travel Inclusive zone?

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If you’re travelling outside of the Europe Zone and do not have the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, then if you’re on pay monthly you can buy the the O2 Travel Bolt On for £6 a day which gives unlimited minutes, texts and data in selected destinations.

O2 has a dedicated page where you can check to see if the country you’re visiting is covered. You can add the bolt-on by texting TRAVELON to 21300.

For pay as you go, it’s not offered, so you’ll be charged international roaming rates outside of the Europe Zone.

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You can check international roaming rates on O2’s dedicated page – in the US, for example, data is a whopping £7.20 per MB on pay-as-you-go, and calls cost £2 a minute to make and receive.

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How does roaming work on O2?

Before you jump on a plane or a ferry, it pays to know exactly what the score is when you use your O2 (or Virgin Mobile) SIM in a country other than the UK. Do calls, text and data come out of your allowances or will you be slapped with a hefty bill just for checking Facebook?

We’ve got all the answers you need.

Can I roam on my O2 SIM?

Yes. But whether or not you’ll be charged depends upon where you’re going, how you pay and also which tariff you’re on.

O2 Travel is what you need to use your calls, text and data abroad, and you can log into your O2 account to see whether you have it as part of your package. Alternatively, dial 202 on your phone and just ask the customer service team.

To opt into O2 Travel, sign in to My O2 and then add the O2 Travel Bolt On. It doesn’t cost anything to do this: you will only be charged if you trigger the Bolt On by making a call, sending a text or using data in a country that’s outside of the Europe Zone .

Despite having removed them in 2017, following Brexit, three of the big four UK carriers reintroduced roaming charges across the EU. However, on 10 January 2022, Virgin Media O2 ‘s Chief Commercial Officer for Mobile, Gareth Turpin, confirmed that “we [Virgin Media O2] will not be reintroducing roaming fees in Europe for customers on O2 or Virgin Mobile.”

This means O2 (and Virgin Mobile) customers are in the best position, in terms of European roaming charges are concerned, as they don’t have really worry about them.

Note: Don’t forget to enable data roaming in your phone’s settings, otherwise, your apps and browsers will tell you there’s no internet connection.

Roaming in Europe

If you’re heading to Europe, great news. You don’t need to worry as your phone will work just like it does in the UK. Any calls or texts you make will come out of your normal allowance, and the same goes for data from your bundle.

Just check O2’s Europe Zone to make sure your destination country is included.

If you’re on a pay-as-you-go bundle, check out the included countries here (the list is different to the Pay Monthly list). Note that Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco and Switzerland are excluded for PAYG customers. You can get 100MB of data for these destinations for £1.99 per day.

Also, note that using mobile data on a cruise ship isn’t covered, but you should be able to use the ship’s own Wi-Fi. Making and receiving calls on a ship costs £2 a minute, and sending each text costs 50p.

Roaming outside Europe

If you have a tariff that gives you free O2 Travel in the Inclusive Zone, the following countries are included and you won’t be charged for calls, texts or data as long as you don’t go over your usual allowance:

• El Salvador
• New Zealand
• United States

If you don’t have free O2 Travel on your tariff, then you’ll need to opt into O2 Travel (you can also do this by texting O2TRAVEL to 23336) before you head abroad.

You’ll be charged £4.99 per day, but only on the days that you ‘trigger’ the Bolt On. That means the first call you make, text you send or data you use will start O2 Travel for that day, which runs from midnight to midnight based on the capital city of the country you’re in.

What does O2 Travel include?

For your £4.99 per day, which you’ll be billed if you’re not eligible for the ‘Inclusive Zone’ or Europe, you get 120 minutes, 120 text and unlimited data.

O2 says there’s no cap on data at all, but that “speeds may vary” which, reading between the lines, means you’ll see a slow-down in your connection speed if you’re using more than the amount in O2’s fair use policy.

Is O2 good value for roaming?

Considering EE, Three and Vodafone have all reintroduced roaming charges – even within Europe – since Brexit went into effect, Virgin Media O2’s decision to abstain from reintroducing them is a huge win for customers; especially those who like to travel and are likely to find themselves hopping around Europe.

If you’re off to a destination where you can’t use your allowances, you might be able to get a better deal than the £4.99 per day charge for O2 Travel.

Pop into a phone shop – or pre-book online – and pick up a local pre-pay SIM when you arrive at your destination. This is often a way to use your phone – especially mobile data – for a much-reduced cost. Some operators even sell ‘tourist SIMs’ for exactly this reason. Do your research before you go and you could save a lot.

There are disadvantages of doing this, including the fact that people won’t be able to call you on your normal number while you’re using a different SIM. Of course, if you have a dual-SIM phone, then that’s not an issue, but do watch out if you intend to keep your O2 SIM in a phone, so people can contact you, as you might be charged for receiving calls and texts if you’re outside of the inclusive zones.

If you have SIMs with other operators, check out our other guides:

• What you need to know about roaming on EE
• What you need to know about roaming on Vodafone
• What you need to know about roaming on Three

Author: Jim Martin , Executive Editor, Tech Advisor

Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.

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Roaming for contract customers

• vor 3 Jahren 13 April 2021
• 0 Antworten
• 16556 Aufrufe

All o2 contracts contain an option for using the contract abroad as well. About the several options and also different price classes depending on which country you’re visiting, an overview will be presented in this FAQ.

There are several differences depending on which roaming tariffs and monthly packs are active.

All information are available here as well (available in German language only): Click here .

If you’re not sure which roaming option is active in your contract, you can check it online at Mein o2 .

Check it online via roaming options : Click here .

Check your data consumption abroad online as well: Click here .

EU Roaming Regulation

The first thing we want to talk about here is the EU Roaming Regulation of 2017.

According to the EU Roaming Regulation, which came into force on 15 June 2017, the previous surcharge for outgoing calls, text messages and data usage in other EU countries, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein no longer applies . This means that these services of your O2 tariff will be charged according to the domestic tariff in the new EU roaming .

EU roaming is already automatically activated for all new tariffs taken out after 15.06.2017 .

If you have an older tariff that was taken out before 15.06.2017, you can decide for yourself whether you want to switch to the new EU roaming or whether you would rather continue to use your current EU roaming option with the previous regulations for international use as usual.

Only O2 customers who already used an EU roaming option from O2 before 15.06.2017, which also offers services analogous to the domestic O2 tariff in other EU countries at no extra charge (e.g. "Roaming Basic", "Weltzonenpack" or "Mobiles Internet Ausland"), were automatically switched analogous to the new EU roaming regulation.

Tip: Check what is cheaper for you and compare the benefits of your current EU roaming option with the benefits of the new EU Roaming Regulation in My O2 or in the My O2 App under "Tariffs & Options".

Switching to the new EU roaming is not advantageous in all cases. Some tariffs already include (special) conditions for use abroad that would be eliminated by the changeover, e.g. the "EU roaming flat rate".

As a rule, it is worth switching to the new EU roaming if your domestic tariff includes extensive inclusive services and you use roaming services predominantly in other EU countries.

What EU roaming offers you

If you are abroad in the EU, incoming calls have been free of charge since 15.06.2017.

You can also use the services of your domestic tariff or pack (calls, SMS, data usage) in other EU countries at no extra charge. In the case of frequent use, surcharges may be levied in addition to the domestic price in accordance with the EU fair use policy. Further details on the EU fair use policy here. Once the inclusive units have been used up, the same prices per minute / per SMS / per MB apply as for domestic use.

The options

Roaming Basic (EU roaming tariff)

• Outgoing calls: Domestic price
• Incoming calls: 0.00 €
• Sending SMS: domestic price
• Data usage: domestic price

Roaming Day Pack Billing according to consumption + day pack for mobile surfing Only bookable for existing customers in o2 Blue tariffs World zone 1:

• Outgoing calls: 0.19 € / min. + 0.75 € / call
• Incoming calls: 0.75 € / call + 0.15 € / min. from the 61st min. onwards
• Sending SMS: 0.10 € / SMS
• Data usage: 1.99 € / 50 MB per calendar day

EU Day Pack Relax with a day package for telephony, SMS and data. Only bookable for existing customers on o2 Blue tariffs . World zone 1:

• 25 min. included. After that 0.20 € / min. for outgoing calls and 0.0135 € / min. for incoming calls
• 25 SMS included. Thereafter 0.07 € / SMS
• 50 MB included. Thereafter 1.99 € / 50 MB data per calendar day

EU Roaming Flat Secured with 1 GB for surfing in the EU, including Switzerland. Only bookable for existing customers in o2 Blue tariffs . World zone 1+2:

• Telephone flat rate: calls to all German networks + within the country visited.
• 0.07 € / SMS: SMS dispatch world zone 1
• 0.09 € / SMS: SMS dispatch world zone 2

World zones

Of course, it is important to know that the different zones of the world are also reflected in different price ranges. The EU Roaming Regulation mentioned here, for example, only applies in world zone 1. But which countries exactly does world zone 1 cover?

Zone 1 (EU) : The respective member states of the EU (currently: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, La Réunion, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Vatican City) as well as all other countries to which the price requirements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 of 25 November 2015, as amended, apply (currently Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 of 25 November 2015 as amended from time to time (currently Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). If the price requirements pursuant to the aforementioned EU regulation are no longer applicable in a country, the country automatically falls into zone 2 and the price shown for this zone applies.

Zone 2 : Andorra, Gibraltar, Great Britain, Isle of Man, Switzerland. Note: For Great Britain, only the price according to Zone 1 (EU-regulated) will continue to be charged until 31.12.2021 (subject to extension).

Zone 3 : Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Israel, Canada, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Puerto Rico, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, USA and Belarus.  

Zone 4 (Rest of World): All other countries where O2 has a roaming agreement. More information under Roaming partner networks abroad .

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• Mobile phones
• Mobile networks

O2 roaming charges explained: Everything you need to know before your trip to Europe

Avoid hefty roaming costs by learning all about the changes O2 has made to its Europe Zone package

Roaming charges in Europe are back, with several mobile networks announcing big changes – many of which are already active, including at O2. Since the UK left the European Union in January 2021, UK phone operators have been allowed to reintroduce roaming charges as the Brexit trade deal did not explicitly rule them out. Previously, the EU’s ‘Roam Like at Home’ initiative had banned mobile networks from charging users extra in fellow member states.

No one wants to see a massive phone bill following a dreamy trip abroad, so it’s best to be clued up on all the intricacies of these changes before you jet off. Below we’ve set out everything that has changed in O2’s roaming policy, so you can enjoy your holiday and use your data, minutes and text allowance with confidence.

READ NEXT: All about roaming data and the best network providers for you

O2 roaming charges: What is changing?

Thankfully for O2 customers, going on holiday in Europe should not cost much extra – if anything at all – as the phone provider has kept its ‘Europe Zone’ package live following Brexit.

The only catch is that since 2 August 2021, customers who have a monthly data allowance of over 25GB will now have a limit of 25GB when in Europe. You can still use your data above the 25GB mark, but there will be an additional charge of £3.50 per GB extra that is used within the ‘Europe Zone’. Previously, there were no additional costs.

If you are nearing the 25GB limit, O2 has stated that you will receive a text message to let you know, as well as another once you reach it.

This all means that your data (up to 25GB), minutes and text allowances will work just like they do in the UK. You can receive and make calls and texts at no extra cost. For those travelling abroad on a Pay As You Go deal, charges and allowances under O2 will also work as if you are in the UK.

Browse O2 phone contracts

O2 roaming charges: What countries does this apply to?

The O2 Europe Zone includes the following destinations: Austria, Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus (excluding Northern Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Vatican City.

READ NEXT: Best pay as you go SIM deals

O2 roaming charges: What is not included?

While you can make calls and send texts to any country in the Europe Zone (including the UK) as normal when travelling abroad, if you are still in the UK and want to call or text someone outside the UK there will be an additional cost. The price will depend on the country but for most European nations calls will be around £0.19 per minute on both monthly contracts and Pay As You Go deals. Standard SMS texts to European regions are £0.06 per text. For other international regions, calls could increase in price to as much as £3.00 per minute, so it is best to read up on your specific destination on the O2 website .

Helping you make the most out of your money

Searching Money Mentor . . .

Roaming charges when travelling abroad: what you will pay.

Updated February 23, 2024

In this guide

UK mobile phone users lost the legal right to free roaming within the EU when the UK officially left the bloc on 1 January 2021. According to regulator Ofcom, one in five people don’t realise they’re being charged for using their phone abroad.

Most of the major providers now levy extra costs for customers who use their phones in the EU, with only O2 saying it has no plans to reintroduce the charges. According to Ofcom, some networks are charging their users £2 a day for foreign mobile usage.

The regulator will soon force mobile networks to inform their customers when they’ll be charged for using their phone while travelling. It says a decision will be made on these rules in 2024, with networks given six months to put them into place.

So before you head abroad, make sure you know what are the roaming charges you can expect to pay so you don’t get shock bill on your return home.

Below, we cover:

What are roaming charges?

• Is it still free to use your phone in Europe?
• What are the roaming costs charged by all the major networks?
• How to save money on roaming charges

Read more: Keep your phone connected with an eSim

Roaming charges refer to the additional fees you pay to use your phone overseas including making phone calls, sending texts and using mobile data.

The charges kick in as soon as your phone is recognised by the local network at your destination.

In 2017, the EU banned mobile networks from charging their customers more to use their phones in other member countries than they would do in their home country.

Brexit legislation has provided no such continued protection against roaming charges and since 1 January 2021, providers have been able to reintroduce these fees for their UK customers.

Looking to save money when travelling abroad? Check out our guide to the best air miles credit cards.

Read more: How to boost your holiday allowance to 58 days

Send money abroad with Xe

Whether it be buying a new holiday home in Spain, sending money back home to friends and family or paying international business invoices use Xe for all your money transfer needs. As well as getting access to Xe’s online platform, which is designed for speed, security, and simplicity, you can also use their dedicated managed service providing tailored solutions to meet your unique currency needs. With Xe, you’re not just a client; you’re a valued partner in a global financial journey.

Transfer money internationally

What are the current roaming charges since Brexit?

Just how much you will have to pay to use your phone abroad will depend on a number of factors including:

• your mobile network
• the tariff you are on
• where you are going
• when you took out your contract

Below is a table summarising the main charges. We go into more detail with each provider below.

Check the full charges for your network below.

EE roaming charges

With EE, the roaming charges you pay will depend on when you took out your “pay monthly” phone or SIM contract.

Customers must now pay a fixed daily fee of £2 for using their phone in its “EU roaming zone”. You can then use your existing call and data allowances as you would in the UK up to a limit known as fair usage.

EE sets this cap at 25GB. You will be charged an additional £6 for each subsequent gigabyte you use past this limit.

Alternatively, if you are on a Smart Benefits package with EE, you can add on its Roam Abroad benefit for £10 a month and cancel it when you no longer need it.

This means you can use your usual UK allowances and don’t need to pay the daily fee. In addition to the EU, it covers the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

If you have the Roam Further pass (now replaced by Roam Abroad), you can also use your UK allowance in the five additional countries listed above. You can add it to your tariff for £10.44 a month.

If you took your contract out before July 7, 2021, these daily fees don’t apply and you won’t have to pay them until you renew your contract.

You can find out charges for your destination on the EE website *.

O2 roaming charges

It’s good news for customers of O2 , owned by Virgin Media O2, which also runs Virgin Mobile. O2’s tariffs let you use your UK allowance as normal across 49 countries in its Europe Zone (subject to a 25GB cap on roaming data). 

This applies to pay monthly and pay as you go deals.

If you are travelling further afield, the deal you can get varies according to your tariff. 

If you’re on an O2 Plus Plan, you can get access to O2’s Travel Inclusive Zone. This offers unlimited minutes, texts and data (subject to the company’s fair-usage policy) in 27 international destinations.

Customers on other (cheaper) tariffs can pay £6 a day for the O2 Travel Bolt On, which offers again unlimited minutes, texts and data. 

See the O2 website* for more information on using your phone in Europe. 

Virgin Mobile roaming charges

Virgin Mobile has also preserved free roaming in Europe for pay-monthly or regular customers – for now. Its Roam Like Home scheme lets you use your UK allowance across the EU.

There is no bolt-on you can buy for travel beyond the EU, so you will be faced with higher charges for texts, minutes and data.

You can check the exact charges for your destination at the Virgin Mobile website *.

Virgin Mobile does not offer pay-as-you-go deals.

Three roaming charges

Three’s Go Roam service lets its customers use their UK allowance in up to 71 countries across the world. Go Roam Europe costs £2 a day, while Go Roam Around the World is £5 a day.

These charges apply to all customers who took out contracts after October 1, 2021.

Pay as you go customers can also use Go Roam. For more information on Go Roam, visit the Three web page *.

Vodafone roaming charges

If you took out your pay-monthly contract on or after August 11, 2021, you may now have to pay roaming charges.

How much you pay will depend on what “zone” you are travelling to and the tariff you are on.

• Zone A: Republic of Ireland and Isle of Man – no charge
• B: Europe and EU member states (49 destinations) – £2 a day
• C: 32 destinations including the US, Australia, Barbados and South Africa – £6 a day
• D: 75 destinations from Argentina to Uzbekistan and Vietnam – £6 a day.

Once you have paid the daily fee, you can gain access to your UK allowance. You can find out what zone your destination is in at the Vodafone website *. 

These costs can be reduced by purchasing a roaming pass. These are available for 8 and 15 days and work out at about £1 a day.

New and upgrading customers on EVO plans with 4Xtra benefits get roaming in Zone B included in their package, while those on an unlimited-data EVO plan with 4Xtra benefits get zones B and C included.

BT Mobile roaming charges

All customers get free roaming in 47 destinations across Europe and can use their standard UK allowance.

For travel to a further 12 destinations including the US, UAE, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico, you can buy a Travel Data Pass.

This gives you 500MB of data for £6 a day.

Check the BT Mobile website * for call costs overseas.

Tesco Mobile

You can carry on using your UK allowance on a Tesco Mobile phone overseas, as long as you are in a Home from Home destination. This includes 48, predominantly European, destinations.

You can check call charges for other countries on the Tesco website *. Pay as you go customers should also check charges on the website too.

Voxi now charges you to use your data plan abroad, both in Europe and outside it.

You can buy a European roaming pass by logging into your Voxi account online *. A pass costs £2 per day, or you can buy longer passes at £4 for two days, £8 for eight days and £15 for fifteen days.

You’ll be limited to using the amount of data in your plan or 20 gigabytes, whichever is less. You’ll enjoy unlimited minutes and texts as part of a European roaming pass.

Outside of Europe, roaming with Voxi is slightly more expensive. An eight-day pass will set you back £15, and grants you 100 minutes, 100 texts and two gigabytes of data. A fifteen-day pass costs £25, and gives you 200 minutes, 200 texts and four gigabytes of data.

You can find more information roaming with Voxi on its website *.

Beware of fair-usage policies

Whether you have data included in your deal or you have bought a bolt-on, it’s important to be aware that your data is likely to be restricted to “fair usage”, so check the terms before you travel.

The idea of fair usage policies are to ensure that the network is stable and every customer can receive equal service and speed. Using too much data for too long can impact on other people.

Fair usage varies between providers but also plans. O2, for example, limits usage to 25GB, while Three caps it at 12GB a month.

How can I save on roaming charges?

Whether you are travelling to Europe or beyond, check the roaming fees before you get on the plane. If in doubt, you can temporarily turn off your mobile data feature when you land until you find out.

It may be that you can carry on using your phone as normal, but depending on your network, you could be stung with a sizeable bill on your return.

For example, EE customers could pay as much as £1.35 a minute to phone home from the US.

Where there are additional charges for using your phone in your destination, there may well be a bolt-on you can buy to make that usage more affordable. 

It’s also important to check what the charges are if you go over your allowance, and to set a spending cap with your network if necessary.

Following the end of universal free roaming in the EU for UK travellers, the government has introduced a £45-a-month billing cap for mobile data usage (not calls or texts) – unless you make the active choice to keep spending.

However, do check you haven’t inadvertently opted out of it – for example, if you signed up to a roaming bolt-on.

Top tips to avoid a surprise roaming bill

If you are concerned about your holiday phone bill, there are plenty more ways to cut your costs:

• Check your networks roaming charges thoroughly before you travel and whether your destination is bound by EU usage caps
• Look out for any roaming add-ons that your network offers which could lower costs
• Switch your mobile internet off as soon as you leave the UK
• Use free wi-fi in hotels, restaurants and so on but be careful about security
• Make phone calls when you have free wi-fi, using services such as WhatsApp or Skype
• Don’t choose to opt out of your network’s usage caps
• Download any films, books, or songs you want before you go
• If you are away for an extended period, or if costs are likely to be high, consider buying a local SIM card
• Be extra careful on cruises – sign up for onboard wi-fi to avoid being stung by sky-high rates on the “maritime network”

* All products, brands or properties mentioned in this article are selected by our writers and editors based on first-hand experience or customer feedback, and are of a standard that we believe our readers expect. This article contains links from which we can earn revenue. This revenue helps us to support the content of this website and to continue to invest in our award-winning journalism. For more, see  How we make our money  and  Editorial promise

Important information

Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation. While we aim to feature some of the best products available, we cannot review every product on the market.

The best mobile phone deals in the UK for iPhone, Samsung and more

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Keep your phone connected abroad with an eSIM

Stop paying expensive roaming charges or switching sim cards to stay connected abroad. There’s an easier solution – use an eSIM with Gigsky. After Brexit, if you’re travelling abroad in Europe you won’t be able to take advantage of the free roaming under EU legislation from previous years. Instead, depending on your provider, you’ll be […]

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