Using Your UK Mobile Phone Abroad: A Complete Roaming Guide
Since Brexit changed the rules on EU roaming, it's more important than ever to understand what your plan covers before you travel. Here's everything you need to know.
Using Your UK Mobile Phone Abroad: A Complete Roaming Guide
Travelling abroad with your UK mobile phone was simpler before June 2017 when EU roam-like-at-home rules came into full effect. Then came Brexit, and since 2022, many UK networks began reintroducing charges for EU travel. Understanding what's included in your plan — and what will cost extra — can save you from unexpected bills.
What Is Mobile Roaming?
When you travel outside your home network's coverage area (i.e., abroad), your phone connects to a foreign network. This is called roaming. Your home network has agreements with foreign operators that allow your phone to work — but these agreements come at a cost that may be passed on to you.
The Post-Brexit Situation
Since the UK left the EU's single market, the regulation that prevented networks from charging extra for EU roaming no longer applies in the UK. Networks are now free to charge what they like for European roaming.
What this means in practice:
- Some networks still include EU roaming in their plans — but check the terms carefully.
- Others charge a daily add-on fee (typically £2–£6 per day) to use your plan's allowances in the EU.
- Some budget plans have no EU roaming at all.
- Outside the EU, extra charges are almost universal unless you have a specific international plan.
Network-by-Network Overview
EE
EE charges a "Euro Traveller" add-on for EU roaming — currently around £2 per day. This lets you use your UK allowances in the EU. Outside Europe, "World Traveller" is available in zones, with costs varying by destination. Some premium EE plans include EU roaming.
O2
O2 offers roaming in 75+ destinations. EU roaming is available, but charged separately on most plans. Check your specific tariff — some O2 plans include EU roaming, particularly longer-term contracts.
Vodafone
Vodafone offers roaming in over 110 countries, one of the largest footprints of any UK network. EU roaming on most plans requires either a bundle or daily charge. Certain Vodafone plans include 25GB of EU roaming data.
Three
Three's "Go Roam" lets customers use their data allowance in 71 destinations at no extra charge — one of the most generous roaming policies among UK networks. This includes many EU countries, the USA, Australia, and more.
MVNOs
MVNO roaming varies widely depending on the host network and the specific plan. VOXI (Vodafone-backed) generally does not include free EU roaming. SMARTY and iD Mobile (Three-backed) often include Go Roam destinations as part of their plans, but this varies.
Tips to Avoid Bill Shock
Before You Travel
- Check your plan's roaming terms on your network's website — not just the marketing page.
- Enable data roaming in your settings only if you want to use mobile data abroad.
- Set a data roaming spending cap in your network's account settings or app.
- Download offline maps (Google Maps, Maps.me) before you leave home.
- Download content for offline use: Spotify, Netflix, and podcast apps let you download content on Wi-Fi.
During Your Trip
- Connect to hotel/café Wi-Fi for data-heavy tasks.
- Use WhatsApp, iMessage, or Signal for messaging and calls over Wi-Fi.
- Consider a local SIM for longer trips (a week or more) in a single country — often far cheaper.
- Turn off automatic app updates and background data refresh.
On Return
- Check your bill carefully within the first week of returning.
- Dispute any unexpected charges promptly — contact your provider.
International eSIM Options
A growing alternative for frequent travellers is an international eSIM — a digital SIM card designed specifically for travel that offers local data rates in multiple countries. Services like Airalo and Nomad offer competitive data packages without requiring a physical SIM swap.
These work well for data, but won't usually let you use your UK number for calls or texts. For most travellers, keeping your UK SIM for calls/texts and using a travel eSIM for data can be the most cost-effective approach.
Summary
Post-Brexit roaming is a mixed landscape. Three currently offers the most generous free-roaming policy with Go Roam. EE and O2 charge add-on fees. Vodafone has broad global reach but roaming costs extra on most plans. Always check your specific plan before travelling — "roaming included" can mean very different things across different tariffs.
Use our comparison tool to filter networks by roaming policy and find the best option for your travel habits.