Three’s £2 a day EU roaming charges come into effect
Three’s £2 a day roaming charges come into effect from today (23 May) for holidaymakers who wish to use their normal monthly allowance in Europe.
The mobile network provider announced the change, which also includes a new £5 a day charge for roaming in certain non-European destinations, in September 2021. It affects new and upgrading customers who took out a contract with Three on or after 1 October 2021.
Those who had a contract with Three before this date and have not upgraded since will not be charged.
Three is also increasing the cost of roaming charges for other previous Go Roam destinations to £5 per day.
A Three spokesperson said:
“The new charge ensures customers are clear on what they will pay when using their phone in another country and only those who roam will pay for the service.
“It will also ensure that we can continue investing in our UK network.”
Following the UK’s departure from the European Union on 1 January 2021, mobile phone providers in the UK are no longer legally required to offer customers free roaming in the EU.
Ru Bhikha, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, comments:
“With roaming charges coming back into effect across different mobile operators this year, Three customers will be next to feel the frustration as these kick in, and it’s important for them to be prepared when taking their phones abroad.
“This change means a £2 a day charge for roaming in Europe, or a £5 a day fee in certain destinations outside of Europe from 23 May 2022. The charge will automatically be triggered as soon as you use your allowances abroad, such as by sending a text or using your data.
“It will be a particularly bitter pill to swallow as the network had previously offered some of the most generous roaming allowances, with its Go Roam service covering 71 worldwide destinations, including Australia and the US, as well as Europe.
“If you haven’t upgraded with Three since October 2021 you should be shielded from the new charges, but it is still worth checking your contract. If you are nearing the end of your current deal and want free roaming in Europe without leaving Three you could consider moving to one of its SIM-only pay-as-you-go deals.
“However, a switch to a new provider could mean you can keep roaming for free and save money on your bills. O2 is the last major network not to bring back roaming fees for customers travelling to the EU, but some smaller SIM-only networks also offer inclusive roaming in Europe and could be a good option if you are not venturing too far afield.
“When it comes to travelling, make sure you check the roaming charges for your destination and also your provider’s fair use policy for using mobile data overseas. This might well be lower than the allowance you are used to – so be mindful if you are a heavy data user, or normally have an unlimited package.”
Table: Roaming charges by provider
|
Provider |
Introduction date
|
Applies to customers who joined / upgraded after
|
Daily charge
|
Alternatives
|
|
Vodafone
|
31st January 2022
|
11th August 2021
|
£2 a day
|
£1 a day for 8-day or 15-day multipass [1]
|
|
EE
|
3rd March 2022
|
7th July 2021
|
£2 a day
|
Users who pay £10 a month for Roam Abroad don’t pay daily fee[2]
|
|
Three
|
23rd May 2022
|
1st October 2021
|
£2 a day
|
Data Passport offers unlimited and unrestricted data for £5 a day[3]
|
|
O2
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Can use existing data allowance up to 25GB[4]
|
Source: Uswitch.com
Notes
1. Vodafone: Roaming Updates.
2. EE: EU roaming charges and changes
3. Three: Where will you roam?
4. O2: Travel in our Inclusive Zone
