EU mobile roaming charges to be scrapped but users still need to be watchful
14 Jun 2017
Despite a ban by European telecom regulators on roaming charges in the EU, UK holidaymakers could still be hit with high mobile phone bills, consumer group Which? has warned.
Roaming charges, added by mobile operators for calls, texts and internet browsing when phone users were abroad, will be scrapped from 15 June.
This meant UK travellers could use their regular allowance anywhere in the EU.
However, Which? has warned that exceeding allowances would still be chargeable even as roaming territories varied between companies.
It added, different providers included different countries in their roaming territories, such as the Channel Islands and Switzerland.
It added that exceeding the stipulated minutes, texts and data would still be chargeable in the EU as they would be in the UK, with providers charging different rates, it added.
"Many will reap the benefits of these changes and will no longer be put off from making calls abroad," said Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, BBC reported.
"However, it is important that you take a close look at what is or isn't included in your current mobile deal. Not knowing what's included could lead to some surprising charges on your next bill."
"Not knowing what's included could lead to some surprising charges on your next bill."
The Roam Like Home legislation was meant partly to prevent consumers from being hit with huge bills when downloading films or other data during their European holidays.
Meanwhile, Which? has urged consumers to check if their provider was including Turkey in the ban. Vodafone was the only mobile operator to include the popular non-EU tourist destination in its roaming bundle, while others were charging between 69p and £1.65 a minute to call home from Turkey.
