Staff Reporter
After five years of free roaming, how can you avoid roaming fees returning in 2022? For those of us that use our UK mobile number for travel regularly, this is concerning.
In 2017, the EU launched their ‘Roam Like at Home’ initiative, essentially banning EU mobile networks from being able to charge their users for using their mobiles while abroad in EU countries. However, since Brexit has removed the UK from being an EU member, the initiative no longer applies to UK networks, allowing them to reintroduce roaming fees for their customers. If you are a UK resident living abroad, someone who travels for work, or someone who travels outside of periodic travel, it is essential that you know exactly what this change means and how you can avoid roaming fees coming in 2022.
When will the fees come into action?
Although many UK mobile networks stated that they would not reintroduce roaming fees after Brexit, many have since changed their stance. The biggest networks to reinstate roaming charges are Vodafone, EE and Three.
If you are a Three customer, you may be aware of the changes already as they have been the first network to enact the changes, as of September 2021. Vodafone have announced they will turn on roaming charges at the end of January 2022 and EE will follow their example and turn off free roaming in March 2022.
How will these costs affect you?
Depending on what network you are currently with, these costs will affect you differently.
If you are an EE customer with a plan that started before July 2021, you don’t need to worry. However, if your plan started after July 2021, or your contract is due to expire, you will be affected. Starting from March 2022, to make and receive calls and texts, or use your data from abroad, you will be charged £2 a day for each day that you use your mobile.
Starting at the end of January 2022, Vodafone customers, who had a contract that started on or after August 2021, will have to pay £6 a day to use their data, as well as make and receive calls and texts, if they are abroad in Africa, Australia, Canada and America.
If you are a Three customer, you may already be aware of the changes to your plan when abroad, as Three reintroduced roaming fees in September 2021, being the first UK mobile network to do so. As a Three customer, if you want to use your UK mobile to travel, you will be charged £5 a day to do so.
The reintroduction of roaming fees also allows these UK networks to implement a fair usage policy that can monitor and limit the time spent by a customer on their phone while abroad. Meaning, you will no longer be able to use your UK mobile phone all year round abroad; and if you do, you will be subject to extra fees. Moreover, if you have a foreign mobile contract, and visit the UK, you will be limited to how you can use your phone in the UK as well.
EE will implement a 50GB roaming fair usage policy, and if reached, you will be charged £3.60 per 10MB. O2 are also introducing a 25GB roaming fair usage policy, despite claiming not to be reintroducing roaming fees, and if reached, you will be charged £3.50 per GB.
Vodafone are following in their steps and also capping data use at 25GB, but charging £3.13 per GB once reached. Lastly, Three have already implemented a 20GB limit a month, and £3 per GB beyond that.
20 to 50 GB is not quite enough for one person every month to use their mobile phone with full access to the internet, to search, stream or socialise. The limitations placed on usage by UK networks makes it very likely that those living, working and travelling abroad will have to pay extra fees on top of roaming charges and their normal contract payments.
No matter which network you are on, these changes and extra payments could cost you an extra £52 a month for simple mobile use.
How can you avoid these costs?
These looming changes may seem daunting but there are solutions to assure you can continue to travel and use your UK mobile number and avoid roaming fees in 2022 and onwards.
Devyce have been working hard to provide an easy, efficient and, most importantly, affordable solution to the reintroduction of roaming charges, so that you can still use your UK mobile number for travel and more. We came up with Xpatfone, powered by Devyce; designed especially for those UK mobile users who are living, working or travelling abroad who do not want to pay more to call, text and roam while away from home.
What makes this especially easy is that many networks, similar to O2, have scrapped exit fees so that, if you wish to move and avoid roaming fees in 2022, you can do so freely.
Benefits of Switching?
So why switch? Simply, you will avoid paying roaming fees in 2022 and onwards when abroad. Giving you the freedom to call and text your family and friends back in the UK and use the internet without any usage limitations.
Xpatfone charges a fixed monthly fee, with no extra payments no matter your usage, starting at £8.99. Completely cloud based, you don’t have to worry about a physical SIM or contracts. Get 24 hour support via email or phone to help guide you through the porting process, in which you can transfer your UK mobile number, or choose a new one to use, usually completely within 24 hours.
Xpatfone offers two packages fit for UK travellers abroad. The monthly plan is ideal for expats and starts at £8.99, with benefits such as SMS and Whatsapp compatibility, free number porting, unlimited calls to the UK, America, Canada and Ireland, unlimited inbound calls and texts globally and a 24 free trial! The ‘Brexit Buster’ plan is ideal for the UK global traveller, and starts at £12.99. With the Brexit Buster plan, you get all the features of the monthly plan, plus 400 minutes per month to call mobile and landline numbers in New Zealand, Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Germany, Australia and Thailand.
Get ahead of the game and switch now to avoid roaming fees in 2022. Start your journey with Xpatfone and get set up within 24 hours here: https://xpatfone.com/pricing-1
