This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Martha Pierce , a 34-year-old former marketing agency owner, who started her own business coaching practice this year and left Denver, Colorado for Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.
28.08.2023 - 13:55 / euronews.com / Angela Symons / In Europe
Ever returned from a holiday to be slapped with an astronomical phone bill?
New research from UK communications regulator Ofcom reveals that nearly one in five holidaymakers are unaware of roaming charges when travelling.
It also found that more than four out of five people rely on alerts from their network about roaming charges - but these alerts are no longer mandatory.
Understanding EU roaming charges and which countries they apply to can be confusing - especially since Brexit.
Here’s everything you need to know about EU roaming, where it applies, and how to avoid high phone bills while travelling in Europe.
EU countries, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, have an agreement that allows residents to ‘roam like you’re at home’.
If your phone is registered in one of these countries, this means you can use your domestic allowance of minutes, texts and data when travelling in these countries.
If you pay-as-you-go, you will be charged the same rates as in your home country. This includes making and receiving calls and sending texts between EU countries.
This cap on additional charges has been in place since 2017 and was last year extended until 2032.
However, there are ‘fair use’ limits placed on the amount of data you can use while travelling abroad, which depend on the type of contract you have.
Additional data charges are currently capped at €2 per gigabyte in the EU. This will decrease to €1 from 2027.
EU roaming rules do not apply in Monaco, Switzerland or Turkey, among other countries.
Before Brexit, Brits also benefited from EU roaming. However, UK mobile phone companies are no longer obligated to provide surcharge-free roaming in the EU.
Temporary protections, including a £45 (€52) monthly limit on involuntary data charges and alerts on data charges and usage, were put in place following Brexit. However, these expired in June 2022, meaning mobile phone companies are no longer obligated to abide by them.
Depending on your contract and mobile provider, you may be subject to the same charges as other non-EU countries when travelling across Europe. Likewise, EU travellers in the UK may face regular roaming charges, depending on their contract.
Some UK phone providers still allow fee-free EU roaming as standard. At the time of writing, these include Asda Mobile and GiffGaff (up to 5GB data and unlimited calls and texts), BT Mobile, Lebara and O2.
A number of UK providers have reintroduced EU data roaming charges in recent months. These include EE, Three and Vodafone, unless you have been with them since specific dates in 2021.
Tesco Mobile also began charging new customers for EU data roaming in spring 2023 and TalkMobile for customers who joined or upgraded in March 2023. Sky Mobile now charges all customers for
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Martha Pierce , a 34-year-old former marketing agency owner, who started her own business coaching practice this year and left Denver, Colorado for Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is best known for its volcanoes, greenery and famous wildlife — but the beaches are also worth daydreaming about. Because of its rich biodiversity, there’s a little something for the surfer to the yogi or the casual sunbather.
Costa Rica is home to everything from steamy rainforests and misty cloud forests, to still-smoking volcanoes and sublime beaches strung along Pacific and Caribbean coastlines.
It’s been hidden from public eyes for more than a hundred years. But in a few weeks time, the former Old War Office in London, Whitehall will finally open its doors after a multi-million-dollar transformation.
Looking for cheap flights for your next getaway? Error fares could be your best bet.
It will soon be able to fly from the City of Angels to the City of Light. Norse Atlantic Airways, a discount air carrier based in Norway, just announced a new direct route from Los Angeles to Paris starting next year. The flight will begin service on May 1 and operate six times a week, just in time for next year’s summer travel season.
In the face of record hotel rates that continue to grow, coupled with sustained high airline fares, some travelers feel they can no longer take a luxury European vacation. They are wrong.
It’s easy to experience sticker shock when checking into eco-lodges and renting vehicles and booking tours in Costa Rica. Indeed, it is the most expensive country in Central America, thanks to a booming economy and well-developed tourist sector.
Costa Rica packs a world of adventure into a relatively small area. Limited infrastructure means that getting around can be a challenge, but it’s also one reason that Costa Rica is the wild and wonderful place that it is.
On a recent trip to Costa Rica, on a hike in the remote forests of Volcán Tenorio National Park, the sky unexpectedly opened up, dumping buckets of rain on my 12-year-old twins and me. We were completely soaked, despite our rain gear.
As air traffic booms, Dubai’s two airports are planning a massive expansion.
Euromonitor’s report: 80% of travelers ready to pay 10% more for sustainable features despite living costs. 41% willing to pay 30% extra for adventure, eco-tourism. Europe leads Sustainable Travel Index 2023, Sweden tops, Uruguay enters top 20.