What do you need to know about roaming outside of Ireland in 2021? How can you keep phone bills at bay when going abroad? We’ll tell you!
Are you planning a holiday or a business trip to another country in Europe? Or do you spend time in European countries outside of Ireland on a regular basis? You may have wondered how your mobile phone provider will end up charging you for using your phone abroad. Using your mobile phone abroad (your phone keeps working in another EU country) is called roaming.
What is roaming? After traveling to another country in the EU, your phone travels along with you. Doing so, it connects to another network provided by a different operator. You may have noticed that your phone alerts you to switching onto another network after landing at an airport, or after arriving in another European country by train or boat. You are able to call and receive calls or send and receive text messages.
Before February 1st, 2020, your provider would charge you the same costs for your mobile phone usage abroad in the EU as at home in Ireland. This was known as free mobile roaming within Europe. What about roaming costs outside of Ireland in 2021?
The surety of free roaming, or so-called surcharge-free roaming on a trip in Europe, is no longer guaranteed. This means that using your phone within the EU or outside of Northern Ireland can cost you once again. Following the Brexit cut-off date, some networks promised to maintain free roaming. However, only a few mobile phone operators, such as O2, Three, and Vodafone in Ireland, are adhering to a fair use policy for now, in line with the policy maintained by phone operators within the EU.
Important to note for those traveling outside of the UK and Northern Ireland: The UK Government now enforces an EU Roaming Regulation retained in UK law, designed to protect UK citizens from exorbitant phone bills after traveling abroad. Under this regulation, phone operators are required to send you an alert when you've used up 80% of your roaming data limit. A second alert follows upon reaching 100% usage, regardless of your location outside of the UK. Ensure you understand the roaming policy of your particular operator before traveling.
To avoid higher costs while using your phone abroad, if you're a regular traveler to countries outside the UK or Ireland, or if you plan to frequently use your phone while traveling, be cautious of your phone usage costs. One method to manage your phone bill is to use a prepaid SIM card.
If you frequently visit a certain country, consider using a cost-effective mobile phone with prepaid phone credit and a compatible SIM card. You can effortlessly top up online as needed. Another advantage of using an affordable mobile phone with prepaid credit is that losing your phone abroad becomes much less of a concern.
Using prepaid phone credit is savvy. Top up your mobile before travel, or buy prepaid phone credit from anywhere in the world (compatible with many operators) on PhoneTopups.com. Establish a budget for phone use and only add the amount you're comfortable spending. Running low on credit while abroad? Safely and easily purchase digital prepaid phone credit online, and receive a top-up code by email to replenish your balance.
Lastly, make intelligent use of free WiFi. If staying at a hotel with complimentary WiFi, use it wisely for online activities. Connecting your phone to the hotel's WiFi allows you to send holiday photos, message via WhatsApp, or make calls online without incurring additional costs.
