Since the UK left the EU, British tourists have had to pay for mobile roaming while holidaying in the bloc.
While a few mobile networks don’t charge tourists for roaming, many have reintroduced the charges since Brexit.
However, a new ruling by Ofcom now means that mobile providers will have to send customers notifications when they’re roaming as well as details on the charges.
Several operators already send their customers notifications but a review by Ofcom found the information was often “inconsistent and unclear”.
According to the regulator’s research, one in five British tourists are unaware they could face extra charges to use their phone abroad.
Around one in five said they did no research on possible roaming charges before going on holiday.
Charges vary between providers and can be as high as £6 for every MB of data used, leaving holidaymakers with a steep bill when they return.
However, British tourists should be aware the new notification rules will not apply until October 1 2024.
This means that Britons heading on holiday abroad this summer may need to do their own research about roaming charges.
Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s director of Telecoms Consumer Policy, said: “The last thing holidaymakers want when returning from a trip abroad is an unexpected mobile phone bill. At the moment, some customers aren’t getting clear information from their provider to help them manage their mobile use and plan their spend.
“Our new protections will mean you’re told what it’ll cost when you start roaming, so you can be confident that there won’t be any surprises when it comes to your mobile bill while on holiday.”
Under the new rules providers will need to:
- Provide clear, free to access information so customers can make informed decisions about whether – and how – to use their mobile phone abroad. This includes ensuring customers understand any roaming charges, including:
- any fair use limits or time limits that apply;
- that they can set a spend cap to limit their spend; and
- where to find additional information about roaming.
