Life just got much easier and much less expensive for travellers to Europe, with roaming charges within all EU member countries now abolished.
Under the ground-breaking 'Connected Continent' agreement, mobile phone users now pay exactly the same for voice calls, text messages and data usage regardless of which EU country they're in.
That will greatly simplify the lot of business travellers to Europe who'll be able to pick up a pre-paid SIM card in one of the EU's 28 countries and use it in any other EU member nation without any excess roaming fees as they move from one country to the next.
For example, if on your next trip to London you pick up a UK SIM card loaded with 5GB of data you'll be able to use that data without any additional fees when you zip across the Channel to France or hop a flight to Germany.
As a rule, most travellers have in the past needed to buy and juggle pre-paid SIM cards for each European country they'll be visiting.
"Roam like at home is aimed at all people who travel in the EU," explains the European Commission.
"The end of roaming charges is a true European success story. Eliminating roaming charges is one of the greatest and most tangible successes of the EU."
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 691
It amazes me that Telstra, Optus & Vodafone in Australia still cling to their 'value' messages on rates for global roaming. Yes, we know that they're making a motzah from punters not knowing any better. But how do you justify $10 per day Global Roaming adding an additional $300 (plus your normal monthly account spend on a 30 day trip? Even Voda's $5 per day rate still adds $150.
Not for me, when I can get a T-Mobile Unlimited sim for 30 days for USD $80 per month (includes international calling etc) - and allows me to maintain a permanent US cell number year round. Or a cheap Orange (or God forbid, Vodafone) EU sim for travel around the 'old' world of Europe.
Thanks AUSBT for reporting this significant EU change. suggest that a few 'news' items regarding anything BUT the above will spew forth from the evil trio, in order to bury this announcement in the wider general press, over the next few days.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jan 2014
Total posts 340
Three Mobile in the UK (which is a Hong Kong / Hutchinson company) provides unlimited roaming at no extra cost in 27 countries including, Australia, New Zealand, most of the EU and the US.
You use your current data and voice plan as if you were at home in the UK.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2013
Total posts 699
and when you use it for 3 months a year in countries other than the UK then they cut of your sim... not great if you just want to keep the same number.
05 Oct 2011
Total posts 195
The problem with this new system is that there gets a point that ther is no incentive to invest in coverage but merely leverage off others investments. It will be a race to the bottom. Just look at what has happened in OZ with the ADSL network (for Telstra). Now they have "sold" it to NBN they are spending nothing on it. Once something breaks down they do not invest in anything other than a bandaid solution.
05 Mar 2012
Total posts 26
Operators will be able to impose "fair use" limits to prevent purchasing a SIM in one country but primarly using it in another. I would imagine this would help address the investment issue.
However, for non-EU business travellers, this could pose an issue. For example, if you are travelling to 5 countries in one month and spending equal time in each, would they "let" you use your SIM only 20% of the time in the country you buy it, but 80% in the other countries? I guess it will depend on how they calculate it.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2013
Total posts 699
At least some of networks are clearly defining "fair use"...
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Feb 2014
Total posts 439
Good.
Qantas
13 Jun 2015
Total posts 139
Down, down prices are down!
15 Feb 2013
Total posts 163
*Fine print: Until Brexit, after that we'll be charging anyone from the UK a small fortune 😂
NZ
16 Oct 2015
Total posts 10
Actually not true for data. People on prepaid are only entitled to a proportion of their data allowance in their home country. People on prepaid are entitled to a smaller amount. Only phone and SMS charges are free.
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 55
It varies between providers but if there is a 'home country only' data allocation eg 1GB out of 5GB, so only 4GB is free roaming, it's made clear at point of sale.
15 Jun 2017
Total posts 2
The carriers seem to handle this well (sigh!):
- Works as described only on post paid plans.
- Maximum roaming data levels (8-10 GB).
etc.
Your milage may vary. This is what I have picked up so far. Will know more when in Europe next week.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2013
Total posts 699
Currently, I'm on the Optus $130 plan (only $97 with a family and friends 25% discount) which offers Unlimited Calls, SMS and 1GB data per month in Optus Zone 1 countries. Whilst it's not amazing its still quite good value compared to say 5 years back. The ability to land in a country and not worry about the cost is amazing and it'll be great when other providers will get on board with a similar pricing method (TPG...).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jul 2016
Total posts 5
We are travelling for 6 1/2 weeks so we bought 2 x Three SIM cards in London a couple of weeks ago. The only issue is that you have to activate prepaid vouchers in England (and they only last 30 days) or you have to have a UK registered credit card to recharge it outside the EU....
Qantas
22 Oct 2012
Total posts 318
There is a solution to getting a topup voucher for a UK sim whilst abroad. Go to mobiletopup.co.uk and buy a virtual topup voucher for most UK telcos. They charge a £1 fee, and it works well.
20 Feb 2012
Total posts 66
I am flying into Istanbul shortly then off to Greece, Germany and 2 weeks in Russia. Total trip time is 5 weeks. Can I buy a prepaid sim here or am I better off just buying one over there?
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 55
You can get a prepaid SIM here through SIM Corner at https://www.simcorner.com/ but you could just as well buy one in Instanbul, for a five week stay you will probably have a lot more choice buying a SIM package in Europe.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 57
So if I sound ignorant, but why is the UK included in EU agreement? Or it is just until the UK invokes Article 50?
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 55
The UK is still a part of the EU.
16 Jun 2017
Total posts 1
I have a greek prepaid sim card (Vodafone CU) which I use every year, and reading the conditions on this sim, you can't use this sim as part of the new roaming EU charges.
Good idea to read up on the prepaid company you choose so your card works with the same EU rates.
28 Apr 2017
Total posts 6
Minor point but the article shouldn't refer to this ruling as applying to the "euro-zone". This ruling applies to the whole of the EU; the Eurozone is only the 19 countries using the euro. The UK is included because it is an EU member until at least March 2019 and may well negotiate to continue arrangements such as this.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Feb 2017
Total posts 12
I use an AussiePost prepaid sim+. This keeps the same number no matter where I am in the world. Data charge is high but I then use free hotel wifi for this. It works fine for short phone calls and is excellent for sms. Coverage is very good worldwide.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
05 Sep 2016
Total posts 13
Read the fine print for Switzerland usage. They're not part of the EU so many providers don't include roaming there without fees.
26 Nov 2016
Total posts 7
As mentioned, one needs to be careful e.g. in Switzerland. Even before the latest change the data roaming fee was about 10x than neighbouring countries.
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