Virgin Media O2 customers will not face EU roaming charges
Virgin Media O2 has announced that its phone users will not face roaming charges in Europe this year after other networks announced there would be an extra fee.
From January EE and Vodafone will charge its customers for data roaming, and Three will reintroduce the charges in May.
However, customers with Virgin Media and O2 contracts will be able to continue using calls, texts and data as they would in the UK with no extra fees.
Gareth Turpin, of Virgin Media O2, said: “We’re starting the year by giving our customers some certainty: we will not be reintroducing roaming fees in Europe for customers on O2 or Virgin Mobile.
It’s good news, Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, comments:
“With three of the big four mobile providers bringing roaming charges back in 2022, it’s a breath of fresh air to have one company make this pledge to their customers.
“This promise from Virgin Media O2 means that O2 mobile customers will be able to enjoy their holidays without running up £2 a day roaming charges.
“Roaming charges are deeply unpopular with mobile users, who rightly feel aggrieved by a return to charges to access minutes and data they have already paid for.
“It will be interesting to see whether consumers feel strongly enough about roaming that Virgin Media O2 starts pulling in more mobile customers.
“Existing customers of EE, Vodafone or Three should check their contract to see whether these new charges apply to them. If you signed up before the specific dates, you should be safe.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “I welcome the decision by @VirginMedia and @O2 to keep roaming free, meaning UK citizens can still use their mobile data, calls and texts across Europe with no extra charges. However, not everyone was so impressed with LBC radio presenter James O’Brien pointing out the fact that things staying the same as they were before Brexit isn’t a massive gain.
Massive win! Some networks are staying the same as they were before Brexit. Let joy be unconfined. https://t.co/rUdB35ClIY
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) January 10, 2022
Table: Roaming charges by provider
|
Provider |
Comes into effect
|
Applies to customers who joined / upgraded after
|
Daily charge
|
Alternatives
|
|
Vodafone
|
End of January 2022
|
11th August 2021
|
£2 a day
|
£1 a day for 8-day or 15-day multipass [1]
|
|
EE
|
3rd March 2022
|
7th July 2021
|
£2 a day
|
Users who pay £10 a month for Roam Abroad don’t pay daily fee[2]
|
|
Three
|
23rd May 2022
|
1st October 2021
|
£2 a day
|
None available
|
|
O2
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Can use existing data allowance up to 25GB[3]
|
Source: Uswitch.com
