Half of British adults think it is unfair that they must pay extra charges to use their mobile devices while travelling in other European countries.
That finding comes from a recent survey commissioned by Virgin Media O2. The company highlights that it has remained the only major UK operator not to reintroduce EU roaming fees since Brexit.
Gareth Turpin, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2, commented:
“We know many people will be cost-conscious when going on holiday this year, so we’re proud to stand out as the only major mobile provider to continue offering inclusive EU roaming. That saves our customers money and gives more value to those travelling post-pandemic.
While we can’t remove charges for sunbeds or airplane seats, not having to worry about roaming fees can improve the holiday experience—whether customers use the savings for a nicer meal or treat themselves to an extra cocktail by the pool.”
Before the UK left the EU, several UK operators pledged not to reintroduce roaming fees. Three UK, for example, was long regarded as a pioneer in free roaming. Even before the EU removed charges for roaming within the bloc, Three’s ‘Feel at Home’ programme allowed customers to use their devices in many countries—including the United States and Hong Kong—without extra costs.
However, Three reversed course after Brexit and brought back significant roaming fees, losing its status as the go-to option for roaming customers.
“Virgin Media O2 has opened the roaming door wider,” said Kester Mann, Director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insight, in response to Virgin Media O2’s announcement last year. “By bucking the market trend and not reinstating charges, its decision will attract attention across the sector and is likely to be a blow to rivals.”
Mann added that this move could hit Three particularly hard, noting the operator was an early adopter of free roaming and had promoted its Go Roam offer to address customer concerns.
Promises about roaming were not limited to operators. While serving as Brexit secretary in 2018, Dominic Raab—now the UK’s deputy prime minister—said the government would legislate to limit roaming charges if necessary to protect British consumers in a no-deal scenario. At the time he cited firms such as Vodafone and Three as having pledged not to introduce roaming fees for customers travelling in Europe.
Despite half of Brits feeling it is unfair to pay extra for roaming in Europe, roaming charges rank as the second-biggest hidden holiday annoyance (35%), tied with the fee for choosing a specific seat on a plane. The top concern is card payment fees when travelling abroad (39%).
Virgin Media O2 estimates that, on average, its free EU roaming saves a family of four roughly £100 in unexpected costs during a two-week trip.
More than half of respondents (51%) said they would spend those savings on a family meal, while nearly a fifth (19%) said they would refresh their holiday wardrobe or treat themselves to extra cocktails by the pool.
(Photo by Nejc Soklič on Unsplash)
Related: Martin Lewis wants roaming charges to be regulated
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