New Policy in UK January 2021: End to free mobile roaming for Brits in Europe
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| End to free mobile roaming for Brits in Europe. Photo: Daily Express |
New Policy - New Law in UK from January 2021:
How will the law change since January 2021?
| UK mobile phone users currently get free data roaming across the whole of the EU. But after January 1, Brits will no longer get this privilege and phone firms will be free to hit you with roaming charges. You must check with your phone provider to see if you will be affected. If you are hit with roaming charges, you can rack up a bill of £45 before you are prompted and asked if you want to spend more. At the moment EE, 02, Three and Vodafone say they have no plans to start charging UK customers when they’re in EU countries. How long that lasts, however, remains to be seen, as listed in the Mirror UK. |
The law during the transition period
You can travel in the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries with guaranteed surcharge-free mobile roaming until 31 December 2020. This means you can use your mobile devices to make calls, send texts and use mobile data services for no more than you would be charged when in the UK. This surcharge-free roaming will be guaranteed until the end of the transition period.
The new law from 1 January 2021 onwards
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| Photo: Mobile Syrup |
Surcharge-free roaming when you travel to EU and EEA countries will no longer be guaranteed from 1 January 2021. This would include employees of UK companies travelling in the EU for business. The mobile operators (Three, EE, O2 and Vodafone) have stated that they have no current plans to change their mobile roaming policies.
The government has legislated to protect consumers from unexpected charges from 1 January 2021. This is to ensure that obligations on mobile operators to apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while abroad is retained in UK law.
According to the UK Government, the limit has been set at £45 per monthly billing period (currently €50 under EU law). This means you cannot continue to use mobile data services when roaming unless you actively chose to continue spending. The government has also legislated to continue to ensure that consumers receive alerts when they are at 80% and 100% data usage.
If you live in Northern Ireland
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| Photo: Wiki. |
The government has passed legislation to ensure that operators continue to make information available to their customers on how to avoid inadvertent roaming in border regions from 1 January 2021. Operators will also continue to be required to take reasonable steps to protect their customers from paying roaming charges for inadvertently accessing roaming services.
Visit Knowinsiders to read more about the other 6 changes in UK law - New Policy in UK Since 2021!
 New Law in the UK from January 2021: UK Travellers Banned from Entering EU Due to Covid |
 New Law in the UK from January 2021: Drivers to be Banned from Picking up Mobile Phones |
