New rules from UK telecoms regulator Ofcom will protect customers when they use their mobile phone on a foreign network.
When the UK left the European Union, networks were no longer required to apply EU rules that let customers 'roam like at home' without paying extra. There was also no legal requirement to warn customers about 'roaming' charges when they connected to a network abroad, although many networks still chose to do so.
New Ofcom rules from October 2024 now mean mobile network providers must notify customers when they start roaming. The network providers must also provide clear information to help customers decide whether or how to use their mobile phone abroad.
Information about roaming charges will include:
- any fair use limits or time limits that apply;
- setting a spend cap to limit their spend; and
- where to find additional information about roaming.
In addition, customers will be alerted if they are inadvertently roaming, perhaps because they're near an international border. As part of this, networks must enable customers to reduce or limit their spending on roaming while in the UK.
[Ofcom statement]