Vodafone to reinstate mobile phone roaming charges in Europe for Brits

Vodafone has announced that visitors from the UK will have to start paying roaming charges in Europe. This decision follows shortly after the announcement that EE would also reinstate roaming charges. 

Vodafone has announced that irs UK customers will have to start paying roaming charges when they visit Europe. This decision follows shortly after the announcement that EE would also reinstate roaming charges. 

Ernest Doku, the mobiles expert at Uswitch, said: “Any reintroduction of roaming charges means that consumers are paying a fee to use data and minutes they have already paid for. In the aftermath of Brexit, the UK’s biggest mobile providers all said that they had no immediate plans to change their charging models for consumers roaming within the EU.” He goes on, “It’s disappointing for consumers to see that the situation looks to be shifting, with a risk that roaming at no additional cost could soon be a distant memory for UK residents.”

Vodafone users will soon have to pay roaming fees of £2 per day to access their monthly allowance in European countries from January 2022. This news has been a disappointment and surprise to many, as the four major providers – EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone – had vowed that they would not reintroduce roaming charges following Brexit.

“Existing customers will not be impacted by these changes while they remain on their current price plan, and roaming in the Republic of Ireland will still be included for all customers,” Vodafone said.

Fair Usage Limitations

This change will only impact new and upgrading customers, leaving existing customers who have not yet upgraded unaffected. In addition, Vodafone said on Monday that customers travelling to the Republic of Ireland would be exempt from the charges.

Guy Anker, the deputy editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, said: “This is a worrying move as Vodafone has become the second network to confirm it will introduce roaming charges from January, after EE’s announcement in June. Back then, we predicted more would follow and sadly, that has proved to be the case.

“However, Vodafone customers shouldn’t panic as right now none are affected – it’ll only hit those who sign up for a new contract, whether they’re a new customer or renewing their current deal. Plus the roaming charges won’t kick in until January, and that’s still months off.

READ MORE:

“But it is a good trigger to check if you’re paying a cheap rate by doing a comparison. If you’re already on a good deal and will stay on one into the new year then simply do nothing and let it roll on as that way you won’t get hit by the charges if you’re going abroad – though if you’re tied into a contract, diarise when it ends as your rate may rise then.”

For more news from Top Business Tech, don’t forget to subscribe to our daily bulletin!

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter

Amber Donovan-Stevens

Amber is a Content Editor at Top Business Tech

TPIs are the Future of Energy Solutions

David Sheldrake SVP POWWR • 19th June 2025

The energy industry is undergoing a transformation, and Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), those brokers and consultants who help businesses procure energy, are at the centre of it. With growing complexity, increasing regulation, and evolving customer expectations, the role of TPIs is shifting from price-focused brokers to strategic energy advisors. While renewable energy adoption continues to reshape...

Quick Commerce and the Retail Media Revolution

Sue Azari • 11th June 2025

Quick commerce has transformed the way consumers shop, redefining convenience with near-instant delivery of groceries, meals, and household essentials. However, beyond its impact on logistics and e-commerce, quick commerce is now emerging as a major force in digital advertising. As consumer behaviours shift toward on-demand purchases, these platforms are leveraging their vast first-party data and...

Is It Time for a VMware Alternative?

Wind River • 22nd May 2025

Companies have options when it comes to replacing VMware as their cloud platform, to address rising costs, support concerns, and a shrinking partner ecosystem. If you are ready to contemplate a different vendor, here are five reasons why Wind River Cloud Platform should be on your short list of VMware alternatives.

AI Leads as VivaTech Unveils Top 100 Startups

Viva Technology • 14th May 2025

Viva Technology has unveiled the first edition of its “Top 100 Rising European Startups for 2025,” spotlighting the most promising young companies shaping Europe’s tech future. Germany, France, and the UK lead the ranking, which highlights high-growth startups across 13 countries. Artificial intelligence dominates the list, with 15 companies spanning AI agents, models, and infrastructure....

Birmingham Unveils the UK’s Best Emerging HealthTech Advances

Kosta Mavroulakis • 03rd April 2025

The National HealthTech Series hosted its latest event in Birmingham this month, showcasing innovative startups driving advanced health technology, including AI-assisted diagnostics, wearable devices and revolutionary educational tools for healthcare professionals. Health stakeholders drawn from the NHS, universities, industry and front-line patient care met with new and emerging businesses to define the future trajectory of...

Why DEIB is Imperative to Tech’s Future

Hadas Almog from AppsFlyer • 17th March 2025

We’ve been seeing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives being cut time and time again throughout the tech industry. DEIB dedicated roles have been eliminated, employee resource groups have lost funding, and initiatives once considered crucial have been deprioritised in favour of “more immediate business needs.” The justification for these cuts is often the...