Can you use your phone abroad? Everything you need to know

Have a holiday planned? If you’re jetting off abroad soon, you’ll need to work through your pre-travel checklist. This includes packing your suitcase, buying sun cream and checking that your UK debit card works abroad - or sorting out travel money.

Another important thing to do is check whether you can use your phone abroad, without racking up high roaming charges.

We’ll cover everything you need to know right here in this handy guide. We’ll look at how roaming works, which providers offer it and any charges you need to be aware of.

And while you’re making your holiday preparations, make sure you check out the Wise card from the money services provider Wise. It could save you money on holiday spending, letting you pay and withdraw cash like a local in 150+ countries - and all for low fees* and great mid-market exchange rates.

Can you use your phone while travelling abroad?

You should be able to use your phone when travelling abroad. But it depends on your network provider and the destination. Most have international coverage, but there are a few gaps and exceptions.

Some destinations also have their own quirks and conditions. For example, if you want to use your phone in the USA, you’ll first need to check that your phone is compatible. The USA is currently switching off 2G and 3G networks and moving over to 4G and 5G.¹

This means that your phone will need to be compatible with something called VoLTE Roaming (also known as 4G Calling Abroad). You can check with your network provider to find out if your phone will be compatible.¹ If it isn’t, you might need to look into getting a US SIM card instead.

Making calls while abroad

When you land in a foreign destination, your phone is likely to connect to a local mobile network. You should also receive a text from your UK-based provider letting you know the charges for making calls during your holiday.

Some providers have international roaming packages you can purchase. Some are data-only, but others let you use your UK allowance for calls and texts. Just make sure you know what kinds of calls are included, as anything outside your inclusive allowance is likely to have high per-minute charges.

You can potentially avoid these charges by making internet calls, if your phone is connected to Wi-Fi or you have a data roaming package.

When making a call using your smartphone on holiday, you just need to remember to replace the first digit of the number with the country code.² For example, the UK’s country calling code is +44 and the US’s country calling code is +1.

Sending texts while abroad

Sending texts while on holiday works similarly to calls. You’ll usually be charged per message, unless you have a roaming package which lets you access your UK allowance while you’re away. You can check the charges for texts overseas before you travel, or you should receive a text from your network when you arrive.

Using mobile data while travelling abroad

Want to get online while you’re away? You can use Wi-Fi in the hotel, but you might also want to use your mobile data while out and about.

Unless your provider allows free roaming (which may also be limited to certain destinations) you’ll need to buy an international data roaming package before your holiday. If you don’t, you may be charged per MB of data used and it can get expensive.

Before you travel, you may need to switch on data roaming in your phone’s settings. We’ll show you how to do that next.

What is data roaming and how to set it up?

Data roaming is simply when you use your phone abroad to access the internet - without using Wi-Fi. When you go online, you’ll be hopping onto a local mobile network and using its data.

Whether data roaming is free or you’ve bought a roaming package (or are happy to pay the per-MB charges), you may need to adjust your phone’s settings in order to use it.

Check with your network or phone manufacturer for specific tips on how to do it. But generally speaking, you should be able to go to your phone’s settings, find ‘Mobile networks’ or something similar and switch on the ‘Data roaming’ toggle button.

Roaming providers in the UK

Post-Brexit, a number of mobile network providers in the UK have started charging for international roaming. This is because they’re no longer tied to EU regulations which require them to let customers ‘roam like at home’. But not all do - some providers still let you roam for free, but usually in Europe only.

Let’s take a look at some of the major mobile network providers in the UK and whether they allow roaming:³

Tips for choosing the best roaming provider for your needs

First of all, check what your current mobile network provider charges for international roaming. If you’re going to Europe, it may well be free - or you can buy a relatively affordable international roaming package.

If it’s too expensive or your destination isn’t covered, you may want to look elsewhere. When choosing a roaming provider, check the following:

• Whether your destination is supported for roaming
• What the roaming charges are for data, texts and calls - for both contract and SIM-only plans
• Whether there are add-ons or roaming packages you can buy
• What the network coverage is like in your destination
• Whether you’ll be tied to a contract or plan after your holiday has finished.

How much are roaming charges?

If roaming isn’t free or covered under an international roaming package, you’ll likely be charged per text, per minute of calls and per MB of data used.

The charges can vary considerably depending on your network and destination.

But to give you an idea of how much it could cost, here’s a look at what two major providers - O2 and Vodafone - charge for roaming in two popular destinations outside of Europe:

What’s the Fair Usage Limit?

Fair Usage Limit is a cap on the amount of data you can use per day, and each network sets its own. If you go over this limit, you could be charged.

So, check with your network and consider setting a data cap on your phone so you don’t accidentally exceed the limit.

And that’s it - all the essentials you need to know about using your phone abroad. We’ve looked at how to make calls and texts, which providers offer international roaming and the roaming charges you need to watch out for.

So, you can check with your network, buy an add-on roaming package if needed and get ready to enjoy your trip. Wherever you’re flying off to, don’t forget to pop your Wise card in your travel wallet. It could save you a bundle when spending abroad.

Sign up with Wise today 💰

Sources used for this article:

Sources checked on 10-Nov-2023.