KEEPING connected on holiday just got a whole lot easier thanks to a new EU law that bans networks from charging you extra while using your phone in Europe.
The law came into effect on Thursday and the new rule covers every country in the European Economic Area (EEA).
But what if you are going farther afield?
We’ve put together a guide of the deals offered by network providers, including how many countries outside of the EEA you can roam like at home.
We also show the countries where you can roam with an affordable data add-on of £5 or less.
EE – Best for obscure destinations
EE have a minimum number of roam at home countries, only throwing in tiny territories like the Channel Islands and Monaco to sweeten the deal. They only have affordable data add-ons for 11 other countries but they’re all popular British holiday destinations. The only area they come out on top is in their restraint when it comes to mega-rip off tarrifs. None of their prices go above £1 per mb while other providers are catching people out in some destinations with between £6 and £12.50 per mb.
Free countries beyond the EEA: Seven or 12 with 4GEE Max plan
Affordable data bundle countries: 11. It costs £4 for a 500mb add-on (£5 in US and Canada)
No good for: Cape Verde where it will cost you from 91p per mb or £91 for one hour of Netflix
Three – Most free-to-roam countries
Three offer more roam like at home countries than any other network. So if you never pay for data abroad but will use it when it’s free, then they’re the network for you. However, it’s all-you-can-eat or online detox for Three customers as they don’t sell a single holiday data bundle. If you’re stuck in Canada, Mexico or any other nation that’s not one of their “Feel at Home” destinations then the roaming rates will be so high you won’t be able to send so much as a Tweet until you’re safely on the hotel WiFi.
Free countries beyond the EEA: 17
Affordable data bundle countries: Zero.
No good for: Mexico, where it costs £6 per MB or £600 for an hour of Netflix.
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O2 – Not great, not terrible
O2 customers are given free to roam in the same small territories that EE support, but they win big on the number of nations supported by affordable data bundles. They charge £1 more than EE for their daily bundle, but for that you get unlimited internet as opposed to the 500mb offered by EE. On the downside, unlike EE their data roaming only reaches 3G speeds, not full 4G.
Free countries beyond the EEA: Seven
Affordable data bundle countries: 29, plus £4.99 per day unlimited data bolt-on (£3.99 in Turkey)
No good for: Canada, where it is £6 per MB or £600 for an hour of Netflix
Vodafone – The Winner! Best network for holidays
Vodafone come second to Three when it comes to the number of totally free territories, but when you get on holiday you’ll get blistering fast 4G speeds, unlike Three and most other networks who think that you wont notice if they only send you 3G outside of the EEA. And then there’s the number of countries covered by their brilliant affordable data bundles. With a massive 56 nations they blow every other network out of the water.
Free countries beyond the EEA: 10
Affordable data bundle countries: 56 – £5 a day to use your home allowance
No good for: Mauritius, where it is £3 per MB or £300 for an hour of Netflix
Virgin Mobile – Good for a digital detox
If holiday to you means leaving the world behind and disconnecting from the web, then Virgin mobile is the network for you. They only offer a measly three free countries outside of what EU law forces them to and no affordable data bundles for anywhere else in the world. Oh, and they also have the most expensive per mb prices of any network at an eye-watering £12.50 per mb – that’s over £43 for streaming one song on Spotify!
Free countries beyond the EEA: Three
Affordable data bundle countries: Zero
No good for: Cuba, where it is £12.50 per MB or £1,250 for an hour of Netflix
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