Families enjoying summer staycation breaks could find themselves unexpectedly hit by foreign phone fees without leaving the UK, experts have warned. Despite not travelling abroad, those visiting some popular holiday spots can be caught out by what has been dubbed 'phantom roaming'.
How Phantom Roaming Occurs
Research has shown how easy it can be for people to unknowingly switch on to a neighbouring country’s mobile network and, if they do not notice, they can - depending upon their network - face a surprise bill for it, reports The Mirror. This inadvertent roaming charge is more common in coastal and border areas as it happens when a phone automatically connects to a stronger foreign network rather than a UK one - such as a French one across the Channel from the south east coast.
This is one of the danger areas as French networks can be more easily picked up at the point on the Kent coast where the Channel narrows to just 21 miles near Dover and Folkestone. The issue is not new but during the summer holiday season, with staycations on the rise, many people exploring popular holiday spots down south may be unaware of it.
Survey Reveals Widespread Lack of Awareness
Price comparison Uswitch commissioned a survey which found that this was the case with three-quarters of people questioned. It showed most did not know that mobile phones could accidentally connect to foreign networks from the UK. It also found that nearly one in 10 had experienced the problem - and had received roaming charges or a roaming alert - which equated to more than five million people.
Of the people surveyed, 13% had planned to holiday in the south east along the Kent coast, Dover and Folkestone, with another 26% set to visit Cornwall, Devon and the Dorset coast. Reports included a man in Kent who would pick up a text wrongly welcoming him to France on his daily commute along the coast, so he kept roaming switched off to avoid charges. Phantom roaming can also affect the northern Ireland border with phones connecting to Irish networks.
Which Networks Charge for EU Roaming?
Uswitch says the charges can depend upon which mobile network people are on and that EE, Sky Mobile, the combined Vodafone and Three, as well as Vodafone-owned VOXI are the UK networks which do not include EU roaming as standard - so their customers could face a daily charge if their device picks up a foreign signal near the coast or border. Other providers, including O2, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, iD Mobile, giffgaff, SMARTY and Talkmobile, include EU roaming so their customers should not be affected.
Expert Advice to Avoid Charges
Uswitch mobiles expert Simrat Sharma said: “You don’t need to board a plane to face a roaming bill and with millions of Brits heading to coastal and border regions this summer, many could be in for a nasty surprise. When automatic network selection is turned on, your phone connects to whatever signal is strongest - and in coastal areas that can sometimes mean latching onto a foreign network without ever realising it. Turning off roaming in your settings is the simplest way to avoid being charged.”
Simrat added that this quick action, and manually selecting your UK network before travelling to the coast or border, is the best way to be protected, adding: "Most providers also let you set a spend cap or block data roaming altogether through their app - it’s worth doing both before you go. If you do get caught out, contact your provider straight away. Some will waive the charges but it’s not guaranteed so the sooner you flag it, the better."
