Destinations
Roaming in the United Kingdom: what Brexit changed and what it did not
By regulation it is no longer part of European roaming, but many carriers still include it. How to check your own plan before flying.
Tomás Berruezo 6 min Photo by Jonas on Unsplash The United Kingdom is the case that causes the most confusion in all of Europe, and with reason: for years it was part of included roaming like any other country, and since Brexit, by regulation, it is not. What happens in practice depends on your carrier.
What the rule says and what the market does
The roaming included by regulation covers the European Union and the European Economic Area, and the United Kingdom left both. That means no carrier is obliged to include it.
In practice many European carriers keep it inside their European zone as a commercial decision, because it is a destination with heavy traffic. Others treat it separately or include it on different terms from the rest of Europe.
So there is no general answer here: you have to look at your own plan, and it is a two-minute check.
How to check it
- Open your carrier's app, in the roaming section.
- Search for the United Kingdom and see which zone your plan puts it in.
- Check whether there is a data cap different from the European Union one.
- If it is not clear, ask in the chat and keep the answer.
The details people forget
- Northern Ireland is the United Kingdom; the Republic of Ireland is the European Union. At the border the phone can hop from one to the other without you noticing.
- Gibraltar has its own situation and does not always fall where you would expect.
- The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man have their own networks and sit outside almost every European zone.
- In the Channel Tunnel and on the ferries the signal changes country halfway across.
The Channel Islands cause the most upset, because a trip to Jersey or Guernsey looks like the United Kingdom and on the bill it is not.
Coverage
Good in the cities and on the main roads, with broad 5G in London and the large cities. The gaps are in the Highlands, in rural Wales, in Cornwall and on trains crossing sparsely populated areas.
The full destination guide is in internet in the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
Is roaming free in the United Kingdom?
Not by regulation: it left the European Union and the European Economic Area with Brexit. Many carriers still include it as a commercial decision, so you have to check your own plan.
How do I know whether my plan includes it?
In your carrier's app, in the roaming section, by searching for the United Kingdom and seeing which zone it is in and whether it has a different cap.
Does Ireland count as European roaming?
The Republic of Ireland does, because it is in the Union. Northern Ireland is the United Kingdom, and at the border the phone can hop from one network to another.
And the Channel Islands?
Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man have their own networks and sit outside almost every European zone, even though the trip looks like the United Kingdom.
Is coverage good?
Yes in the cities and on main roads, with broad 5G in London. It weakens in the Highlands, in rural Wales and on trains through sparsely populated areas.
