What does the scrapping of EU roaming charges mean for UK mobile users?

It's just a couple of days until new EU regulations come into force which makes European roaming charges a thing of the past. Put simply, all mobile operators will have to permit their customers to use their bundled text, call and data allowance within the EU at no extra charge from June 15.

With many UK travelers caught out by high mobile bills after a trip, this change should be great news. But consumer watchdog Which? warns that there could be a catch, and mobile users are warned to continue to keep an eye on their bills.

The problem stems from the fact that the new regulation refers only to bundled data, minutes and texts. Carriers are legally obliged to allow these to be used in the EU just as they can be back at home in the UK -- no more two-tier charging and no need to buy add-on bundles to cover your time away.

The European Union says:

Consumers will be able to use their mobile device when traveling in the EU, paying the same prices as at home, i.e, to "Roam like at Home". Any voice call, SMS and data session made while traveling abroad in the EU will be deducted from the monthly package of minutes, SMS and data in the home country with no extra charges.

While the EU's regulation means you can get better value from your existing tariff when abroad, things might not be quite so rosy when you have eaten through your monthly allowance. Which? warns:

The EU regulations say that you cannot be charged more for using your data, minutes and texts abroad than you would be in the UK -- this includes out-of-bundle charges. But these charges vary significantly with some providers, such as Three charging just 3p per minute while Vodafone charges 55p.

Texts are relatively inexpensive across the board, the cheapest we found was Three again, it charges 2p per text, while Vodafone is the most expensive at 25p per text.

Data is more complex since some providers charge per megabyte while other providers have bolt-ons with 250MB or more. Three completed the low cost hat-trick – its data is only 1p per megabyte. Sky’s is the same price, although you need to buy 1GB for £10.

Managing director of home products and services at Which?, Alex Neill, says:

Many will reap the benefits of these changes and will no longer be put off from making calls abroad. However, it is important that you take a close look at what is or isn't included in your current mobile deal. Not knowing what's included could lead to some surprising charges on your next bill.

Which? points out that it can be easy to rack up large bills by calling the EU from the UK. Such calls are not covered by the new regulation, so "providers are free to charge what they like." It's also important to note when visiting Turkey that the country is not a member of the EU, so roaming charges still apply.

Then, of course, there is the question of what happens post-Brexit...

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