According to the European Commission, mobile “roaming” will remain free within the European Union until 2032.
In a press release announcing the agreement to extend the free roaming policy, the European Commission said:
Citizens will be able to call, text and use mobile data while traveling within the EU at no extra costs and with the same quality they experience at home; they will have improved access to emergency communications regardless of where they are in Europe; and, they will have the right to clear information when a service they use while roaming might cause inadvertent extra charges. The regulation will enter into force on July 1st 2022.
Prior to 2017, when roaming charges were abolished in the EU, travelers across Europe would often get hit with excessive phone bills upon returning home, with network operators charging exorbitant fees for calls, text, and data used abroad. Years of campaigning saw that the practice was stopped.
Given that the United Kingdom has formally exited the European Union, UK residents won’t be able to enjoy the benefits of free roaming when they use their phones abroad. Originally, EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone – the largest mobile operators in the UK – stated they had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges after Brexit, but all have since announced changes, some under a “fair use” clause.