Travelling in Europe​ ​

When travelling to Europe, roaming in our Europe Zone will be included in your UK allowance unless your contract states otherwise. So your minutes, texts and data will work in our Europe Zone, just like they do at home (up to 35GB for Unlimited data tariffs). ​ ​

Usage not included in your allowances:​

  • Making calls or sending texts to premium rate numbers ​
  • Calls to non-geographic numbers​
  • Making calls or sending texts from within the Europe Zone to a destination outside the Europe Zone​ ​

Our Europe Zone covers these 48 destinations​

Austria, Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus*, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Vatican City​

*Excluding North Cyprus​

Pricing

Small Biz tariff charging in our Europe Zone (prices charged per minute, unless stated)
Call to UK Call within country Call within Europe Zone Call outside Europe Zone Receiving a call Texts (each) Multimedia Messages (each) Data used over UK allowance (per MB)​
Roam like at home (uses your UK allowance)​ £0.79 Free Roam like at home (uses your UK allowance)​ £0.40 £0.03

If you’re on a tariff with unlimited data you can use up to 35GB per billing month in our Europe Zone. Once that's used up you can continue to use data, which will be charged at 0.2p per MB.​

Terms and conditions for:

  • Small business inclusive minutes and texts tariff 
  • 35GB fair usage terms for Unlimited data tariffs  
  • Business Fair Usage Policy

When you’re making a call to 08, 09 and 118 numbers, the charge is split into two parts. There’s the access charge, which is what we charge you per minute for connecting the call. Then there’s the service charge, which is decided by the organisation you’re calling, so they have to make you aware of the charge. The total cost of the call will be the access charge plus the provider’s service charge.​

If you’re making a service call you should check the prices with the provider. They’re often operated by third parties so we can’t let you know when their prices change.​

Our access charge is £0.45 per minute​.


Business tariff charging in our Europe Zone (prices charged per minute, unless stated)
Call to UK Call within country Call within Europe Zone Call outside Europe Zone Receiving a call Texts (each) Multimedia Messages (each) Data used over UK allowance (per MB)​
Roam like at home (uses your UK allowance)​ £0.79 Free Roam like at home (uses your UK allowance)​ £0.21 Business tariffs - £0.025​

Business Data Only – £0.03

Business Data Only SIM Only - £0.03

If you’re on a tariff with unlimited data you can use up to 35GB per billing month in our Europe Zone. Once that’s used up you can continue to use data, which will be charged at 0.2p per MB.

Terms and conditions for:

  • Medium business inclusive minutes and texts tariff (includes the 35GB fair usage terms for Unlimited data tariffs)
  • Business Fair Usage Policy

When you’re making a call to 08, 09 and 118 numbers, the charge is split into two parts. There’s the access charge, which is what we charge you per minute for connecting the call. Then there’s the service charge, which is decided by the organisation you’re calling, so they have to make you aware of the charge. The total cost of the call will be the access charge plus the provider’s service charge.

If you’re making a service call you should check the prices with the provider. They’re often operated by third parties so we can’t let you know when their prices change.

Our access charge is £0.37 per minute​.


What do I do if I've run out of data?

If you run out of data, you (or the admin user from your company) can buy a Bolt On by calling: 

Data size Price
100MB £2.50
500MB £5.00
1GB £8.33
2GB £12.50


Mobile Broadband tariffs and Data Only tariffs are often used in laptops, tablets or dongles. They can only use data and won’t be able to make calls. Some devices may allow text messages to be sent or received.  ​


Public sector tariff charging in our Europe Zone

If you’re in a public sector organisation on the RM6261 framework (launched Jan 2023), please get in touch with the person who’s responsible for your mobile agreement with us to check your pricing.

They can view the pricing on the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) eMarketplace, or via an email request to us at publicprocurement@virginmedia.co.uk.

If you’re in a public sector organisation on the RM3808 Lot 6 framework (launched August 2019) please contact the person who’s responsible for your mobile agreement with us to check your pricing. They can email us at publicprocurement@virginmedia.co.uk


General advice 

When travelling abroad check the settings on your device and set operating systems and apps to update manually or over WiFi only. You can always change the settings back when you return.  

If the operating system or apps update automatically while you’re away you could use up some of your data allowance or even exceed it, which might mean additional charges. 

Voicemail

In many countries you can dial 901 and be connected to your voicemail. Some networks aren’t compatible with our short codes and you’ll need to know your voicemail retrieval number (VRN).

Dial 1780 when you’re in the UK (or +44 7802 090100 if you’re away) to receive your VRN – you’ll hear it read out to you and receive it in a text. Save it. 

If you dial 901 and hear your own greeting press * and enter your voicemail PIN. The PIN must be changed from the default (8705) before leaving the UK.  


Billing

Sometimes the information when you’re roaming takes longer to be returned and land on your bill. We try to include them on the next available bill. 


Emergency Services

In our Europe Zone dial 112 to contact the emergency services. 


Controlling your Spend – Spend Cap

Some of our tariffs allow you to choose a Spend Cap to control spend on out-of-bundle charges. Any chargeable usage outside of end user monthly allowance or outside of any Bolt On allowance will count towards end user Spend Cap. 

Spend Cap is available on the following tariffs: 

  • Small Biz   
  • Business Unlimited with an individual data allowance 
  • Business Data Only and Business Data SIM Only 
  • Public sector (RM6261 Framework) with an individual data allowance 

An individual data allowance means that each user has their own allocation of data, for example the business owner has 70GB and the employees have 6GB each. 

Spend Cap isn’t available on tariffs where a data allowance is shared across a number of users. 

If you have a Spend Cap set up it will control your spend while you’re travelling in our Europe Zone. You can choose from a range of Spend Cap values (£0, £5, £10, £15, £20, £30, £50, £75, £100 and £200) and when you reach your Spend Cap value, any further chargeable out of bundle usage won’t be possible. You’ll always be able to make calls to O2 customer services, access our website and make calls to emergency services from your O2 mobile. 

We’ll send you a text when you reach 50% and 100% of the Spend Cap value. 

Spend Cap can be viewed, added or amended using My O2 Business if you’re the admin user for your company.  

Changes that are made through My O2 Business will be completed within 24 hours.  

If the Spend Cap needs to be removed completely, please contact us: 

  • Small Biz customers –  +44 808 100 4439  
  • VIP customers call your usual service team 
  • Business customers –  +44 800 588 4211
  • Business customers through one of our Partners – please contact your Partner directly 
  • Public sector customers –  +44 800 090 1786

Accidental roaming 

Accidental roaming occurs when you're in an area close to a national border and your phone picks up the network across the border. If this happens you may be charged as though you were roaming in the country across the border.  

It can happen when you’re close to an international border. Examples: 

  • A device located in Northern Ireland can pick up a mobile network from the Republic of Ireland  
  • In Cyprus, if you’re close to the border, devices can pick up a mobile network either in Republic of Cyprus (within our Europe Zone) or from the Turkish side of the island which sits outside our Europe Zone  
How will I know?

When your mobile connects to a new network for more than five minutes, we send you a text message saying, “Welcome to …”. If you receive a message that says a different country to the one you’re in, your phone has picked up a mobile network from across the border.

For example, you’re in France and the message says “Welcome to Andorra...”  


What is the impact?

Some destinations that are next to each other geographically aren’t in the same charging zone when roaming. So you may receive a higher bill than you expect if you’re connected to a network across an international border. 

In the last example , France is within our Europe Zone, so you can use your minutes, texts and data just like you do at home, subject to any roaming limits. But if the device has connected to a network in Andorra you’ll be charged per minute, per text and for a Rest of World Pass for data usage. Find out more about charges when travelling outside Europe and Rest of World Pass.

Check our rates in other zones outside Europe.  


How can I prevent it?

If you’re only travelling to one destination you can manually choose one of the mobile networks for your current destination.

Visit our devices page for guidance on how to do this. Select your device manufacturer, then device, connectivity and network, select network.


How to switch off roaming

You can switch your data roaming off when you're abroad, as apps on your phone might connect to the internet to update or get information even when you're not using them. Switching data roaming off makes sure that you won't get charged. For help with this take a look at our interactive device guide. When data roaming is switched off you'll still have the option to connect to local WiFi hotspots to get onto the internet. Some WiFi hotspots in your chosen destination may require payment, so we recommend you enquire beforehand. 


Opting out of roaming notifications 

You can choose to opt out of our roaming notifications. This means that every time you travel outside the UK we won’t send you a message to confirm what charges will apply. The rates we charge vary depending on the destination you’re in, so if you opt out of the message and are unaware of the charges you might receive a higher bill than you were expecting.  

If you decide to opt out, there are two ways you can do this: 

Send a text with STOP to 880022 and you’ll be opted out until you opt back in again 

The company administrator for your account can contact us to opt you out. The change will be applied within eight working days. 

We’ll send a reminder that you have opted out once a year and give you the option to opt back in again.  

If you change your mind just text START to 880022 and we’ll opt you back in within 24 hours. 

If you want to check whether you’re opted in or out, send a text with the word STATUS to 880022. 

Using your mobile on a cruise ship or aeroplane

Some cruise ships and aeroplanes give you the ability to connect to their onboard mobile network. When connected to these networks you can make calls or send texts but data won’t be available. 

Small Biz tariff charging (prices charged per minute, unless stated)
Zone Call to UK Call within country Call within Zone Call outside Zone Receiving a call Texts (each) Multimedia messages (each)
6 £1.20 £1.20 £1.79 £1.79 £0.85 £0.40 £0.40

 


Business tariff charging (prices charged per minute, unless stated)​
Zone Call to UK Call within country Call within Zone Call outside Zone Receiving a call Texts (each) Multimedia messages (each)
6 £1.20 £1.20 £1.79 £1.79 £0.85 £0.40 £0.21

 


Public sector tariff

If you’re in a public sector organisation on the RM6261 framework (launched Jan 2023), please contact the person who’s responsible for your mobile agreement with us to check your pricing for using the service on a cruise ship or aeroplane. Usage is charged at our Zone 6 pricing.

They can view the pricing on the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) eMarketplace, or via an email request to us at publicprocurement@virginmedia.co.uk.

If you’re in a public sector organisation on the RM3808 Lot 6 framework (launched August 2019) please contact the person who’s responsible for your mobile agreement with us to check your pricing. They can email us at publicprocurement@virginmedia.co.uk.


Mobile Network Switch Off

Mobile networks around the world are planning and delivering the shutdown of some of the older technologies: 2G and 3G. O2 is the same and we’ve announced that we’ll begin switching 3G services off in 2025.  

Each network will have its own plan for closing down. Some USA carriers have already turned off both of their 2G and 3G networks, which means that the only way to make voice calls is over 4G. You need to have a compatible device and tariff and be ready for 4G calling.  

If you can make calls over 4G in the UK, you’ll be able to use it when roaming as well.  

More networks will close down one or both of the 2G and 3G networks in the coming years. The USA is currently the only destination that’s fully on 4G calling. Take a look at our USA roaming page for lots of useful information to help you.  

Data caps

To try and help you not to run up a big bill, if your tariff isn’t Spend Cap compatible or you’ve chosen not to take a Spend Cap, we apply a data cap at £36 – unless you ask us to apply the Heavy User cap or opt out of data capping altogether. 

This table outlines the two available data caps, the cost at which we’ll stop usage and the amount of data that equates to. 

  Data cap value Data limit
Default data cap £36 6MB
Heavy user cap £150 25MB

Get in touch if you’d like to check your status or make any changes to your data cap: 

  • Small Biz customers –  +44 808 100 4439  
  • VIP customers call your usual service team 
  • Business customers –  +44 800 588 4211  
  • Business customers through one of our Partners – please contact your Partner directly 
  • Public sector customers –  +44 800 090 1786 

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