News
The delays seem to rest on technical issues, with the operators reportedly needing more time to ensure that billing for the roaming services will run smoothly
After Brexit officially severed ties with EU regulations, it did not take the UK mobile operators long to announce that they would be reintroducing roaming charges for customers travelling throughout the EU.
The dominoes fell rapidly, with EE the first to bite the bullet in June 2021, announcing that they would reintroduce the charges at the start of 2022. Vodafone soon followed suit in August, while Three said in September that they would wait until the 23rd of May to reintroduce the charges.
Of the UK’s four major mobile operators, only O2 has yet to announce the reintroduction of roaming fees.
It should be remembered, however, that all four operators said throughout the Brexit process that they had no plans to reintroduce the fees, so it remains to be seen whether O2 will hold firm or ultimately join its rivals in reintroducing the charges. Of course, there is some value in being the only UK operator without roaming charges, but whether this can outweigh a huge increase in roaming revenues seems unlikely.
There is some good news for UK travellers this week, however, with reports suggesting that customers of Vodafone and EE will have a little longer yet to enjoy free roaming.
According to media reports, both Vodafone and EE are being forced to delay bringing back the charges, requiring additional time to test the process and ensure everything is running smoothly.
For Vodafone, this delay will last until the end of the month, while EE has opted for a slightly longer suspension citing technical issues, planning to bring back the charges in March.
“We have pushed back the introduction of roaming charges to the end of January, giving time for further testing to ensure the best possible experience for customers purchasing our £1 per day bundles. Until then, customers will continue to be able to roam without charges,” explained Vodafone in a statement.
How is the UK’s telecoms industry changing and what can we expect from the year ahead? From 5G to fibre, join us live for this year’s most celebrated connectivity event, Connected Britain
Also in the news:
Ericsson and HERE partner for custom mine mapping tech
Telkom seeks further delay for South African spectrum auction
Truespeed secures further £100 million in second round of funding
