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Using your mobile phone and data within the European Union
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
Mobile roaming is the ability to use your mobile phone while travelling.
The roaming rules were introduced on 15 June 2017 for travel within the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA includes any EU country plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Irish consumers travelling within the EEA can use their mobile phone to ‘Roam like at home’. This means that you can make and receive calls, and send and receive text messages in the same way you do when at home in the Republic of Ireland. It doesn’t matter which mobile network that you are connected to.
If a mobile consumer has purchased bundled services (price plans that have specific call, text, and data allowances), any roaming usage is deducted from that home bundle.
Similarly, you can also use some or all of your data allowance while roaming in the EEA.
In some cases, mobile providers will allow you to use your full data allowance while roaming. In other cases, providers are putting in place a 'fair-usage policy'. This limits the amount of data you can use from your domestic bundle. Your domestic bundle is the normal phone service package that is included in your phone contract when you are at home.
Mobile providers decide these limits based on your domestic bundle and the type of contract (bill pay or prepay) and data allowance it includes.
The most you can be charged when roaming in the EU and you have used up your domestic bundle, is 3.2 cents per minute of voice call made (plus VAT).
The most you can be charged when roaming in the EU and you have used up your domestic bundle, is 1 cent per text message (plus VAT).
The most you can be charged when roaming in the EU and you have used up your domestic bundle, is €4.50 per gigabyte (GB) of data (plus VAT).
You may be unsure what your roaming data allowance is, but your mobile provider will confirm this for you by text when you arrive at your EU destination. You can also check this allowance before you travel by contacting your mobile provider.
If you have been charged more than the rates above you can get in touch with ComReg using the green button below.