What is data roaming and how does it work? 

Planning a getaway? Whether you’re heading to Europe or venturing further abroad, staying connected while you travel is essential. 

In this guide, we’ll explain what data roaming is and show you how to get the best value with Three’s Pay As You Go and Pay monthly SIM Only deals. 

Data roaming is when your device connects to other network providers when you’re abroad. This lets you use internet, apps, maps, and more while you’re abroad. 

As soon as you turn on your device or switch off airplane mode, it’ll connect to one of our roaming partner networks. This lets you use your device as normal. 

Find out more about how roaming works

Want to use your UK allowances abroad? Go Roam unlocks your UK minutes, texts, and up to 12GB data in over 160 destinations worldwide. 

Go Roam is split into 3 bands: 

• Go Roam in Europe
• Go Roam Around the World 
• Go Roam Around the World Extra

And depending on your Pay Monthly plan you’ll either have roaming built in or need a roaming pass. Use our destination checker to find out how much it’ll cost to use your device abroad. 

Before you travel, make sure you’re ready to roam. That includes setting your Spend Cap to an amount that covers any Go Roam Passes or Daily Roaming Charges you many need.  

We offer 3 types of Pay Monthly plan – Lite, Value, and Complete. 

Our Value and Complete plans either have roaming built in or Go Roam passes. You can check what your plan comes with, and which Go Roam destinations are included, by logging into My3 or the Three app.  

Lite plans and older Advanced plans don’t have roaming built in. So, if you’re going to a Go Roam destination, you’ll need a Go Roam pass. Plus, when you buy a Go Roam pass, you can get up to 2 days roaming free. 

Take your pick from 3 types of passes:

• Go Roam in Europe
• Go Roam Around the World 
• Go Roam Around the World Extra 

You can get yours by logging into My3 or the Three app. Choose which pass you want and whether you need it for 3, 5, 7, or 14 days. You can buy as many passes as you need in advance. They’ll activate automatically when you use your UK allowances in a Go Roam destination. 

Or you can pay to unlock your allowance when you arrive by paying the daily roaming charge.   

We’ll send you a text to let you know about any charges when you arrive in your destination. Check if you need to opt in to notifications. 

You can get yours by logging into My3 or the Three app. Choose which pass you want and whether you need it for 3, 5, 7, or 14 days. You can buy as many passes as you need in advance. They’ll activate automatically when you use your UK allowances in a Go Roam destination.

When you’re on Three Pay As You Go, you can buy Data Packs that include roaming in over 70 destinations. These packs give you a set amount of data, minutes, and texts to use abroad – no surprises, no contracts. 

Planning a trip? Stay connected with a Data Pack and enjoy seamless roaming in popular destinations including Spain, France, the USA, and more.

You can save an extra 10% with Auto-renew Data Packs that are over £10. There’s still no commitment, and you can cancel at any time.

Pay As You Go SIMs are ideal for travellers. You only pay for what you need, and with Data Packs, you can stay connected across Europe and beyond. 

Our Pay Monthly SIM Only deals are great if you’re travelling often or planning several holidays, especially if you choose a Value or Complete plan. They come with roaming built-in, so you can avoid paying extra. They also come with a whole range of extra benefits, like screen repair and Paramount+.

See our range of Pay Monthly SIM only deals today. 

eSIMs are digital SIM cards built into your phone. You can activate an eSIM instantly - no need to wait for delivery - perfect if you need a last-minute solution before jetting off. eSIMs work on most devices, but you should check compatibility first. 

New customer? Need to sort out roaming in a hurry? Buy a Pay As You Go Data Pack and select eSIM. You’ll be able to activate and use your data on the same day. 

And eSIMs are great for dual SIM use – you can keep your existing UK number and add a travel eSIM just for roaming. 

Find out more about eSIM

Roaming fees are charges for using mobile services when you're outside the UK. You can be charged per MB of data, call time you use, or text you send, if you don’t have a roaming plan in place or if you exceed your allowance.

When you arrive in a Go Roam destination, you could be charged if: 

• You’re on a Value or Complete plan and have used up your inclusive roaming and/or Go Roam passes 
• You’re on a Lite plan or an older Advanced plan and haven’t bought a Go Roam pass yet
• You’re close to the border of a destination that’s not included in Go Roam – find out more about inadvertent roaming

The standard daily charges for using your allowance in Go Roam destinations vary depending on your plan type and when you joined or upgraded. Please use our destination checker to find out what charges apply to you.

We also send you a text when you arrive abroad, letting you know of any charges you can expect while you’re there. We’ll also let you know if your Go Roam Pass or Data Travel Pass has been activated, and when they’ll end. You’ll only get these notifications if you’ve opted in. Text START to 330 to opt in.

If you have a Data Pack, you can use your allowance in both Go Roam in Europe and Go Roam Around the World destinations. 

If you’re using top up credit – or you have a Data Pack but are in a destination not included in Go Rom – local rates will apply for data, minutes, and texts. These charges will be taken from your available credit. 

Check roaming charges

Go Roam in Europe lets you use your UK allowance in 49 Go Roam in Europe destinations. It’s included in selected Pay Monthly plans and Pay As You Go plans when you buy a Data Pack. 

No. When you're in the UK, your device uses a domestic network, so roaming isn’t needed. 

This is the amount of roaming data you’ve used during your current bill cycle. You can find it in your device settings and it’s useful for monitoring your usage. 

• Domestic roaming: Rare in the UK, but it happens when you connect to a different UK network. 
• International roaming: Happens when you use your device abroad. 

If this is your first time travelling abroad with your device, you’ll need to make sure roaming is switched on.

• iPhone: Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options > Data Roaming → ON
• Samsung: Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Data Roaming → ON

You can learn about how to turn on roaming on other devices by visiting our device support site.

Follow the same steps as above and toggle data roaming to OFF. 

Roaming doesn’t have to be complicated – or expensive. When you’re with Three, you get flexibility, control, and great value whether you choose a Data Pack on Pay As You Go, or use your roaming allowance as part of a Pay Monthly plan.