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. Understanding how mobile data roaming works means you can do everything from getting directions, to booking taxis and translating menus with your phone without surprise charges for using your data. 

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 lets your phone connect to mobile networks outside the UK, so you can use your internet, apps, and maps while abroad, just like you do when you’re at home.

When you’re in the UK, you’re connected to the network run by your phone provider. When you travel abroad, your phone will automatically connect to a local network, one which has partnered with your UK provider, so you can carry on using your device as normal.

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.

Prefer a Pay Monthly SIM Only plan? Three offers fantastic roaming options as part of our Go Roam feature. With Go Roam, you can use your UK allowance in over 160 destinations worldwide, including popular spots like Italy, Greece, and Canada. 

Our Go Roam destinations are split into 3 bands:

• Go Roam in Europe, which gives you roaming in up to 49 destinations
• Go Roam Around the World, which gives you roaming in up to 71 destinations
• Go Roam Around the World Extra, which gives you roaming in all 163 destinations

Browse our roaming destinations, to see which band your destination sits in. 

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

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

Lite plans and our older Advanced plans don’t come with any inclusive roaming. If you’re travelling to a Go Roam location, you’ll need to get a Go Roam pass. Don’t forget, you can get up to 2 days roaming free when you buy a Go Roam pass. 

Alternatively, you can pay to unlock your allowance when you arrive by paying the daily roaming charge (see Roaming charges: Pay Monthly plans below).

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

If you need unlimited data while you’re abroad, you can get a Data Passport. It costs £7 a day and unlocks unlimited data in 89 destinations worldwide. 

Pay As You Go SIMs are ideal for travellers. You only pay for what you need, and with Three’s roaming-inclusive Data Packs, you can stay connected across Europe and beyond. You can order a Pay As You Go SIM online for free.  

Three’s 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 destinations 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, which is 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 either used up your inclusive roaming and/or Go Roam passes 
• You're on a Lite plan or an older Advanced plan, and haven't yet purchased a Go Roam pass 
• You’re travelling to a location that’s not included within Go Roam

The standard daily charges for using your allowance in our Go Roam destinations are: 

• Go Roam in Europe costs £2 a day 
• Go Roam Around the World costs £5 a day 
• Go Roam Around the World Extra costs £7 a day

Charges will vary for destinations outside of Go Roam. You can find out how much it costs for your destination here. 

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 travelling to a destination that’s not included in the Go Roam Around the World band – local rates will apply for your data, minutes, and text use and these charges will be deducted from your available credit. 

You can check out local charges for your destination here. 

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

This refers to the amount of roaming data you've used during your current billing cycle. You can find it in your phone’s settings to help monitor 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 phone 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.