Virgin Media O2 says it will not reintroduce roaming charges in EU
Virgin Media O2 has said that its customers will be able to “roam free” in Europe after it confirmed that it will not reintroduce charges for using mobile allowances.
While EE, Vodafone and Three are all planning to bring back roaming fees for those travelling in the EU in the coming months, Virgin Media O2 said that it will not follow suit as it emphasised its desire to be a “customer-first” business.
“With many Brits now looking to plan a trip abroad, we’ve got our customers covered and extra roaming charges will be one less thing to worry about,” Virgin Media O2’s Gareth Turpin said in a statement.
The move by the newly formed provider, which was created when Virgin Media and O2 came together last year, was welcomed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who tweeted his approval on Monday.
It means that Virgin Mobile and O2 users can roam inclusively, accessing their data, calls and texts while in the EU without the fear of racking up additional charges.
Virgin Media O2 said that it could save a family of four holidaying for two weeks abroad from paying an additional £100, with that figure based on rates that rival providers have set out.
Vodafone and EE have both recently delayed the return of roaming, with industry experts surmising that providers are taking more time to review their systems to prevent a backlash from customers.
While roaming charges were abolished by the EU in 2017, mobile operators were given the opportunity to reintroduce them after the UK left the bloc in late 2020.
Sue Davis, who works for Which?, said that Virgin Media O2’s decision was “reassuring” and urged the UK and EU to come up with a deal that prevents companies from “chipping away” at roaming benefits.