A significant change to mobile phone plans came into effect today, as UK regulator Ofcom introduced new rules regarding roaming charges on October 1, reported Wales Online. From now on, operators are mandated to inform customers when they start roaming abroad and provide transparent details about the charges applied, ensuring customers can make educated decisions on their mobile phone usage while overseas.
Under the new regulations, operators must disclose any fair use limits or time restrictions, offer the option to set spending caps to manage expenses, and direct customers to additional information on roaming. The shift in rules follows the UK’s departure from the European Union, which rendered the EU ‘roam like at home’ regulations and UK laws on alerting customers about roaming charges obsolete.
According to an Ofcom review, the information provided to consumers has been inconsistent and unclear, leading to instances where 19% of holidaymakers were unaware of incurring extra charges while using their phones abroad. Moreover, 18% confessed they did not research roaming charges before travelling. Notably, the review highlighted the issue of “inadvertent roaming,” where phones connect to networks in different countries despite the user not being physically present there.
Ofcom’s Director of Telecoms Consumer Policy, Cristina Luna-Esteban, emphasised the importance of the new protections for travellers, ensuring they are informed of costs when roaming to avoid unexpected bills upon returning from trips. The regulations also address the specific problem of accidental roaming near Northern Ireland’s border and along the English coast, where connections to foreign networks can occur.
Moving forward, customers will receive prompt alerts if they unexpectedly start roaming, with additional guidance for those in border areas due to heightened risks of inadvertent roaming. These measures aim to provide clarity and prevent surprises in mobile bills while abroad, offering peace of mind to consumers.