More than half of Brits planning their trip could be affected by the ‘phantom’ problem which has been explained by an expert
Those whose phones are roaming may find staycations cause problems (stock image) (Image: Getty)
Millions of Brits could be hit by unexpected roaming charges while on holiday in the UK. With Brits opting for staycations in other parts of the country they may be surprised to learn that roaming charges on their mobile phone, which is often triggered when entering a European country, could apply at home too.
More than one in four Brits (26%) planning a staycation this summer are heading to the South West – Cornwall, Devon and the Dorset coast – making it Britain’s most popular domestic destination, while the Kent coast and South East England follow in second place (13%). These trips could trigger roaming charges even when you’re in the UK.
Paul Williams, a commuter from Deal in Kent, experiences this regularly: “Every day on my commute from Deal in Kent, my train runs along the White Cliffs, and my phone often picks up a French mobile signal. I regularly get a text welcoming me to France, even though I’m still in the UK.
“Fortunately, I always keep roaming switched off, so I’ve never been caught out by unexpected charges. But it shows just how easy it would be for someone to unknowingly connect to an overseas network and end up with a costly roaming bill without ever leaving the country.”
Inadvertent roaming could occur if your phone connects to a stronger, foregin network rather than one based in the UK. This is most likely to happen in coastal and border areas. There are ways to prevent connecting to foreign networks as Brits headed to staycation hotspots are told to make a manual change in their settings.
Those who find themselves roaming were told to turn it off in their settings (stock image) (Image: Getty)
Simrat Sharma, Uswitch mobiles expert, says: “You don’t need to board a plane to face a roaming bill – and with millions of Brits heading to coastal and border regions this summer, many could be in for a nasty surprise.
“When automatic network selection is turned on, your phone connects to whatever signal is strongest – and in coastal areas, that can sometimes mean latching onto a foreign network without ever realising it. Turning off roaming in your settings is the simplest way to avoid being charged.
“Switching it off and manually selecting your UK network before you head to a coastal or border area is the simplest way to stay protected, and it takes two minutes. Most providers also let you set a spend cap or block data roaming altogether through their app – it’s worth doing both before you go.
“If you do get caught out, contact your provider straight away – some will waive the charges, but it’s not guaranteed, so the sooner you flag it, the better.”