- Over half of UK adults (51%) are planning a UK staycation this year – but millions risk roaming charges without ever leaving the country[1]
- More than five million, or one in 10 (10%), say their phone has already connected to an overseas network while they were still in the UK, triggering a roaming charge or alert, despite nearly three in four (76%) Brits thinking it’s impossible or never having heard of it [2][3]
- The south coast of England – where phones can pick up French networks in Kent and Sussex – and the Northern Ireland border, where devices can connect to Ireland's networks, are the UK's highest-risk areas for inadvertent roaming [4]
- Paul Williams, from Deal in Kent, gets a text welcoming him to France almost every time he commutes past the White Cliffs – despite never leaving British soil
Uswitch.com mobiles expert Simrat Sharma explains why inadvertent roaming happens, which networks could charge you, and what you're entitled to if you're caught out Over half of UK adults (51%) are planning a UK staycation or domestic holiday in 2026[1] – but millions could be hit by unexpected roaming charges without ever leaving the country, according to new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
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%).[5] The South East is also one of the UK's known risk areas for inadvertent roaming: Kent's coast near Dover and Folkestone, where the Channel narrows to just 21 miles and phones can pick up French networks.[4]
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 happens when a phone automatically connects to a stronger foreign network rather than a UK one – most commonly in coastal and border areas. Yet nearly three-quarters (76%) of UK adults either believed this was impossible or simply didn't know it could happen.[2]
More than 5 million – one in 10 (9.8%) – say their phone has already connected to a foreign network while they were still in the UK, resulting in a roaming charge or alert.[3]
Of those who have experienced inadvertent roaming, nearly two in five (39%) didn't know they could dispute the charges[6] – and over half (52%) either took no action or paid without questioning the bill.[7] In most cases, contacting your provider directly is the quickest way to query a charge, though a refund isn't guaranteed.
Since 2024, providers are required to alert customers as soon as they start roaming and to take reasonable steps to stop Northern Ireland customers being billed when their phone locks onto an Irish network.[4] Yet despite these protections, millions of Brits remain unaware of the risk – or of their right to dispute any charges that result.
Whether a charge applies at all depends on the network. EE, Sky Mobile and Vodafone/Three/VOXI are the UK networks that do not include EU roaming as standard – meaning customers on those networks could face a daily charge if their device picks up a foreign signal near the coast or border.
Other providers – O2, Lebara, Tesco Mobile, iD Mobile, giffgaff, SMARTY and Talkmobile – include EU roaming in their plans, so inadvertent roaming should not trigger additional charges.[8]
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."
Visit Uswitch.com for more roaming advice.
-ENDS-
For more information
Harriet Atkinson | Telecoms PR Manager
harriet.atkinson@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Table: How UK networks handle inadvertent roaming
| Network | EU roaming as standard? | If your phone inadvertently connects to a foreign network |
|---|---|---|
| EE | No | A daily roaming charge may apply. Customers receive a landing message alerting them to the network change and any associated costs. If charged incorrectly, customers are refunded where appropriate. Roaming can be switched off in handset settings or via the EE app, or a roaming bar can be requested. |
| Vodafone / Three / VOXI | No | As EU roaming isn't included as standard, a charge could apply if this happens. Customers receive an alert when their phone connects to a network in a new destination. Data roaming on maritime networks is barred by default for Vodafone consumer customers. Customers can reduce the risk by switching off data roaming, setting a spend cap, or manually selecting their UK network, and should contact customer services to request a review if charged for inadvertent roaming. |
| Sky Mobile | No | EU roaming isn't included as standard. Sky's Roaming Passport Plus charges £2 a day, which activates automatically when the phone is used on a foreign network, so a charge could apply if a device latches onto a French or Irish signal and is then used. Customers can avoid this by switching off data roaming or manually selecting their UK network, and should contact Sky to query any charge from inadvertent roaming |
| O2 | Yes – included | EU roaming is included as standard. An inadvertent connection to a French or Irish network should not trigger additional charges. |
| Tesco Mobile | Yes – included | EU roaming is included as standard. An inadvertent connection to a foreign network should not trigger additional charges. |
| iD Mobile | Yes – included | EU roaming is included as standard. An inadvertent connection to a foreign network should not trigger additional charges. |
| giffgaff | Yes – included | EU roaming is included as standard. An inadvertent connection to a foreign network should not trigger additional charges. |
| SMARTY | Yes – included | EU roaming is included as standard. An inadvertent connection to a foreign network should not trigger additional charges. |
| Talkmobile | Yes – included | EU roaming is included as standard. An inadvertent connection to a foreign network should not trigger additional charges. |
| Lebara | Yes – included | EU roaming is included as standard. An inadvertent connection to a foreign network should not trigger additional charges. |
Notes to editors
Research conducted online by Opinium, 19–23 June 2026, among 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative.
- Q1: "Are you planning a UK staycation or domestic holiday in 2026?" — 51.1% of UK adults said yes.
- Q3: "To the best of your knowledge, is the following statement true or false? 'In some areas, mobile phones can accidentally connect to foreign networks while you're still in the UK'" — 76.3% of UK adults either said false or didn't know.
- Q4: "...Have you ever experienced your mobile phone connecting to an overseas network while you were still in the UK, resulting in roaming charges or a roaming alert?" — 9.8% of UK adults said yes. Based on an adult UK population of approximately 54 million, this equates to more than 5 million people.
- Ofcom, "New mobile roaming alert protections for UK holidaymakers": https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/bills-and-charges/new-mobile-roaming-alert-protections. Figures cited: 14% of UK mobile customers have experienced inadvertent roaming, rising to 22% of Northern Ireland customers and including 2% of customers on the English coast who have connected to French networks.
- Q2: "You mentioned you are planning a UK staycation for 2026. Which of these regions are you likely to visit?" — 26% said South West England (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset coast); 13% said South East England (Kent coast, Dover, Folkestone). Base: UK adults planning a staycation, weighted n=1,022.
- Q8: "Thinking of the times you experienced accidental roaming, are the following statements true or false to you? — I didn't know I could dispute the charges for accidental roaming." — 39.2% said true. Base: those who experienced inadvertent roaming in Q4, weighted n=196.
- Q7: "You mentioned you experienced accidental roaming charges in the UK. What happened next?" — 51.6% either took no action or paid without questioning the bill. Base: those who received roaming charges in Q4, weighted n=58; figures are indicative only.
- Network inadvertent roaming policies: see table above.