Tesco Mobile roaming explained for international & EU countries

By Adrian Vincent - 30 Oct 2023, 18:09 Tesco Mobile roaming - International roaming with Tesco Mobile explained

For all Tesco Mobile pay monthly customers, until 2025, you can use your normal allowance and roam in the EU for free with Tesco Mobile. This is called ‘Home From Home’, and works in 48 European destinations.

However, if you joined Tesco Mobile on or after 16 June 2022, you will no longer be able to roam for free from January 2025 onwards. You won’t be able to use your data allowance - instead, you will be charged separately at 10p / MB for data (calls and texts will continue to be free, however).

If you joined Tesco Mobile before 16 June 2022, you can continue to roam for free after January 2025 as long as you don’t upgrade or renew your contract. The moment you renew or upgrade your contract, the new rules for 2025 will apply, and you will be charged for EU roaming.

Tesco Mobile have pushed back the introduction of EU roaming charges 3 times. Initially, roaming charges were to be introduced from January 2023, however this was pushed back to May 2023, followed by another delay until 2024, and again until 2025.

To summarise, you can roam for free in the EU for the rest of 2023 and 2024, regardless of when you joined Tesco Mobile. However from 2025 onwards, you may be charged for EU roaming, depending on when you joined Tesco Mobile, or if you choose to upgrade or renew your contract.

What's the best Tesco Mobile SIM plan for roaming?

With Tesco Mobile, all SIM Only contracts include free EU roaming for the rest of 2025, allowing you to use your regular allowance at no additional cost.

You can find the best Tesco Mobile SIM Only deals by using our comparison tools. Tesco Mobile SIMs will work with all phones, including the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 and Apple iPhone 16.

Tesco Mobile EU roaming - after Brexit

Tesco Mobile EU roaming - after Brexit

Previously, Tesco Mobile stated they had no plans to introduce EU roaming charges after Brexit.

However, this policy has now changed, with charges being introduced from 1 January 2025 onwards.

Last year, Tesco Mobile announced they were introducing EU roaming charges from January 2023, before pushing the date back to May 2023, followed by a delay until 2024, and now until 2025.

Free EU roaming will remain for the rest of 2023 and 2024, regardless of when you joined Tesco Mobile.

If you joined Tesco Mobile before 16 June 2022, free EU roaming will continue from 1 January 2025 onwards, as long as you don’t upgrade or renew your contract. The moment you upgrade or renew your contract, the new rules will apply, and you will be charged for EU roaming.

If you joined Tesco Mobile on or after 16 June 2022, roaming charges will begin on 1 January 2025.

EU roaming charges for 2025 will be 10p / MB for data. However, calls and texts will continue to be free when roaming in the EU, including calls and texts back to the UK, and within EU countries.

For the rest of 2025, you can roam for free within the following 48 European destinations (called 'Home From Home'). If you go over your regular allowance, you will be charged at the same out of plan rate as if you were in the UK:

  1. Austria
  2. Azores
  3. Belgium
  4. Bulgaria
  5. Canary Islands
  6. Croatia
  7. Republic of Cyprus
  8. Czech Republic
  9. Denmark
  10. Estonia
  11. Finland
  12. France
  13. French Guyana
  14. Germany
  15. Gibraltar
  16. Greece
  17. Guadeloupe
  18. Guernsey
  19. Hungary
  20. Iceland
  21. Ireland (Republic of)
  22. Isle of Man
  23. Jersey
  24. Italy
  25. Latvia
  26. Liechtenstein
  27. Lithuania
  28. Luxembourg
  29. Madeira
  30. Malta
  31. Martinique
  32. Mayotte
  33. Monaco
  34. Netherlands
  35. Norway
  36. Poland
  37. Portugal
  38. Reunion
  39. Romania
  40. San Marino
  41. Slovakia
  42. Slovenia
  43. Spain
  44. St. Martin
  45. St. Barts
  46. Sweden
  47. Switzerland
  48. Vatican City

Tesco Mobile roaming fair usage policy

Tesco Mobile roaming fair usage policy

There is no fair usage policy for the amount of data you can use when roaming in the EU with Tesco Mobile.

However, you must be considered as someone who resides most of their time in the UK. Tesco Mobile will monitor your usage over a 4 month period - if the amount of data you use for 2 months when in an EU country is more than your average UK usage for the previous 2 months, you will be considered as someone who is breaking the fair usage policy for free EU roaming.

If you break the fair usage policy for free EU roaming, you will be warned by text message, where you will have 2 weeks to reduce your EU usage. If you don't reduce your usage after 2 weeks, there will be a surcharge of 0.35p per MB of data you continue to use - this will be charged on top of your normal data allowance.

Further misuse may result in your service being limited or your SIM disconnected.

Can I roam outside the EU with Tesco Mobile?

Can I roam outside the EU with Tesco Mobile?

You can roam and use Tesco Mobile in most countries outside the EU.

You won’t be able to use your regular allowance. Instead, you will be charged at an out of plan rate.

Country Data Making calls Receiving calls Sending texts Receiving texts
Australia £5 / MB 89p / minute 89p / minute 40p / text Free
Canda £5 / MB 89p / minute 89p / minute 40p / text Free
India £5 / MB £1.49 / minute £1.49 / minute 40p / text Free
New Zealand £5 / MB 89p / minute 89p / minute 40p / text Free
USA £5 / MB 89p / minute 89p / minute 40p / text Free

These charges can be expensive, so it’s important to plan ahead. You can find a full list of roaming charges from Tesco Mobile roaming rates or the Tesco Mobile app.

Can I get 5G when roaming with Tesco Mobile?

Currently, Tesco Mobile 5G is only available within the UK. The maximum signal you can receive outside the UK is 4G.

Tesco Mobile data bundles when roaming

Tesco Mobile data bundles will work in the EU for until 2025. From 1 January 2025 onwards, the new rules will apply, and you may not be able to use data bundles within the EU depending on when you joined Tesco Mobile (see above).

The following shows the cost of data bundles for pay monthly and pay as you go customers. Your allowance will expire at the start of your next billing cycle, and will not rollover to the following month:

Data Price
500MB £3
1GB £6
2GB £8.50
5GB £12
10GB £17
20GB £22
50GB £40
100GB £55

You can purchase a data bundle through a number of ways:

Tesco Mobile data cap

To ensure you don't receive an expensive bill, Tesco Mobile will automatically cap your data usage to £40 per month when roaming.

Once you reach the £40 limit, data will stop working until you pay the amount. You can pay by calling 4455 from your Tesco Mobile number. Once paid, data will start working again within 2 hours.

If you don't want the £40 limit, you can disable it via My Account or by calling 4455 from your Tesco Mobile number.

FAQs

Can I roam for free in the EU with Tesco Mobile?

For the rest of 2023 and 2024, you can roam for free in 48 European destinations with Tesco Mobile.

However, roaming charges may apply from 1 January 2025 onwards. This depends on when you joined Tesco Mobile, and whether you have upgraded or renewed your contract.

How can I setup my phone to roam with Tesco Mobile?

Before roaming with Tesco Mobile, you must enable roaming in your phone’s settings.

For Android users:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Go to Connections -> Mobile networks -> Roaming
  3. Enable Data roaming

For iPhone users:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Go to Mobile data -> Mobile Data Options
  3. Enable Data Roaming

Will I be charged if I go over my allowance when roaming with Tesco Mobile?

If you're roaming within the EU in 2023 or 2024 and you go over your regular allowance, you will be charged at the same rate as if you were in the UK (10p / MB). From 2025, free EU roaming will no longer exist, and you will be charged regardless of your regular allowance.

For countries outside the EU, you will be charged at a separate out of plan rate.

Can I tether to another device when roaming with Tesco Mobile?

Yes, you can tether to as many devices as you like when roaming with Tesco Mobile. Any regular data limitations that apply when roaming will also apply when tethering.