Virgin Mobile roaming explained for international & EU countries

By Adrian Vincent - 30 Oct 2023, 18:06 Virgin Mobile roaming - International roaming with Virgin Mobile explained

With Roam Like Home from Virgin Mobile, you roam and use your regular allowance for free within the EU.

Despite Britain leaving the EU, Virgin Mobile do not have any plans to introduce EU roaming charges.

If you go over your regular allowance when roaming in the EU, you will only be charged at the same standard out of plan rate as if you were in the UK.

Outside the EU, you can roam in most countries around the world, however you will be charged at an out of plan rate and won’t be able to use your regular allowance.

Following the merger between O2 and Virgin Media, Virgin Mobile customers will be transitioned to O2 plans by the end of 2023, which have slightly different roaming rules, but still includes free EU roaming.

Where can I find the best Virgin Mobile SIM deals for roaming?

All Virgin Mobile SIMs include free EU roaming at no additional cost.

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

Virgin Mobile EU roaming - after Brexit

Virgin Mobile EU roaming - after Brexit

With Roam Like Home, you can use your data, minutes and texts within the EU at no additional cost.

You can call and text back to the UK, and within or to other Roam Like Home destinations.

Virgin Mobile do not have any plans to introduce charges when using your allowance within the EU.

You can roam for free within the following 43 European countries:

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

Does Virgin Mobile have a fair usage policy when roaming?

Virgin Mobile's fair usage policy states you cannot roam for in the EU for 4 or more consecutive months.

Up until recently, Virgin Mobile had a limit on the amount of data you could use when roaming in the EU, depending on the cost of your plan.

This rule no longer exists, meaning you can use the same amount of data within your allowance when roaming in the EU.

However, following the merger between Virgin Media and O2, all Virgin Mobile customers will be moved to O2 plans by the end of 2023. Therefore, you should be aware that O2 has a 25GB cap for roaming in the EU.

Can I roam outside the EU with Virgin Mobile?

Yes, you can roam in most countries around the world. You won’t be able to use your regular allowance, and instead will be charged at a separate out of plan rate.

The most Virgin Mobile will automatically charge you in a month for out of plan usage is £52.02. You can remove this limit by texting YES to 23457, or text NO to the same number to turn the limit back on.

For a full list of charges, see Virgin Media Roaming Hub. Below shows the roaming charges for popular destinations.

Country Data Making calls Receiving calls Sending texts Sending MMS Receiving texts
Australia £5 / MB £2 / minute £1.50 / minute 50p / text 50p / message Free
Canda £5 / MB £2 / minute £1.50 / minute 50p / text 50p / message Free
India £5 / MB £2.60 / minute £1.50 / minute 50p / text 50p / message Free
New Zealand £5 / MB £2 / minute £1.50 / minute 50p / text 50p / message Free
USA £5 / MB £2 / minute £1.50 / minute 50p / text 50p / message Free

There are a few countries where roaming with Virgin Mobile will not work:

  1. Brunei Darussalam
  2. Ethiopia
  3. Falkland Islands
  4. Guam
  5. Guyana
  6. Lesotho
  7. Namibia
  8. New Caledonia
  9. Northern Mariana Islands
  10. Paraguay
  11. Solomon Islands
  12. Somalia
  13. Swaziland
  14. Timor-Leste
  15. Turkmenistan
  16. Vanuatu
  17. Venezuela
  18. Zimbabwe

Can I get 5G when roaming with Virgin Mobile?

Can I get 5G when roaming with Virgin Mobile?

5G with Virgin Mobile is only available within the UK. The maximum signal you can receive when roaming is 4G.

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

If you’re roaming within an EU country and go over your allowance, you will be charged at the same out of plan rate as if you were in the UK. This applies to minutes, texts and data.

You will receive a warning text whenever you reach 80% of your allowance.

The maximum Virgin Mobile will charge you per month for out of plan charges is £52.02. You can remove this limit by texting YES to 23457.

For all other countries, you won’t be able to use your allowance. Instead, you will be charged at a separate out of plan rate, which varies from country to country.

Virgin Mobile data add-ons when roaming

Virgin Mobile data add-ons when roaming

Virgin Mobile data add-ons work identically within the UK and EU countries. You won't be charged any extra when using a data add-on within a Roam Like Home destination.

You can purchase 1GB for £10 or 3GB for £20 from Your Account or by using the Virgin Mobile app.

You can purchase as many data add-ons as you like, however each data add-on will be lost when your allowance refreshes at the start of every month.

Virgin Mobile unlimited data with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter

All Virgin Mobile customers have unlimited data for calls and messaging with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter.

This unlimited data will also work when roaming in the EU, even if you run out of your regular data allowance.

FAQs

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

Yes, you can roam for free within the EU with Virgin Mobile. You will be able to use your regular allowance in 43 Roam Like Home destinations.

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

Before roaming with Virgin 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

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

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

Does Virgin Mobile and O2 have the same roaming policy?

Virgin Mobile and O2 have similar roaming policies, with both continuing free EU roaming. However, unlike Virgin Mobile, O2 has a 25GB fair usage policy for data when roaming in the EU.