Millions of British citizens planning a staycation holiday may face unexpected charges on their mobile phones even if they stay within the country, experts have cautioned. Research indicates that individuals can unknowingly connect to a neighboring country’s mobile network, a phenomenon termed “phantom roaming.”
The risk arises when phones automatically link to a foreign network instead of a domestic one, particularly prevalent in coastal and border regions. The South East, notably Kent’s coast near Dover and Folkestone, poses a high risk due to proximity to French networks.
Despite being a known issue, a recent survey commissioned by price comparison site Uswitch revealed that three-quarters of respondents were unaware that their phones could unintentionally connect to foreign networks while in the UK. Moreover, nearly one in 10 people have experienced such inadvertent roaming, potentially incurring roaming charges.
Regions like South East England and areas around the Northern Ireland border, where devices can connect to overseas networks, are identified as high-risk zones for phantom roaming. Different mobile networks have varying policies regarding EU roaming charges, with BT/EE and Vodafone/Three not including this service as standard, potentially leading to extra costs for their customers.
Uswitch’s mobile expert, Simrat Sharma, emphasized the importance of turning off automatic network selection and manually choosing the UK network to avoid unexpected charges. Setting a spend cap or blocking data roaming through providers’ apps can offer additional protection. Sharma advised promptly contacting the provider if caught out by roaming charges, as some may waive the fees.