The BBC has reported that Vodafone and EE are delaying the reintroduction of EU roaming charges. Vodafone will now bring the charges in at the end of January, instead of January 6, and EE says it’s planning to introduce the charges in March, rather than January as it had originally planned. Three is the other network that has said it will bring back charges but it doesn’t plan to do so until May.
If you follow UK mobile news, you’ll probably know that there’s a fourth mobile network that belongs to O2. This provider has not announced any plans to reintroduce roaming fees, though, it’s not clear how long this will remain the case with the others looking to reintroduce the charge.
Commenting on the reason for the delay, Vodafone said:
“We have pushed back the introduction of roaming charges to the end of January, giving time for further testing to ensure the best possible experience for customers purchasing our £1 per day bundles. Until then, customers will continue to be able to roam without charges.”
As for EE, it told the BBC that its delay was due to technical issues but didn’t clarify exactly what this meant. The delays are good for customers because it means they won’t have to pay charges yet but also it gives network operators more time to get the system right. If there are teething issues with the new roaming payments, it could damage the companies’ public image and cause them to lose customers.
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