How do I use roaming when I'm travelling abroad?

If you're travelling abroad from the UK and want to use your mobile, it's best to check you can first as we may need to add or remove some restrictions before you travel. These can be managed from your BT Mobile Manager account or you can speak to our team using the contact details below.

Do I need a roaming bundle for the EU?

All new, upgrading and existing customers can use their allowance in the EU. Roam Like Home lets you use your mobile in 48 destinations without paying any extra roaming charges.

In our Roam Like Home zones you can use your mobile plan allowance to use data, make calls and send texts back to the UK and to the 48 destinations as if you're at home. Receiving calls and texts is also free if you're roaming in these zones. EU Countries covered by Roam Like at Home are:

What happens if I use my full allowance in the EU?

It's just like when you're at home really. If you've used up your data allowance and Extras (if you have any), we'll charge you £5 for a 500MB bundle and we'll do this a maximum of 10 times. If you need more data than that you'll need to get in touch with us.

What data speeds can I get when roaming?

Data speeds are the same in the EU as they are in UK subject. Like the UK, 4G coverage within the country and the speed of the local network can vary which can have an impact.

Can I call the EU from the UK using Roam Like Home?

No, you can't. You'd be charged for calling abroad unless you have an international calling add-on. If you're roaming in the EU then you can make calls back to the UK, within the country you're in and to any other country within the EU. Any calls made to premium rate numbers are still charged.

What do calls cost if I'm travelling outside the EU?

We offer a range of voice, text and if you're travelling abroad further than the EU. Have a look at the options below. To apply one on these extras to your account, contact us before you travel.

If you travel without a voice, text or data mobile extra then the cost of roaming outside the EU will vary depending on the country you are travelling to and you will be charged for calls, texts and data at a specific roaming rate.

Business Zone Data Pass: 500MB of data each day for £5 per day.

This is a daily data add-on that's applied and used when you're in qualifying Business Zone country. It's data only so it doesn't include any minutes or texts.

Business Zone Extra: 250 Minutes, 250 Texts and 250MB of data per month for £10.

You can use this monthly add-on to call and send texts to the UK, Europe Zone and within the Business Zone country. You can't use this bundle to call between countries.

World Zone Extra: 100 Minutes, 100 Texts and 250MB of data each day for £7.50 per day.

This is a daily bundle that activates when used in a qualifying World Zone country. You can use this bundle to call and send texts to the UK, Europe Zone and to World Zone countries.

Can I use the 3G network in the USA?

No, you'll no longer be able to connect to 3G in the United States. As part of their upgrades in the USA, the major network operators have switched off 3G.

For people with 4G or 5G devices, you should be able to roam in the USA on your 4G or 5G network as normal.

Even better, we've made 4G Calling available to our roaming customers in the United States. If your 4G or 5G device has the latest updates and can use VoLTE in the UK, you can make and take calls over 4G/LTE in the USA.

But if you're on a 3G device, you'll need to do something different. Because you'll no longer be able to use 3G, you can manually connect to T-Mobile in the USA, by using your device's settings menu. You can then use the 2G network – but you may notice that call quality and network speeds are not as good as usual.

But as 3G's no longer available in the USA, now may be the perfect time to choose a new device – and get more benefits in the UK too. View mobile deals

How do I make a call from abroad?

To make a call whilst abroad press + followed by the international dialling code of the country you're calling, then the area code without the 0, followed by the phone number - for example a call to France would be +33111223344.

Even if you're calling a number within the country you're visiting, you still need to enter the international dialling code.

What does it cost to use voicemail when I'm outside of the UK?

If you're in Europe, there's no charge if someone leaves you a voicemail and you'll only pay the per-minute roaming rate if you listen to your voicemails while you're abroad.

Outside Europe you'll be charged the per-minute roaming rate for making a call if you listen to your voicemail. You'll also be charged when someone leaves you a voicemail unless you divert all calls to voicemail or switch off your device when you're travelling.

You'll need a PIN to check your voicemail from abroad. Here's how to set one up:

1. Call your voicemail before you leave
2. Choose option 3, then press 3 and follow the instructions about changing your PIN
3. Enter a number between 4 and 10 digits - make it something you'll remember

You're all set. You can now check your messages by calling your voicemail from your BT Business Mobile phone or from any other phone by dialling +44 7953 222222. Just enter your PIN when asked.

Be in the know before you go

It's best to be prepared. Read the latest UK government travel advice for your destination and sign-up for email alerts.

It's a good idea to save numbers in your phone book in the international format, e.g. +442071234567 otherwise you'll need to add the dialling code for the country you're calling before making the call.