Tesco Mobile makes a major change to its charges and customers won’t be happy

THOUSANDS of new and existing Tesco Mobile customers will see a major change to their network plan in just months.

It comes as the provider is set to reintroduce roaming charges, meaning customers could rack up a nasty bill when accessing data abroad.

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The change to the provider’s Home from Home policy, which allows UK customers to use their phones as normal while away, isn’t set to come into effect until January 1, 2023.

So there’s still five months left to enjoy free data roaming in 48 European and worldwide countries.

To see a full list of the destinations currently included in the Home from Home policy, visit Tesco’s website.

After this period, customers should expect to pay up to 55p a minute to call from any EU countries, 20p a text, and 10p per MB of data.

Some Tesco Mobile users will be exempt from the new charges altogether, depending when they bought the contract.

Those who joined or upgraded their contract on or after June 16, 2022 will not receive Home from Home in 2023.

Though many may be unaware that the change is happening at all, as Tesco is yet to make an announcement on the matter.

Instead, it adjusted the small print of contracts last week, leaving it up to customers to spot the change in policy.

So anyone buying a 24-month Tesco Mobile contract now should note that they’ll be tied into the new data roaming charges for at least 18 months beginning January 1, 2022.

Tesco told The Sun: “We’re committed to providing our customers with great value, in a way that only a supermarket can.

“The 2023 changes allow us to invest in new offers for Tesco shoppers.”

And Tesco Mobile isn’t the only provider to cash in on post-Brexit rules.

The EU’s “roam like at home” rules, which were introduced in 2018, meant UK customers couldn’t be charged for using data abroad.

But, since January 1, 2021, mobile companies have been allowed to charge customers if they want, as the UK left the EU Customs Union and Single Market on December 31, 2020.

So here’s which mobile providers have data roaming charges.

Vodafone

Vodafone was one of the first companies to reintroduce roaming charges this year.

From January 6, 2022, UK customers abroad have to pay £2 a day for data usage, or £1 a day if they pay for a pass that covers multiple days.

However, anyone who was a Vodafone customer before August 11, 2021 won’t have to pay data roaming charges.

VOXI

VOXI is a Vodafone brand which also reintroduced roaming charges this year.

As of last month, on May 27, those with a VOXI contract are expected to buy a European Roaming Pass to use data abroad, costing £2 a day.

Alternatively, if you buy an eight or 15-day pass, roaming will cost £1 a day.

VOXI told the Sun that customers who don’t buy a pass won’t be able to access their data at all.

EE

On March 3 this year, EE brought back roaming charges for customers who have taken out a contract after July 7, 2021. 

Those affected will be charged a daily payment of £2 to use your plan allowances.

Or, you can buy a Roam Abroad add on for £10 a day, which might work out cheaper for you depending on your phone use and the length of your trip.

Three

Three customers were hit with roaming charges last month, on May 23.

From this date, anyone who bought a contract after October 1, 2021, will be charged £2 a day to use their data abroad.

If your contract began before then, you can use up to 12GB of data while in Europe.

Any usage over that limit but within your allowance will trigger an additional charge.

BT Mobile

BT Mobile users can access data allowances in Europe as usual, unless they get more than 50GB a month.

In this case, you can expect to pay 0.36p per MB if you use more than 50MB in one billing cycle.

O2

O2 customers can use their data and other allowances as usual in the EU, up to 25GB.

You’ll be charged £3.50 per GB used if your monthly UK data allowance is more than 25GB.

GiffGaff

Similarly, you can use your GiffGaff allowance as usual, up to a limit of 20GB of data.

If you go over that limit, you’ll be charged 0.36p per MB for roaming in the EU.

Meanwhile, a major rule change means you can cancel your mobile contract with no exit fee – we explain your rights.

Plus, we reveal how to cut your mobile phone bill by £300 a year with lesser-known tips.

And here’s how to save up to £96 a year on your broadband, TV and phone bills.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk