§ 01
Definition
Roaming surcharges ended in June 2017 and Regulation (EU) 2022/612 extended the rules for ten years. They apply across the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, subject to fair-use limits on data in some plans.
§ 02
How it works
When you roam, your traffic is usually routed back through your home operator, so websites often see an IP address from your home country, not the one you are visiting. That is why your streaming apps may keep working on mobile data abroad.
§ 03
Why it matters
Travellers often use roaming data instead of risky public Wi-Fi, which reduces the need for a VPN for security. A VPN is still useful on hotel and café Wi-Fi and outside the EU/EEA, where roaming rules do not apply.