Virgin Mobile roaming explained for international & EU countries
With Roam Like Home from Virgin Mobile, you roam and use your regular allowance for free within the EU.
Despite Britain leaving the EU, Virgin Mobile do not have any plans to introduce EU roaming charges.
If you go over your regular allowance when roaming in the EU, you will only be charged at the same standard out of plan rate as if you were in the UK.
Outside the EU, you can roam in most countries around the world, however you will be charged at an out of plan rate and won’t be able to use your regular allowance.
Following the merger between O2 and Virgin Media, Virgin Mobile customers will be transitioned to O2 plans by the end of 2023, which have slightly different roaming rules, but still includes free EU roaming.
- Where can I find the best Virgin Mobile SIM deals for roaming?
- Virgin Mobile EU roaming - after Brexit
- Does Virgin Mobile have a fair usage policy when roaming?
- Can I roam outside the EU with Virgin Mobile?
- Can I get 5G when roaming with Virgin Mobile?
- Will I be charged if I go over my allowance when roaming with Virgin Mobile?
- Virgin Mobile data add-ons when roaming
- Virgin Mobile unlimited data with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter
- FAQs
Where can I find the best Virgin Mobile SIM deals for roaming?
All Virgin Mobile SIMs include free EU roaming at no additional cost.
You can find the cheapest Virgin Mobile SIM Only deals by using our comparison tools. Virgin Mobile SIMs will work with all phones, including the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 and Apple iPhone 16.
Virgin Mobile EU roaming - after Brexit
With Roam Like Home, you can use your data, minutes and texts within the EU at no additional cost.
You can call and text back to the UK, and within or to other Roam Like Home destinations.
Virgin Mobile do not have any plans to introduce charges when using your allowance within the EU.
You can roam for free within the following 43 European countries:
- Austria
- Gibraltar
- Malta
- Slovenia
- Belgium
- Greece
- Martinique
- Spain
- Bulgaria
- Guadeloupe
- Mayotte
- Sweden
- Canary Islands
- Hungary
- Monaco
- The Czech Republic
- Croatia
- Iceland
- Norway
- The Netherlands
- Cyprus
- Ireland
- Poland
- The French Antilles
- Denmark
- Italy
- Portugal
- Vatican City (Italy)
- Estonia
- Liechtenstein
- Reunion Islands
- Finland
- Latvia
- Romania
- France
- Lithuania
- Saint Barthelemy
- French Guiana
- Luxembourg
- San Marino
- Germany
- Madeira
- Slovakia
Does Virgin Mobile have a fair usage policy when roaming?
Virgin Mobile's fair usage policy states you cannot roam for in the EU for 4 or more consecutive months.
Up until recently, Virgin Mobile had a limit on the amount of data you could use when roaming in the EU, depending on the cost of your plan.
This rule no longer exists, meaning you can use the same amount of data within your allowance when roaming in the EU.
However, following the merger between Virgin Media and O2, all Virgin Mobile customers will be moved to O2 plans by the end of 2023. Therefore, you should be aware that O2 has a 25GB cap for roaming in the EU.
Can I roam outside the EU with Virgin Mobile?
Yes, you can roam in most countries around the world. You won’t be able to use your regular allowance, and instead will be charged at a separate out of plan rate.
The most Virgin Mobile will automatically charge you in a month for out of plan usage is £52.02. You can remove this limit by texting YES to 23457, or text NO to the same number to turn the limit back on.
For a full list of charges, see Virgin Media Roaming Hub. Below shows the roaming charges for popular destinations.
Country | Data | Making calls | Receiving calls | Sending texts | Sending MMS | Receiving texts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | £5 / MB | £2 / minute | £1.50 / minute | 50p / text | 50p / message | Free |
Canda | £5 / MB | £2 / minute | £1.50 / minute | 50p / text | 50p / message | Free |
India | £5 / MB | £2.60 / minute | £1.50 / minute | 50p / text | 50p / message | Free |
New Zealand | £5 / MB | £2 / minute | £1.50 / minute | 50p / text | 50p / message | Free |
USA | £5 / MB | £2 / minute | £1.50 / minute | 50p / text | 50p / message | Free |
There are a few countries where roaming with Virgin Mobile will not work:
- Brunei Darussalam
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands
- Guam
- Guyana
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- New Caledonia
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Paraguay
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- Swaziland
- Timor-Leste
- Turkmenistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zimbabwe
Can I get 5G when roaming with Virgin Mobile?
5G with Virgin Mobile is only available within the UK. The maximum signal you can receive when roaming is 4G.
Will I be charged if I go over my allowance when roaming with Virgin Mobile?
If you’re roaming within an EU country and go over your allowance, you will be charged at the same out of plan rate as if you were in the UK. This applies to minutes, texts and data.
You will receive a warning text whenever you reach 80% of your allowance.
The maximum Virgin Mobile will charge you per month for out of plan charges is £52.02. You can remove this limit by texting YES to 23457.
For all other countries, you won’t be able to use your allowance. Instead, you will be charged at a separate out of plan rate, which varies from country to country.
Virgin Mobile data add-ons when roaming
Virgin Mobile data add-ons work identically within the UK and EU countries. You won't be charged any extra when using a data add-on within a Roam Like Home destination.
You can purchase 1GB for £10 or 3GB for £20 from Your Account or by using the Virgin Mobile app.
You can purchase as many data add-ons as you like, however each data add-on will be lost when your allowance refreshes at the start of every month.
Virgin Mobile unlimited data with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter
All Virgin Mobile customers have unlimited data for calls and messaging with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter.
This unlimited data will also work when roaming in the EU, even if you run out of your regular data allowance.
FAQs
Can I roam for free in the EU with Virgin Mobile?
Yes, you can roam for free within the EU with Virgin Mobile. You will be able to use your regular allowance in 43 Roam Like Home destinations.
How can I setup my phone to roam with Virgin Mobile?
Before roaming with Virgin Mobile, you must enable roaming in your phone’s settings.
For Android users:
- Go to Settings
- Go to Connections -> Mobile networks -> Roaming
- Enable Data roaming
For iPhone users:
- Go to Settings
- Go to Mobile data -> Mobile Data Options
- Enable Data Roaming
Can I tether to another device when roaming with Virgin Mobile?
Yes, you can tether to as many devices as you like when roaming with Virgin Mobile. Any regular data limitations that apply when roaming will also apply when tethering while roaming.
Does Virgin Mobile and O2 have the same roaming policy?
Virgin Mobile and O2 have similar roaming policies, with both continuing free EU roaming. However, unlike Virgin Mobile, O2 has a 25GB fair usage policy for data when roaming in the EU.