Holidaymakers Beware: Accidental Roaming In Greece Could Lead To Shock Three Hundred Gbp Bills, What You Need To Know

Published on August 9, 2025 |

British holidaymakers heading to nan sunny land of Corfu, Greece, this summertime whitethorn find themselves faced pinch an unpleasant astonishment erstwhile their mobile telephone bills arrive. Many unsuspecting visitors person been deed pinch charges arsenic precocious arsenic £300 owed to a roaming error, which occurs erstwhile their phones unintentionally link to adjacent networks extracurricular of Greece. This rumor has been peculiarly communal pinch Albanian mobile networks, which are not portion of nan EU’s Roam Like astatine Home (RLAH) regulation. Here’s everything you request to cognize to debar this costly mistake.

The Causes of nan Roaming Issue

This phenomenon, known arsenic inadvertent roaming aliases network drift, is peculiarly problematic for travelers successful separator regions aliases islands wherever aggregate countries’ networks overlap. In Corfu, for example, which is located conscionable a short region from Albania, holidaymakers’ phones whitethorn automatically link to Albanian mobile networks. This leads to roaming charges arsenic precocious arsenic £300, contempt visitors still being physically successful Greece.

Mobile phones typically hunt for nan strongest disposable network, and erstwhile they observe a adjacent awesome from a non-EU state for illustration Albania, they whitethorn link without nan personification realizing. Once this relationship is made, roaming charges statesman to accrue, arsenic Albania is not covered nether nan EU’s Roam Like astatine Home regulation.

While this rumor is peculiarly communal successful Corfu, it tin besides hap successful different parts of Europe, peculiarly adjacent borders aliases islands wherever mobile signals tin drift into neighboring non-EU countries.

Impact connected British Tourists and nan Tourism Industry

The rising number of incidents pinch inadvertent roaming is becoming a important interest for British tourists, particularly those visiting celebrated European destinations for illustration Greece. The further costs tin adhd up quickly, pinch immoderate visitors unknowingly accruing charges amounting to hundreds of pounds complete a short period. The charges travel arsenic an unpleasant astonishment for many, peculiarly aft a relaxing holiday, and tin effect their wide recreation budget.

For nan tourism industry, this business could impact nan cognition of destinations for illustration Greece, perchance discouraging early visits if visitors consciousness that their mobile telephone work whitethorn lead to unexpected and costly bills. Tourism operators should beryllium alert of these issues and thief amended travelers astir nan imaginable risks of inadvertent roaming and ways to debar them.

How to Avoid Accidental Roaming Charges

1. Manually Select a Network

One of nan simplest ways to debar inadvertent roaming is to move disconnected your phone’s automatic web action and manually take a Greek mobile network. By selecting a web specified arsenic Cosmote, Vodafone, aliases Nova (formerly Wind), you tin guarantee that you are connected only to a Greece-based provider. This measurement will forestall your telephone from automatically picking up a web from a neighboring country, specified arsenic Albania aliases Turkey.

Steps to manually prime a network:

• Go to your phone’s Settings.
• Find nan Mobile Networks aliases Connections section.
• Select Network Operators.
• Switch disconnected Automatic Selection.
• Choose 1 of nan disposable Greek mobile networks from nan list.

2. Use an eSIM

An eSIM (embedded SIM) is different fantabulous solution for travelers. This integer SIM allows you to activate a mobile scheme without needing a beingness SIM card, offering amended power complete your web connection. You tin acquisition an eSIM for Europe, which will guarantee that you enactment connected to European networks while avoiding roaming charges.

Several providers, including Airalo and Vodafone, connection eSIMs tailored to European countries, including Greece. These eSIMs supply information sum crossed aggregate countries, truthful you don’t person to interest astir roaming fees erstwhile moving betwixt different regions.

3. Contact Your Provider Before Traveling

Before you time off for your holiday, it’s a bully thought to interaction your mobile supplier to cheque whether your scheme covers world roaming successful Greece. Many UK mobile networks now connection packages aliases add-ons that let you to usage your telephone successful nan EU without incurring further costs. However, these packages often do not screen roaming charges successful non-EU countries for illustration Albania aliases Turkey.

Other Areas Where Accidental Roaming May Occur

While Corfu is 1 of nan astir communal hotspots for this issue, inadvertent roaming tin besides hap successful respective different tourer destinations:

• Dubrovnik, Croatia: Tourists present person accidentally connected to Bosnian mobile networks, which besides autumn extracurricular nan EU roaming zone.
• Germany and Switzerland: These countries stock a border, but Switzerland is not portion of nan EU, meaning visitors whitethorn incur roaming charges if their telephone connects to a Swiss network.
• France and Monaco: Although Monaco is simply a mini country, it’s not portion of nan EU, truthful travelers successful this region whitethorn besides acquisition roaming issues.
• Greek Islands Near Turkey: Islands for illustration Kos, Chios, Lesvos, and Samos are adjacent to Turkey, and mobiles tin often latch onto Turkish networks.

Quick Tips to Avoid Roaming Charges:

• Switch disconnected automatic web selection successful your telephone settings.
• Manually prime a Greek network (Cosmote, Vodafone, aliases Nova) erstwhile successful Greece.
• Purchase an eSIM for seamless sum crossed aggregate countries.
• Check pinch your mobile provider to guarantee your roaming scheme covers EU destinations, but not non-EU countries for illustration Albania aliases Turkey.

Conclusion: Protecting Your Travel Budget

The unintended roaming charges owed to web drift tin time off British visitors pinch hefty telephone bills aft their vacation successful Greece aliases different European destinations. By taking a fewer elemental precautions, for illustration manually selecting a web aliases utilizing an eSIM, travelers tin debar these unexpected costs and guarantee their travel remains enjoyable and affordable. With observant readying and awareness, holidaymakers tin enactment connected without nan daze of a monolithic telephone measure erstwhile they return home.