Using Tesco Mobile data roaming

Data roaming for pay monthly customers

If you have a safety buffer on your account then you can protect what you spend on data by choosing a buffer that's right for you. Your usage will be capped at the safety buffer you choose. If you have an older tariff without a safety buffer we cap the amount you're charged for data usage abroad at £40 per month. So no matter how much data you use in any given month while you're abroad, you’ll never be charged more than £40. You can also choose to remove your safety buffer altogether in which case you'll be able to spend more. 

Until 2026, data roaming comes out of your monthly allowance in a Home From Home destination and £5 a MB of data outside the EU. 

If you reach your £40 data limit, we’ll place a bar on your usage. To remove this bar you can log in to your pay monthly account and do it yourself. Alternatively, you can call us on 4455 from your Tesco Mobile phone, or call our automated payment line free on 4488 and once you've made a payment you can use your phone again within 2 hours.

Capped contract customers

If you have a bill cap of £40 or less, to help protect you from unexpectedly high bills we'll limit the total amount you can spend on data abroad at £40. 

If you have a bill cap over £40, you're accepting that you could spend over £40 on data abroad. Rest assured, we won’t let you go over your bill cap even when you’re abroad. 

If you want to turn data roaming off before you travel - our device guides can show you how. 

Data roaming comes out of your monthly allowance in a Home From Home destination and £5 a MB of data outside the EU. 

What is data roaming?

Data roaming is when your phone connects to the Internet using a network that is not your own provider.

Handy tips when roaming

  •  Use Wi-Fi whenever you can as this won't use up your data allowance 
  •  Make sure you know how to turn data roaming on and off on your phone or tablet 
  •  Check your spend through your online account or by using our mobile app available on Android and iPhone

Data roaming for pay as you go customers

  • If you have a Pay as you go Essentials bundle:
    You’ll be able to use your data allowance (and your minutes and texts) in any of our 48 Home From Home destinations, in the EU and beyond. You can learn more about Home From Home here.
  • If you don’t have an Essentials bundle, or if you’re travelling to a destination not covered by Home From Home:
    The cost of you calls, texts and data use will be taken from your top-up credit. You can check the rates for specific destinations on our roaming charges page.

Handy tips when roaming

  •  Use Wi-Fi whenever you can, as this won't use up your data allowance 
  •  Make sure you know how to turn data roaming on and off on your phone or tablet 
  •  Check your top-up balance by using our mobile app, available free on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store
  •  You can also do check your balance by calling 4488 from your Tesco Mobile phone. This is still free overseas.

If you're a business customer, please call us on 0345 601 2448.