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Heppy1
New Contributor
April 1, 2026
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roaming

  • April 1, 2026
  • 5 replies
  • 373 views

I thought my roaming plan included texting/ calling abroad? Is that not the case? Thanks

    Best answer by Gemma M

    Hi ​@Heppy1,

     

    Thanks for your clarification.

     

    Even though you were in the UK, the number you replied to is a Spanish number, which means it is treated as an international message. According to iD Mobile’s International and Roaming Charges 

    guidance, sending texts or making calls to international numbers from the UK is chargeable, as these are not included in your standard UK plan allowances.

     

    In other words, the location of your phone doesn’t change the fact that the message was sent to an international destination. That’s why the charge was applied. 

     

    For reference, the website notes that charges apply when calling or texting abroad, including to Spain: https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-advice/international-and-roaming-charges. When getting onto this link, click on ‘Calling abroad’ and select Span. 

     

    You should see the below:

    Charges when contacting Spain from the UK.

     

    International Pay Monthly
    Calls to mobiles* £0.18
    Calls to landlines* £0.07
    Texts** £0.06
    Picture message (MMS)** £0.30

     

    * Price per minute

    ** Price per message/text

    Prices are shown including VAT where applicable.

     

    I hope this clears things up, but feel free to reach out if you need any further clarification.

     

    Regards,

     

    Gemma M

    The iD Mobile Social Media Team

    5 replies

    Hosai W
    iD Mobile Employee
    Hosai W
    iD Mobile Employee
    April 1, 2026

    Hi ​@Heppy1 

    Please confirm where you are roaming and what services you are experiencing the issues with?

    -Hosai

    Did my comment help answer your question? If so, don't forget to mark the response as the Most Helpful Answer.
    New Contributor
    Heppy1Author
    New Contributor
    April 1, 2026

    I replied to a Spanish (mainland) text and got charged 6p

    Gemma M
    iD Mobile Employee
    Gemma M
    iD Mobile Employee
    April 2, 2026

    Hi ​@Heppy1,

     

    Thanks for your response, I completely understand why seeing a charge for that message was confusing.

     

    Because you were in Spain and sent a message to a Spanish number, your phone actually sent an international text message, not a standard UK text. iD Mobile’s inclusive text allowance only covers standard UK and roaming texts back to the UK or within certain roaming destinations, it doesn’t include sending SMS to a foreign number that isn’t covered by your normal plan while abroad.

     

    That means when you sent the message to a local Spanish number, it was treated as an international SMS, and therefore a charge was applied based on the international texting rates in your plan.

     

    If you’d like to avoid these charges in future, the best options are:

     

    • Use internet‑based messaging apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, or Facebook Messenger over Wi‑Fi or data, these don’t incur SMS charges.
    • Check whether your plan has an international bolt‑on that includes texting abroad (this can lower the cost of international texts if you need to send them).

     

    You can find full roaming and international messaging information on the iD Mobile website here: https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help‑and‑advice/international‑and‑roaming‑charges

     

    Hope that helps explain it, let me know if you have any other questions!

     

    Regards,

     

    Gemma M

    The iD Mobile Social Media Team 

    Did my comment help answer your question? If so, don't forget to mark the response as the Most Helpful Answer.
    New Contributor
    Heppy1Author
    New Contributor
    April 2, 2026

    I wasn't in Spain, I was in the UK replying to a Spanish message, but I understand that's obviously not part of my plan. Thanks 

    Gemma M
    iD Mobile Employee
    Gemma MAnswer
    iD Mobile Employee
    April 2, 2026

    Hi ​@Heppy1,

     

    Thanks for your clarification.

     

    Even though you were in the UK, the number you replied to is a Spanish number, which means it is treated as an international message. According to iD Mobile’s International and Roaming Charges 

    guidance, sending texts or making calls to international numbers from the UK is chargeable, as these are not included in your standard UK plan allowances.

     

    In other words, the location of your phone doesn’t change the fact that the message was sent to an international destination. That’s why the charge was applied. 

     

    For reference, the website notes that charges apply when calling or texting abroad, including to Spain: https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-advice/international-and-roaming-charges. When getting onto this link, click on ‘Calling abroad’ and select Span. 

     

    You should see the below:

    Charges when contacting Spain from the UK.

     

    International Pay Monthly
    Calls to mobiles* £0.18
    Calls to landlines* £0.07
    Texts** £0.06
    Picture message (MMS)** £0.30

     

    * Price per minute

    ** Price per message/text

    Prices are shown including VAT where applicable.

     

    I hope this clears things up, but feel free to reach out if you need any further clarification.

     

    Regards,

     

    Gemma M

    The iD Mobile Social Media Team

    Did my comment help answer your question? If so, don't forget to mark the response as the Most Helpful Answer.

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