Skip to main content
Solved

Can I text a UK mobile number who’s on holiday in Spain?


Jjjjjjessssica
Community Member
I want to know if I’ll be charged extra to text a UK mobile number who’s currently on holiday in Spain. He has data roaming and I do too. But as I am at home in the UK with unlimited texts, can I still text the UK number that’s on holiday in Spain without getting charged extra?



BASICALLY, can I text a UK number that’s abroad without getting charged more on top of my bill?

Best answer by Ryan

Hi @Jjjjjjessssica,

As the number you are wanting to text is a UK mobile number, you would not be charged for texting them no matter where they are in the world. You would only be charged if you actually text a foreign number.

Ryan
View original

Gregor
Helpful
 Contributor
  • Helpful
 Contributor
  • April 8, 2019
@Jjjjjjessssica

Yes you can. Texting UK numbers will use your free allowance even if they are abroad. The same when you receive a text or making a call. You won't pay anything extra but they will occur roaming charges.

Kind Regards

Jjjjjjessssica
Community Member
aw man!! I’m confused! I’ve just contacted iD live chat and I’ve been told I will be charged, 30p per text. This seems odd however because no other companies do! I’m going to ring up and see if that helps.


Thank you so much though! And I will get back with what they say.

Jjjjjjessssica
Community Member
So ive spoken to iD again and I’ve been told I will be charged, but not above my capped limit.

my cap is set at £1, and with a text being 30p per text I should’ve gone over this by now. So again doesn’t make sense....

The iD Facebook page has told me the same as above, that because it’s inclusive of a UK sim number it just comes out of my allowance.

ARghhh

Nikhil P
iD Mobile Employee
  • iD Mobile Employee
  • April 8, 2019
Hi @Jjjjjjessssica, @Hikari

If you text abroad from the UK, this is classed as 'International' usage and is chargeable (That includes if you text a UK number in one of our Inclusive Roaming countries). Whereas If you're abroad and using your phone, that's classed as 'Roaming'. The international charges for contacting Spain from the UK are below:




Alternatively, if your friend is on a mobile UK network, they may be able to use their data allowance in Spain without being charged roaming rates(check with them first), but if so, you might be able to use messaging apps that use data only, such as WhatsApp, That way you can both just use your allowances to contact each other, and if you're connected to Wi-Fi, you won't use any of your data 🙂.

Hope this helps,

Thanks
  • Nikhil

Gregor
Helpful
 Contributor
  • Helpful
 Contributor
  • April 8, 2019
Hi @Jjjjjjessssica

There a little confusion here. I am in contact with @Nikhil P to clarify your situation. In theory you should only be charged international charges when you text foreign mobile number but UK number should come out of your allowance, at least this is what I knew and experienced for past 15 years in mobile technology. ID Mobile may see that differently and charge texting UK numbers abroad as international numbers which would be first provider to do so in my experience. I am waiting for clarification myself and will update you as soon as I can.

Jjjjjjessssica
Community Member
Hikari wrote:
Hi @Jjjjjjessssica

There a little confusion here. I am in contact with @Nikhil P to clarify your situation. In theory you should only be charged international charges when you text foreign mobile number but UK number should come out of your allowance, at least this is what I knew and experienced for past 15 years in mobile technology. ID Mobile may see that differently and charge texting UK numbers abroad as international numbers which would be first provider to do so in my experience. I am waiting for clarification myself and will update you as soon as I can.

Thanks so much.

Jjjjjjessssica
Community Member
Update: Carphone Warshouse store manager says he doesn’t think I’ll be charged.

Jjjjjjessssica
Community Member
Another update; the texts I will be charged 30p for are not showing on my bill/cap usage. BUT a call charged 15p has shown instantly suggesting I’m not being charged.

Ryan
iD Mobile Employee
  • iD Mobile Employee
  • April 9, 2019
Hi @Jjjjjjessssica,

As the number you are wanting to text is a UK mobile number, you would not be charged for texting them no matter where they are in the world. You would only be charged if you actually text a foreign number.

Ryan

Jjjjjjessssica
Community Member
@Hikari @Ryan @Nikhil P

Thank you for all the help.
However im still unsure. No extra charges are showing, suggesting I’m not being charged and my cap hasn’t stopped me sending any messages.

However say I do rack up a bill, what leg do I have to stand on considering I have mixed answers? I don’t want to risk it😫

but anyway, should I be getting charged for these texts, when will it show on my bill?
Will my capped amount of £1 stop me being able to rack up a huge bill?


a stressed, frustrated customer.

Gregor
Helpful
 Contributor
  • Helpful
 Contributor
  • April 10, 2019
Hi @Jjjjjjessssica

Everything has been clarified now. @Ryan have posted definitive answer here. Your cap is giving you protection not to over spend on your bill so if anything happens that you are out of your allowance, any chargeable message will simply fail to send when you reach the limit of your cap.

Kind Regards

Ryan
iD Mobile Employee
  • iD Mobile Employee
  • April 10, 2019
Hi @Jjjjjjessssica,

Just to add to @Hikari's post, any additional charges will show on your account pretty soon after using them, so if you see nothing by now, it will be fine. :)

Ryan

  • Community Member
  • February 21, 2020
Jjjjjjessssica wrote:

I want to know if I’ll be charged extra to text a UK mobile number who’s currently on holiday in Spain. He has data roaming and I do too. But as I am at home in the UK with unlimited texts, can I still text the UK number that’s on holiday in Spain without getting charged extra?



BASICALLY, can I text a UK number that’s abroad without getting charged more on top of my bill?

I’m on Tesco mobile, I thought exactly the same only that my mate is in Austria I texted him about 20 times and I have a £5 limit but no extra charges were added when I checked in my Tesco mobile usage app. I couldn’t find much info on Tesco mobile website so I did a live chat only for them to tell me I was going to be charged extra. This however didn’t happen as I was charged my normal £23.99. So I say yes you can text UK registered numbers that are abroad for free (in your bundle). 
Hopefully this makes things a little clearer. 


Reply.