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Question

Charged for Phoning Band 1 Country within that country

  • July 7, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 24 views

HI, I would like clarification. I have been charged for phoning a number in Madeira (part of Portugal) while in Madeira. As Portugal is  Band 1 country this seem to be against what it says on the web site, i.e. “In Band 1, which includes all our other 46 free Roaming destinations, you can use your remaining contracted allowances to call or text the UK, the same destination you're in, AND all other Band 1 destinations”

When querying this their agent has just told me “When you are abroad in a roaming destination such as Portugal, calls made to a local Portuguese number are treated differently. As you are roaming, dialing a local number in the country you are visiting is classed as an international call and is not included within your UK allowance, which is why the charge has been applied.”

SO is the web site lying?
 

3 replies

Gemma M
iD Mobile Employee
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  • iD Mobile Employee
  • July 9, 2026

Hi ​@GeoffBot,

 

Thanks for getting in touch, and we're sorry for the confusion.

 

To clarify, your inclusive roaming allowance lets you use your data while you're in Portugal and make or receive calls and texts with UK numbers using your UK allowance.

 

However, calls to non-UK numbers, even if you're calling a local Portuguese number while you're in Portugal, are chargeable and aren't included in your UK allowance. These are classed as international calls and are charged in line with our international call rates.

 

You can find more information about calling abroad, including the applicable charges, here: https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-support/call-abroad

 

We appreciate that the wording can be confusing, and we'll be happy to pass your feedback on.

 

Regards,

 

Gemma M

The iD Mobile Social Media Team


  • Author
  • New Contributor
  • July 9, 2026

Thanks Gemma

However, I don’t think the wording is just confusing, it is, imho, wrong.

Could you explain how “you can use your remaining contracted allowances to call or text the UK, the same destination you're in, AND all other Band 1 destinations” can be interpreted in any other way than you can use your allowance to call numbers in the country you are in?   I have obviously emphasised the relevant bits.

I am sorry for banging on about this, but it was one of the features that motivated me to join iD Mobile.

 

Regards

 

Geoff


Gemma M
iD Mobile Employee
Forum|alt.badge.img+15
  • iD Mobile Employee
  • July 10, 2026

Hi ​@GeoffBot,

 

Thanks for coming back to us, and no need to apologise.

 

We completely understand why you've interpreted it that way, and we appreciate you taking the time to explain your concerns.

 

The way it works is that you can use your allowance to call UK numbers and eligible numbers in Band 1 destinations while you're roaming in a Band 1 country. However, if the number you're calling is a chargeable number or falls outside of what's included, charges can still apply. Ultimately, it depends on the specific number being called.

 

We appreciate that the wording has caused confusion, and we'll make sure your feedback is passed on for review.

 

Regards,

 

Gemma M

The iD Mobile Social Media Team