What Is Roaming?
Roaming is when you use your phone for calls, texts, and data outside of your home network. In this case, your home network is Three Ireland.
When you go abroad for either business or pleasure, you will usually receive a text informing you how much it will cost to use data, call, or text while in that country. To make sure that you are set up for roaming on your phone and to check the roaming rates where you are headed, read on!
Before You Go
- First things first: If you have never used your Three phone abroad, reach out to us here on the 3Community to check that roaming is enabled on your account.
- Travelling within the EU: Most of our plans include an EU data allowance. If you are not sure how much your plan includes, you can check your roaming allowance through your My3 account.
- Travelling within the UK: Although the UK has left the EU, your EU roaming allowance applies.
- Travelling outside the EU: Customers can roam in any country that Three has a roaming agreement in, and charges apply to ALL usage. Your data will make a connection straight away to the local network. Read about our international roaming rates by clicking here. Want to help reduce the cost of roaming? Why not check out what roaming add-ons are compatible with your plan by reading our price guides here.
Please note that the 2G & 3G networks are being retired in the UK and the USA. If you are travelling to either of these countries, please activate 4G calling and Wi-Fi calling to ensure that you will have service during your trip. Click here to read our blog about roaming changes.
Click here to read our price guides and get more details about your plan, countries included in your EU roaming, and other international roaming charges.
When You Arrive
- Once you have touched down at your destination, your phone will automatically look for and connect to the local network from the moment that it is switched on. And for data usage, make sure that mobile data roaming is switched on via your phone settings.
- For iPhone: Go to Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options, and ensure ‘Data Roaming’ is turned on.
- For Android: Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Data Roaming.
- For Windows: Go to Settings > Mobile Network > Data Roaming Options.
- Keep an eye on your usage and allowance at any time on your My3 app or desktop site. This will help you to stay within your EU allowance and manage non-EU costs.
- Need to top-up? Use our instant top-up service while abroad by clicking here.
Click here and select your device to for a step by step guide on selecting your network.
Worried About Overspending?
Don’t stress, because there are two default limits on data roaming which Three applies to all accounts, unless you choose otherwise. The first limit is set at a default value of €61.50 (incl. VAT) per monthly billing period, or in the case of Prepay plans, calendar month. The second limit is set at a default value of €123 (incl. VAT) per monthly billing period, or in the case of Prepay plans, every calendar month. If you have questions about this data limit or wish to change it, simply get in touch with us by private messaging a 3Community Moderator or via Web Messaging by clicking here.
If you removed the data roaming cap in error and you would like to restore it, please contact our Messaging team at 3.ie/chat.
If you are visiting a country outside of the EU and don’t want to use too much data, avoid watching videos, streaming, and downloading large files. Where possible, use Wi-Fi and turn off automatic app updates. You can also turn off your data roaming completely.
Tip: Make sure Wi-Fi assist or equivalent is also switched off.
When Roaming doesn’t work!
This doesn't happen often, but when it does, we are here to help! Please read through the usual suspects below, as these are quick solutions.
The usual suspects:
- Bill Pay: Have you used all of your roaming allowance and/or reached your credit limit? If yes, you can pay the unbilled amount to reset your credit limit on your My3 app.
- Prepay: Have you used all of your roaming allowance and no credit? If yes, top-up again by your plan’s minimum required amount to restart your plan and roaming allowances. Tip – add a little extra for credit.
- Have you received a spend alert, or reached your first data cap? If yes, we can increase your data cap, but remember, you have already spent €61.50 (if you have not altered the value of your cap). Consider the limit that you want to spend, and send a 3Community Moderator a private message, or contact Web Messaging by clicking here.
- Have you reached your second data cap? If yes, we can increase your data cap, but remember, you have already spent €123 (if you have not altered the value of your cap). Consider the limit that you want to spend and send a 3Community Moderator a private message, or contact Web Messaging by clicking here.
The not-so-usual suspects:
- Did you receive your roaming welcome text?
- When was the last time you used your phone outside of Ireland?
- Have you ever opted out of roaming? If yes, send a 3Community Moderator a private message and we will opt you back in.
- What networks have you tried?
- When making calls or sending an SMS, are you using the correct country code? For instance, 00353 or +353 prefix?
If you have already checked and gone through this list but your issue persists, you will need to get in contact with us here on 3Community or via Web Messaging by clicking here. We will need answers to “the not-so-usual suspects”, so it would be great if you could have them ready for us.
Can I use my phone in flight or at sea?
Service in flight or at sea is not guaranteed. When it is available, however, you are roaming on a satellite network, and you may be exposed to high charges. When you connect with these networks, we will notify you of your rates to make a call, send an SMS, or use data. You can also check your rates before travelling by clicking here, and selecting “Maritime Communications Partners” as the country that you are visiting. It is important to know that if you are on a ship/flight within the EU region, this is not part of EU roaming regulation.
Information on the means of access to Emergency Services (Emergency Means), Public Warning Systems (PWS) and Value Added Services (VAS) or Premium Rate Services has been compiled by BEREC* and is available at the links below:
*Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications
If you are a Three Business Customer, your plan may have more options available to you for roaming. Please speak to your account contact for more information.
Want to talk to someone in Three Customer Care?
Contact our Web Messaging team by clicking here or dial +35383 333 3330 to contact Three Customer Care from abroad, and remember that roaming charges apply where applicable.
If you have any more questions, it might be a good idea to read our Roaming FAQs blog by clicking here.
Oh, and one last thing, enjoy your trip! 🌎
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