UK based rugby fans set to spend £117 each on EU roaming fees while in France

• New research from O2 highlights that UK based rugby fans travelling to France are expected to spend up to £117 per person on roaming fees throughout the duration of the highly anticipated upcoming rugby tournament  
• Customers of major mobile providers such as EE, Vodafone and Three are expected to pay the most in roaming fees while away, with the total spend per person costing more than a ticket to the final  
• Fans who are on O2, Proud Partner of England Rugby, won’t need to spend a penny more to use their phone while in France as O2 remains the only major UK provider to offer inclusive EU roaming as standard 
• Virgin Media O2 customers who are lucky enough to be heading to France can also benefit from a host of perks ahead of their trip with Priority from O2  

Thousands of rugby fans travelling from the UK to France could find themselves spending up to £117 extra in roaming charges as they support their team throughout the tournament. 

Rugby fans following the likes of England, Wales and Scotland who are with mobile providers such as EE, Vodafone or Three may incur additional roaming charges whilst showing support for their team, costing more per person than a ticket to the final game of the tournament. Those with O2, however, won’t spend a penny on EU roaming charges as O2 is the only major UK network to offer all of its customers inclusive EU roaming as standard, up to 25GB. 

Based on fans expected to travel to France this September, Proud Partner of England Rugby, O2, has revealed a breakdown of how much people might have to fork out on roaming fees while cheering on their team in France. 

O2 customers can share photos on social media, use maps for directions and check their local lingo with language apps while in France without having to worry about unwanted roaming charges, as O2 is the only major UK network to offer all of its customers inclusive EU roaming as standard. 

For families and fans heading to France who aren’t on O2, Gareth Turpin, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2 is providing some top tips to help them avoid unwanted roaming costs:

1. Avoid accidental roaming: Before travelling to France to cheer on your favourite rugby players, check your data roaming settings are turned off so you aren’t charged immediately when you arrive – remember to do this for your kids too if you’re travelling with them. 
2. Spending cap: If you’re not with O2, check your and your families’ mobile tariffs before the trip and add a roaming bolt on to prevent paying a hefty amount per day. You can also check to see if a data spending cap is on your account as this will help you keep tabs on how much you spend.  
3. Download before you go: For parents looking to keep their kids entertained during the journey to France, or if you fancy catching up on any TV you’ve missed, be sure to download content before you travel. 
4. Direction disasters: Plan any trips and directions before travelling to eliminate any last-minute direction stresses that might incur a roaming fee. 

In addition to EU Roaming, Virgin Media O2 is also helping its customers prepare for the upcoming rugby tournament with unmissable offers on Priority from O2. From deals to help customers can brush up on the local lingo to discounts on rugby shirts, Virgin Media O2 customers can benefit from a range of perks ahead of their trip, including:  

• 30% off Umbro O2 England Rugby Shirts so they can look the part and show their support 
• Customers can save £29.97 on three months free Super Duolingo so they can use the local lingo while away in France  

• Up to £100 discount off French accommodation with lastminute.com so they can save on their stay 
• A free year membership to the Priority tastecard club, usually £34.99 so they can unlock access to discounts at thousands of restaurants nationwide – ideal for feeding the family before the journey to France  

ENDS 

Notes to Editors 

• *Final Sat, 28 Oct (Saint-Denis) 100€ rwc-2023_prix_eng.pdf (rugbyworldcup.com) 

• Free O2 Travel in our Inclusive Zone of 48 EU destinations is available with selected Plus Plans. It is not available on 30-day SIM Only tariffs. 
• Expected cost for roaming fees throughout 51 day tournament is based on expected number of fans travelling to France who have mobile services with a major UK network provider. 
• Roaming prices included are based on a Pay Monthly customer with no inclusive roaming passes. 
• Customer’s data, minutes and text allowances will apply in France just as they do in the UK, up to 25GB, so there’s one less thing for them to worry about while they’ll away. O2 will send customers a text if they are getting close to their data limit, and again if they reach it. With O2’s inclusive EU roaming, customers can enjoy the equivalent to 595 hours of WhatsApp voice calls, streaming more than 6,000 songs or using Google Maps for 208 days straight – plenty for rugby fans to make the most of.