SMARTY's EU roaming: why we think it will be staying

What’s included with SMARTY roaming?

SMARTY’s parent network Three were among the first to remove free EU roaming. But SMARTY chose to keep their inclusive roaming in place, so you can still use your UK plan in these 34 EU and EEA countries.

All SMARTY plans include roaming, see their best current deals here:

Best deals with EU roaming on SMARTY

If you do travel outside the EU/EEA, roaming isn't included. Instead, you'll need to buy an 'Out Of Plan' add on and then (pay as you go at these rates).

In Europe, there are a couple of things to watch for. If your plan includes over 12GB of data, your usage will be capped at that amount while away. And you have to switch on roaming manually before you leave, else you could be left without a working phone.

Generally though, SMARTY’s roaming is more generous than many other networks. And for most travellers, 12GB should be more than enough for a short trip. They're in the top half of our best networks for EU roaming guide.

Useful link: How to enable roaming on your SMARTY SIM

Why we expect SMARTY to keep free EU roaming

Based on the rest of the UK market, we think SMARTY will more than likely maintain their EU roaming scheme for the foreseeable future. It features prominently in their marketing and is a big selling point against Three.

We’ve actually spoken with SMARTY’s team in person. They told us that free EU roaming is a key way they add value to SMARTY, while Three focus on global roaming as part of a premium approach.

Considering that many of SMARTY’s budget competitors still offer EU roaming, it would be risky for them to drop it. That would make them less competitive in the market.

So our bet is that SMARTY won’t ditch EU roaming any time soon. But policies can change, so we’ll update this article if and when they make any adjustments.

Useful link: SMARTY’s EU roaming guide

What if SMARTY did scrap EU roaming?

Just for argument’s sake, if SMARTY did suddenly remove free EU roaming, what could you do?

All SMARTY SIM only deals are on 1-month terms. That gives you the flexibility to leave any time without paying exit fees. So if they did change their roaming rules, you’d be free to switch to a network that did have it.

If EU roaming is a priority for you and you want to stick with the Three network, iD Mobile would be your best alternative. Their pricing is similar to SMARTY’s and they offer a massive 30GB data roaming per month.

iD Mobile's best SIM only plans

Lebara are another great low-cost option. They also let you use up to 30GB of data and your regular mins and texts in EU countries at no extra cost. See the full details in their roaming guide here.

As switching away from SMARTY is simple and most low-cost networks still offer EU roaming, we don’t think SMARTY will scrap it. But it’s worth knowing your alternatives just in case.

Useful link: Our EU roaming network guide