iD Mobile Named Best UK Operator for Subscriber Roaming Experience in 2024
The UK’s decision to leave the European Union (Brexit), which became effective in January 2020, has provided restrictions for both the outbound travel of UK nationals and international travellers visiting the UK. This impacts both leisure and business travel, as ‘free’ roaming to and from the UK has been discontinued. This makes long-term travel more difficult for UK nationals; restricting them to 90 days travel in the Schengen area out of a possible 180 days, and potentially needing visas if they wish to work in this area. This will reduce the use of long-term roaming, as individuals are unable to travel for longer periods without visas. best UK mobile roaming
The UK travel market saw a significant drop of the number of people travelling from the UK following the introduction of travel restrictions. Moreover, following the staggered lifting of regulations in 2021 and 2022, the UK travel market did not fully recover until this year.
In addition, Brexit has changed how operators charge UK customers for international roaming. Many operators no longer offer the RLAH (Roam Like at Home) provision, where customers can use their SMS, voice and data allowances abroad. Operators have had to review their bilateral agreements for roaming, with prices becoming less favourable for UK outbound roamers. This provides scope for consumers to evaluate the roaming options available, getting the best value for money. This scenario allows for travel SIMs and eSIMs to become a more viable option for travellers in this region, as they would provide a cost-effective alternative to roaming costs. However, not every UK operator offers these services.
Roaming Satisfaction in 2024 best UK mobile roaming
A new survey from Juniper Research, the foremost expert in the telecommunications market, ranked iD Mobile as the leading network operator in the UK for subscriber roaming satisfaction in 2024.
According to the survey, the top five mobile operators that have provided the best subscriber roaming experience, measured by net promoter score, are ranked as follows:
1. iD Mobile – 77%
2. Virgin Media O2 – 75%
3. Tesco Mobile – 74%
4. giffgaff – 73%
5. Vodafone – 68%
Clarity in Roaming Service Key to Improving Roaming Experience
The survey found that 85% of iD Mobile subscribers reported a positive experience when managing their mobile subscriptions whilst abroad. Since the UK left the European Union (EU) in 2020, subscribers no longer qualify for the Roam Like at Home initiative, leading to substantial varieties in roaming offerings. However, as iD Mobile offers the most free-roaming data across the EU in its standard roaming packages, its subscribers have not been negatively impacted by this change.
Report author Elisha Sudlow-Poole commented:
“To compete effectively with iD Mobile, mobile operators must not only look to reinstate free EU roaming for mobile subscribers but also seek to improve consumer education around roaming options, by offering user-friendly tools like pre-travel notifications and roaming cost calculators to avoid customer confusion.”
MVNOs Outperform MNOs for Subscribers’ Roaming Experience
Notably, the survey found that 5G connectivity was the least in-demand element of roaming packages, indicating that subscribers find roaming over 4G networks sufficient for their needs when travelling. This enables Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) to provide comparable roaming experiences to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
The Operator Market for Value–added Services
By offering these services, operators can diversify their revenue streams beyond simple connectivity, and recoup the substantial investments into existing network upgrades and new network roll–outs. Traditional telecom services, such as voice, messaging, and data, are becoming increasingly commoditized, and have resulted in declining ARPUs (Average Revenue per User).
By bundling attractive services like streaming or music subscriptions, operators can create additional revenue streams. However, this will only occur if an operator partners with digital service providers, such as streaming providers. Indeed, with the rise of a mobile–first approach to service provisioning in the UK, and the rise of 5G network subscriptions, UK–based operators are well positioned to capitalize on trends such as multi–device subscriptions and Super Bundling (services offered by telcos that enable mobile subscribers to adopt, manage, and cancel a multitude of subscription services, and pay for them in a single payment to a telco). best UK mobile roaming
Whilst also benefitting from new revenue streams, operators can provide a better user experience and position their services as the ‘first port of call’ for digital service adoption in the future. As customers perceive greater value for money for their services, there is a greater chance of attracting mobile subscribers from competing network operators in the UK.
Additionally, these services can substantially increase the perceived value of a brand and its service. This is noteworthy with the changing demographics of the UK: the younger the subscriber, the more likely they are to explore other options through their network operator.
However, just offering additional services will not suffice, and operators must ensure that customer awareness is maximized. Operators must invest in communications strategies that educate their subscribers about the additional services on offer.
The study surveyed 3,300 mobile subscribers across the UK; assessing their experiences with eight leading UK mobile operators. It was conducted in April 2024. All calculations were performed at a 95% confidence interval.
