Texting someone from the uk whilst they are abroad

[Ljd77]

My mam is currently abroad and having issues with her data (different network) so has been texting me. If I text her, will I be charged on a pay monthly plan? I don’t have roaming included with my plan. 

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

One fundamental principle of UK telecoms is that you are charged to call or text the number you have called or texted.

If you are calling or texting a UK number from the UK, you are charged accordingly. It is the recipient who is roaming, not you - thus they incur any charges for doing so.

As it happens, text messages are free to receive globally.

[Ljd77]

So just to confirm, if I have a plan that includes free uk texts, when I text a uk phone that has gone abroad, I won’t get charged?

[XRaySpeX]

Correct! You will never be charged for texting a UK no. wherever it is in the world. It is they that are roaming & paying for it, not you.

[Ljd77]

That’s great, thank you ☺️