Tens of thousands of Three mobile users will pay up to £5 to use their phones overseas - despite currently getting that for free.
These Sim-only and pay monthly out-of-contract customers are set to lose their current free roaming perks, which they currently get at no extra cost when visiting 71 countries.
Instead they are being asked to sign new deals that will mean paying £2 a day when roaming in Europe or £5 in some non-European destinations.
The mobile phone operator wants customers to join new plans, according to MoneySavingExpert.com.
Last September Three changed its terms and conditions. Any customer joining or renewing after October 1, 2021 can no longer use 'Go Roam'.
This lets Three customers use their normal minutes and text allowance outside the UK.
The new charges will kick in from May 21, 2022.
Affected Three customers are being contacted now and asked to pick one of the following options:
- Do nothing and move onto another 12-month or 24-month plan or any other plan Three offers.
- Do nothing and be moved onto a one-month rolling Sim plan.
- Leave Three and join a new network (with 30 days' notice).
One customer emailed MoneySavingExpert to say: " I was somewhat surprised to receive an email dated 30 December 2021 to inform me that unless I chose to move to another tariff that Three would automatically move me to a new tariff effectively losing Go Roam by stealth."
Another wrote: " It would appear that Three has changed its tune and is forcing existing contract holders to change contracts so that they have to abide by its new mobile roaming charges.
"I have an older email that says contracts before 1 October 2021, can remain on their existing contracts and won’t be subject to their new roaming charges. Can it do this?"
The only way to stay with Three and keep free roaming is to pick one of it's pay-as-you-go plans.
A Three spokesperson said: "Our recontracting programme has been in place for a number of years and is unrelated to the changes in our roaming pricing.
"We are clear in our terms and conditions that we sometimes contact customers outside of their minimum term in order to offer them our most up to date pricing.
"Three has some of the lowest prices and unmatched propositions on the market and the contracts we offer as part of this programme continue to be just as, and in some cases, even more competitive."
Virgin Media and O2 have ruled out plans to reintroduce roaming charges this year after several rival networks announced plans to phase in extra fees 12 months after Britain withdrew from Europe.
Two of the UK's four biggest networks - EE and Vodafone - are reintroducing roaming charges for customers travelling to Europe in January.
However, customers on both O2 and Virgin Mobile deals will maintain their inclusive roaming in the region, so they can travel and use their data, calls and texts just as they would in the UK.
The return of roaming fees follows the UK's departure from the EU, with the bloc having removed the charges for people moving around Europe in 2017.
Customers who joined or upgraded with EE after July 7 2021 face a £2 daily charge for using their data, making calls, or sending text messages in EU countries.
The same fee will apply to Vodafone customers who joined the network after August 11 2021, or upgraded or renewed their contract.
