Roaming without a surprise bill

On planes and ships

Some planes and ships have their own mobile network via satellite. EU roaming prices do not apply there, and prices are not capped. Your provider has to protect you from unwanted costs on such networks and let you opt out of them. In flight mode or with data roaming switched off, the phone does not connect at all.

Near a border

Near a border, your phone can connect to a network in the neighbouring country, even while you are still in Austria. If that country is Switzerland, EU roaming does not apply. Your provider has to protect you from this and tell you how to avoid it. Roaming outside the EU can be blocked with your provider. Roaming inside the EU still works.

Outside the EU

In countries outside the EU, calls, texts and data cost what your plan says, from day one. When you arrive in another country, your provider should inform you about prices by text message. Where the EU rule ends is explained in our guide "Where does EU roaming end?".

The spending limit for data

There is a monthly limit for data roaming: just under 50 euros without tax, 60 euros with tax, unless you chose a different limit. At 80 percent you get a message. Once the limit is reached, the data connection is blocked. The block can only be lifted with your consent, and the Arbeiterkammer strongly advises against it.

The limit also applies outside the EU, with one exception: if the local network does not allow real-time billing, the limit does not apply there. You then get a text message when you arrive.

There is no such limit for calls and texts.

Switching off data roaming, on the phone and with your provider

You can switch off data roaming in your phone's settings. The Arbeiterkammer advises also blocking it with your provider: if it is only switched off on the phone, this is hard to prove in a dispute. Some phones also switch to mobile data by themselves when Wi-Fi drops.

If the bill comes anyway

The first step is a written complaint to your provider, best within three months of receiving the bill. You get the itemised bill free of charge.

You do not have to pay the disputed amount until the matter is settled if you send a form to RTR. During that time, your provider may ask for the average of your last three bills.

If your provider rejects your complaint, the RTR conciliation body can help. The procedure is free of charge. You apply within one year of your complaint to the provider. In 2025 there were 122 cases about roaming outside the EU.

An option with a fixed price

An eSIM with a data plan has a fixed price. Once the data is used up or the plan has ended, it costs nothing more. Calls and texts still go through your own SIM, under the terms of your plan. Our data plans: to the shop

Frequently asked questions