Going abroad outside Europe

There’s no need to switch off data roaming. With our Rest of World Pass, you can get online as soon as you step off the plane.

Rest of World Pass Options

Which Rest of World Pass should I buy?

There are two types of Rest of World Pass. The best one for you will depend on how you want to use your phone while away and how long you travel in Rest of World Pass Zones.

Rest of World 24 Hour Pass

  • For occasional trips abroad.
  • Get 300 minutes, 300 texts, and up to 500MB data (dependent on destination) in 96 destinations outside Europe
  • Works for 24 consecutive hours from when you start using it
  • Manage your email, keep up to date on social media, find your way using Google maps, plus more

Rest of World 30 Day Pass

  • For regular travellers.
  • Gets you 3,000 minutes, 3,000 texts, and up to 5GB data (dependent on destination) in 96 destinations for 30 consecutive days
  • For example, use a little data today in Canada and a lot next week in India
  • Manage your email, keep up to date on social media, find your way using Google maps, plus more
  • Tether your phone to your tablet or laptop for more flexible working

Remember: Streaming videos, downloading files and maps, or gaming online can eat through your data allowance more quickly.


How do I get a Rest Of World Pass?

If you didn’t include the Rest of World Pass when you purchased your tariff, you can text us to add it when needed.

Business customers with more than 500 employees: ask your account administrator to contact us if they want to discuss their Rest of World pass options.

Rest Of World 24 Hour Pass
There are two options available for the Rest of World 24-Hour Pass. To control how much you spend, you can choose for the pass to be capped at either one or two passes per 24 hours.

Capped options:

  • 1 Pass per 24 hours – Text BUYROW24CAP1to 23336
  • 2 Passes per 24 hours – Text BUYROW24CAP2 to 23336


Uncapped option:

  • Text BUYROW24 to 23336

When you text BUYROW24, you can purchase 500MB data anytime. Once you consume 500MB data, the pass will automatically renew – giving you an additional 500MB data. Please note: this will result in you incurring multiple £7.50 charges. You’ll continue to receive notifications when your usage hits 80%, 95%, and 100% of each 500MB allowance.



Rest Of World 30 Day Pass
You can choose to cap the number of Passes you can have or go for uncapped:

Capped option:
1 Pass per month – text BUYROW30CAP1 to 23336

Uncapped option:
Text BUYROW30 to 23336


What happens if I don’t get a Rest Of World Pass while I’m travelling outside Europe?

If you haven’t opted into the Rest of World Pass, data will be charged at £6 per MB, and we’ll apply the standard cap of £36 so that you can control your costs. If you’d prefer to have the heavy user cap at £150, please get in touch with us, and we’ll change that for you.

For Business customers with more than 500 employees: if you don't have a Rest of World Pass, you'll be charged at your contractual rate.


Can I use the Rest Of World Pass in Europe?

No.

You can only use the Rest of World Pass while travelling in the Rest of World Pass Zones.


Can I use a Rest Of World Pass if my tariff includes data in Europe?

Yes. You can use your Rest Of World Pass as usual because it only applies outside Europe.


How does the Rest of World Pass work with a smartphone?

If your phone is turned on when you arrive overseas, we’ll send you a text which will either confirm the Rest of World Pass you've already set up, or offer you the chance to get one.


Can I use the Rest Of World Pass to connect my tablet or laptop to the internet via tethering?

Yes.

Both Rest of World Passes support tethering so you can use it to get your laptop or tablet online.


Will I receive notifications about how much data I’ve used on my Rest of World Pass?

Yes.
We’ll send you an alert when 80% of your bundle has been used.
We’ll send you another when 95% has been used and a final alert when you’ve used all your data.


What happens if I run out of data?

This happens when you reach your data allowance or when the time expires. We’ll send you a message to let you know you’ve used 100% of your data. If you exceed your data limit, your Rest of World Pass will automatically renew, you’ll be charged for a new Pass, and everything starts again. If you choose to cap your Pass, you may have to wait until your next billing cycle before a new Pass is automatically activated.


What happens if I travel from one country to another?

You can still use any remaining data allowance if you travel from one country to another within Rest of World Pass countries.

For instance, if you travel from the USA to Mexico, the same Pass you used in the USA will keep you connected to the internet when you’re in Mexico, Russia, or China.

If you move between Rest of World Pass Zones during one data allowance period and your data allowance changes, your data allowance will be adjusted proportionately.

For example, if you are on a Rest of World 24-Hour Pass and you use 250MB of your 500MB data allowance in ROW Zone 1, and you then move to ROW Zone 2, you will be allowed 50% of the 50MB data allowance in ROW Zone 2 for that day (so 25MB).


How do I know how much data I’ll get in each country?

Take a look at our rates for the Rest Of World 30 Day Pass and the rates for the Rest Of World 24 Hour Pass.

For Business customers with more than 500 employees, view your Rest of World Pass options.


How does wifi work when I’m roaming? Will it use any of my allowance?

You can connect to local wifi services when you’re abroad. You won’t use any of your O2 data allowance but your local wifi provider may charge you for use.

Calls can be made using apps, such as WhatsApp, when roaming. But a standard phone call over wifi isn’t available when roaming.


I don’t want to use the internet on my phone when I’m abroad – can I turn off data roaming?

You can turn data roaming on or off in the settings of your phone menu. Check your phone’s user guide or manufacturer’s website for details..


Do I get minutes and texts to use with the Rest Of World Pass?

Yes, Zone 1 includes a minutes and texts allowance.

With the Rest of World 24-Hour Pass, you get 300 minutes and 300 texts every 24 hours.

With the Rest of World 30 Day Pass, you get 3,000 minutes and 3,000 texts to use over 30 days.

In Zones 2 and 3, there’s a data allowance only. Minutes and texts are charged at your contractual roaming rate. Our standard roaming rates are shown here.

Rest of World Pass destination list

Zone 1

Albania, Afghanistan, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde (formerly Cape Verde), Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Gabon, Ghana, Greenland, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea (South), Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Cyprus, North Macedonia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Türkiye, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin Islands (GBR), Yemen, Zambia

Zone 2

Algeria, Ascension Islands, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Chad, Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands. Fiji, French Polynesia, Gambia, Georgia, Haiti, Iraq, Kosovo, Macau, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu

Zone 3

American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Comoros, Cook Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Jordan, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Palestinian Authority, Puerto Rico, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, St Helena, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, US Virgin Islands, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, Zimbabwe


Will my 4G or 5G handset work when I’m abroad?

4G for data is available in many destinations. Find out more about 4G connectivity abroad here.

4G Calling will be dependent on your handset. See the list of compatible devices here.

Your 5G handset will work, but it will operate on 4G at the moment. We’ll update the Support pages when we have 5G roaming available.


Is 4G calling available when I am roaming?

Yes. 4G calling when roaming is available in the USA for customers with a compatible device, sim and tariff. Please check our travelling to the USA page for more information.

You’ll need to ensure you have the 4G Calling setting turned on, on your phone, for this to work. Here’s our page to help you set it up.
 

Other foreign mobile network operators will close their 2G and 3G networks in the future., We’ll keep you informed when things change.


My data allowance is being used up but I haven’t gone online. What’s happened?

Many apps update automatically in the background, or fetch new notifications like emails, and this can eat into your data allowance.
You can disable automatic updates and set how often your phone searches for new notifications in your phone’s settings – check your phone’s user guide or manufacturer’s website for details.


What happens if I leave O2 Business?

You’ll lose any outstanding roaming data within your Rest Of World Pass.


Will my Rest Of World Pass continue working after a tariff transfer?

Yes.

We’ll add your Pass when we transfer your tariff. Or if your new tariff’s not compatible, we’ll let you know.


Can I get the Rest Of World Pass on all business price plans?

Not quite. They’re available on most plans but a few are incompatible.


Is there VAT on the Rest Of World Pass?

Neither the Rest Of World 24 Hour Pass nor the Rest Of World 30 Day Pass are subject to VAT, because they only apply outside EU VATable countries.


How do I opt out of the Rest Of World 24 Hour Pass?

Call us from the UK on 0800 028 0202 or +44 344 809 0202 (free from your O2 mobile) overseas. If you haven’t opted into the Rest of World Pass, data will be charged at £6 per MB, and we’ll apply the standard cap of £36 so that you can control your costs. If you’d prefer to have the heavy user cap at £150, contact us, and we can change that for you.

For Business customers with more than 500 employees, please contact your account administrator, who can discuss the options with our service team.


Standard roaming rates outside Europe

What are the standard roaming rates if I don’t have an international Bolt On?

You can see our standard data and call rates for roaming abroad here


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