British Couple Warns of Exorbitant Phone Bills After Brief Monaco Visit

A British couple has shared their experience of incurring a substantial mobile phone bill after only a few hours in Monaco, urging other travelers to be aware of potential roaming charges.

Polo Lam, 30, and his girlfriend Laura Matos, 29, were on a European interrail trip when they made a brief stop in Monaco in September. Despite using a minimal amount of mobile data, approximately 18.66MB between them, they were subsequently charged nearly £85 ($99.79) in roaming fees. This unexpected charge caused their monthly phone bill to surge from £25 ($29.18) to £109 ($128.88).

Lam described checking his phone account after continuing their journey into Italy and being shocked by the bill. He noted that they had primarily used their phones for navigation and brief social media scrolling. "We'd barely used our phones," Lam stated, expressing concern about the potential costs if they had stayed longer. "If we'd spent a whole day or two there, we could potentially have been looking at a bill running into the hundreds, or even thousands of pounds."

Matos, a psychologist, echoed the surprise at the charges, stating they felt the bill was unreasonable given the minimal usage. The unexpected expense impacted their budget-conscious holiday plans, with Lam remarking that the money could have covered several meals out.

The couple's experience underscores a common misconception about mobile roaming within Europe. Tim Page, marketing lead at Nomad eSIM, explained that while many European countries are covered by the EU's "Roam Like at Home" rules, Monaco is not part of the European Union and is not included in these provisions. Consequently, travelers moving from areas with standard roaming rates, like nearby France, into Monaco can face significantly higher charges for the same services.

Page advises travelers to verify which countries are included in their mobile plan before departing, particularly for destinations like Monaco, Andorra, and Switzerland. He also recommends considering switching off data roaming or using a travel eSIM for specific destinations. For those who receive unexpected roaming charges, contacting the mobile provider promptly is advised, as some may offer a reduction or waiver as a gesture of goodwill.