3 moves to end holiday roaming rip-off with the launch of '3 Like Home'

3 today throws down the gauntlet to the other mobile operators to put an end the 'international roaming rip-off' with the launch of '3 Like Home'.

'3 Like Home' marks an end to extra charges for all 3 customers by allowing them to use their existing bundles when using any 3 network abroad.

All 3 customers visiting Ireland, Italy, Austria, Australia, Hong Kong, Sweden and Denmark will now be able to take advantage of being on one of 3's sister networks to use their existing minutes, text and data bundles to make voice and video calls, send texts, picture and video messages, and even surf the internet or watch TV from their handsets while abroad without accruing any additional charges.

3 Like Home also marks an end to customers being charged to receive calls when abroad - a practice that has led to many people opting to keep their mobiles switched off while abroad to avoid expensive charges. With '3 Like Home', customers on any of their sister networks will be able to receive their calls and texts free of charge - just like they do at home.

Unlike other mobile operators who charge consumers a one-off fee or monthly subscription to access better calling rates to and avoid 'roaming charges' - the extra cost for making and receiving calls and data abroad - 3 Like Home will automatically apply when customers are on any of 3's sister networks.

3 Like Home will benefit holiday-makers and business travellers wanting to stay in touch with home.3UK customers will be able to enjoy the following benefits when on the 3 networks in Ireland, Italy, Australia, Hong Kong, Austria, Sweden and Denmark:

They will not be charged to receive calls.

Calls made to UK numbers will be used from the bundle of inclusive minutes first. This means that calls will be counted as part of the customer's existing bundle first. If the monthly bundle of calls is used up, calls to the UK will be charged at a new, flat rate of 20p per minute.

All SMS and MMS (including picture and video messages) will be charged as if the customer was in the UK. As with voice calls, messages sent to the UK will be used from the bundle of inclusive messages first.

All data services will be charged at the same rate as data used in the UK. So for example, customers on 3's X-Series, who benefit from unlimited internet access, will also be entitled to unlimited internet access while on any of 3's sister networks - at no extra charge.

Video calls to the UK will be used first from video calling allowances in existing price plans. Subsequent video calls will be charged at the same rate as if the customer had made them from the UK.

Calls made to international destinations - including calls made within the country that the customer is visiting - will be charged at the same rate as if the call had been made from the UK.

3 Like Home is evidence of 3's ongoing commitment to work with other networks to lower the wholesale charges responsible for keeping 'roaming' rates high for consumers.Graeme Oxby, 3's Marketing Director, commented: ”We want to see an end to consumers being unfairly penalised while overseas, and with '3 Like Home', we've shown that where there's a will, there's a way. ”