Since 2017, you can use your Dutch subscription in every EU country. So, even if you're abroad for a short period of time (shorter than your stay in the Netherlands and less than 4 months in total), you can use your Dutch subscription without incurring extra costs.
For example, if your data plan in the Netherlands includes 500 minutes of calling and 10 GB, you can use this data in other EU countries without having to pay extra.
However, with certain subscriptions, these roaming rules do not apply to calls from the Netherlands to EU countries. If you do want to chat on the phone to someone in another EU country, you may end up paying extra. We will return to this subject later in the article.
First, we will show you the EU countries where you can use your Dutch mobile subscription. This varies per provider, so pay close attention!
You don't have to worry about extra costs in the countries below. You can use your Dutch subscription to your heart's desire, taking into account the max time span of 4 months, of course. This means you can call, use your data plan and use SMS. If you have unlimited data, you should take a look at your provider's fair use policy. Most providers let you use a maximum of 10 or 20 GB if you're abroad.
| Austria | France | Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Germany | Poland |
| Bulgaria | Greece | Portugal |
| Croatia | Hungary | Romania |
| Cyprus (Greek part) | Ireland | Slovakia |
| Czech Republic | Italy | Slovenia |
| Denmark | Latvia | Spain |
| Estonia | Lithuania | Sweden |
| Finland | Luxembourg | United Kingdom |
Some providers feature an extended list of countries where you can use your mobile subscription. Not all providers offer this service in the same countries. That's why we put this list together:
| Countries | Providers that let you use your subscription without extra costs |
|---|---|
| Albania | Vodafone |
| Andorra | Ben, KPN, Robin Mobile, Simpel, Simyo, Telfort, Vodafone, Youfone |
| Canary Islands | Ben, Hollandsnieuwe, KPN, Simpel, Simyo, T-Mobile, Telfort, Vodafone |
| Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey | Ben, KPN, Simyo, T-Mobile, Telfort, Vodafone |
| Monaco | Ben, KPN, Simyo, Telfort, Vodafone |
| San Marino | Ben, KPN, Robin Mobile, Simyo, T-Mobile, Vodafone |
| Turkey | Vodafone |
| Switzerland | Hollandsnieuwe, KPN, Robin Mobile, Simpel, Simyo, Tele2, Telfort, Vodafone, Youfone |
If you want to use your subscription in these countries, you will probably have to pay a roaming fee:
| Armenia | Montenegro |
|---|---|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Ukraine |
| Georgia | Russia |
| Macedonia | Serbia |
| Moldavia | Belarus |
So, you can use your mobile subscription in every EU country. But what if you have family or friends living abroad and you're in the Netherlands? How can you call them to ask how they're doing without having to pay a small fortune?
Earlier, we wrote that providers don't support calling from the Netherlands to EU countries. Still, there's a way to reach your loved ones living abroad. Apart from Skype, of course. A few providers offer special subscriptions to call from the Netherlands to EU countries:
With the "Zorgeloos" subscriptions (subscriptions with data starting from 3GB):
Unlimited calls from the Netherlands to EU countries
Subscriptions with International Calls:
Unlimited calls from the Netherlands to EU countries (plus 17 other countries like the U.S. and Canada)
All subscriptions which include unlimited calls:
120 minutes of calls from the Netherlands to EU countries
All Red subscriptions (subscriptions with 3GB or more):
100 minutes of calls from the Netherlands to EU countries
All subscriptions:
100 minutes of calls from the Netherlands to EU countries