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If you’re a Vodafone UK user travelling to Dubai, you can access three roaming plans to stay connected. But how much do these plans cost, and how can you activate them for your trip?

Keep reading to find out more about Vodafone UK Dubai roaming, and alternatives to help you avoid roaming charges, like the Holafly eSIM for Dubai.

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Does Vodafone UK roaming work in Dubai?

Vodafone UK roaming works in Dubai. Here are the roaming plans available:

  • Pay Monthly
  • Pay As You Go
  • Pay As You Go Plus

Who is Vodafone’s roaming partner in Dubai?

Vodafone’s UK roaming partner in the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai, is du. This allows Vodafone customers visiting Dubai to roam by connecting to du’s network.

Since you’ll be using du for the entire duration of your trip, you may have limited access to certain apps, such as WhatsApp calls.

Note: When roaming in Dubai with Vodafone, your data speed is capped at 4G.

Vodafone roaming charges in Dubai

Let’s see how much each Vodafone roaming plan in Dubai costs.

Pay Monthly 

Vodafone’s Pay-Monthly plans allow you to use your local plan allowance while travelling abroad. Some destinations include roaming at no extra cost, but this doesn’t apply to Dubai, which is included in the “Rest of the World” roaming areas.

Depending on when you purchased your plan, here’s how much you’ll have to pay for your Vodafone UK Dubai roaming service:

  • For plans bought before 11 August 2021, you’ll be charged £6/day in addition to your regular monthly plan. You can use international calls, texts, and up to 25 GB of data.
  • For plans bought after 11 August 2021, you’ll be charged £7.86/day in addition to your regular monthly plan. You can use international calls, texts, and up to 25 GB of data.

Pay As You Go 

For pay-as-you-go plans, here are the fixed Vodafone roaming charges in Dubai:

  • Make calls: 60p per minute
  • Receive calls: 36p per minute
  • Text messages: 8p per text
  • MMS: 66p per text
  • Data: 12p per MB 

Pay as you go Plus

If you’re a Pay as you go Plus user, you’ll have to buy a roaming extra. These work as a roaming bundle, and here are the two main options to get data for your trip:

ExtraDestinationsDataCallTextPrice
8-day Around the World Extra62 destinations, including Dubai150 MB25 minutes 150 texts £35
8-day Around the World Extra62 destinations, including Dubai150 MBN/AN/A£15

How to activate Vodafone international roaming in Dubai?

Activating Vodafone UK Dubai roaming depends on the type of plan you have. Here’s how to do it for each one:

  • Pay Monthly: Simply turn on your phone’s “Data roaming” option. You’ll be charged 24 hours after you first activate the roaming service.
  • Pay As You Go: Log in to your My Vodafone account to check if the service is active. If not, turn it on there.
  • Pay As You Go Plus: To access any of the available Extras, visit the My Vodafone App and activate your preferred Extra once you’re ready to use the roaming service.

How to save money when using Vodafone UK roaming in Dubai?

Vodafone roaming in Dubai plans are the standard solution for its customers. But your roaming costs can easily add up when buying Extras or using the pay-as-you-go rates, and you’ll be capped at 4G at all times.

Here are some tips to reduce roaming charges and improve your connectivity experience. 

  • Monitor your data usage when using pay-as-you-go: Even though Vodafone UK data roaming charges in Dubai are as low as 12p/MB, this can easily add up when using Instagram or similar apps.
  • Be careful when buying Extras: Extras are a reliable option while using Vodafone UK roaming in Dubai, but the data in these plans might not be enough for your whole trip.
  • Use a travel eSIM instead: Using a travel eSIM, like the Holafly eSIM for Dubai, helps you avoid a huge roaming bill, gives you access to blocked features, like WhatsApp calling in Dubai, and works with 5G data speeds.

Holafly eSIM for Dubai: Fewer limitations, no roaming charges

For Vodafone UK users, roaming in Dubai plans might be a standard solution, but it’s not the only alternative.

With the Holafly eSIM for Dubai, you get features like 5G data speeds, up to 500 MB of data tethering, and 24/7 customer support.

Plans range from £17 for five days, which translates to £3.40/day, to £50 for 20 days, which is £2.50/day, even lower than the Pay Monthly Vodafone roaming plan in Dubai.

However, if you’re a demanding user who needs to share more data because you live or work in Dubai, Holafly Plans is your ideal solution as a UK traveller. 

For ~£48.11, Holafly Plans give you unlimited tethering, unlimited data, and 5G data speeds. You can use your plan in over 170 destinations, making it a great alternative to Vodafone roaming!

Julio Osuna

Julio Osuna

English Content Writer

I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.

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