Roaming in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man: How Each UK Network Treats the Islands

Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK, so how UK networks treat them varies. Some networks count the islands as roaming and add a daily Europe charge or per-use rates, and the rules can differ between the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Check your own plan before you travel; the table below links to each networks official roaming page.

Last checked: 15 October 2026. We used each network's official roaming pages and price guides where we could. Where a network's position was only confirmed through its staff forum or a third party, we say so. Policies change, so always check your own network's roaming page or app before you go.

Why roaming applies in the Crown Dependencies

Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies. They are self-governing, they are not part of the United Kingdom and they are not in the EU. Each has its own telecoms regulator, such as the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority and the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority, and their own mobile networks.

When your UK phone connects on the islands, it is using a local host network, and your UK network pays that host a wholesale roaming rate. That is why each UK network decides for itself whether to treat the islands like the UK, add them to its Europe zone or charge per use.

The local networks you are likely to see are:

• Jersey: JT and Sure. Sure took over Airtel-Vodafone in the Channel Islands in 2024 and moved those customers onto its own systems in 2025.
• Guernsey: Sure and JT.
• Isle of Man: Manx Telecom and Sure.

How UK networks treat Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man

Treatment depends on your network, your plan and sometimes the date you joined. These are the positions we could confirm for networks that count the islands as roaming. For every network, the official page is the place to check your own plan.

Network policies for the islands are some of the least clearly published roaming rules in the UK, and some official pages do not mention them at all. If your networks page is unclear, ask them directly, ideally in writing through their app or chat, before you travel.

Watch out for the wrong network

Two common surprises catch people out on the islands:

• The network you connect to. On the Isle of Man, Three has said the network your phone connects to can affect what you are charged. If you see an unexpected charge, check which network your phone is using in its settings and contact your provider.
• Signal from the islands or France. Some customers have reported roaming texts while still in the UK, for example near the coast, after their phone briefly connected to an island or French network. Turn off automatic network selection or data roaming at home if you live near the coast and keep getting roaming texts.

If you are charged for a day you did not travel, contact your network. They can usually see which network your phone connected to.

When a travel eSIM helps

A travel eSIM is worth considering if:

• your network adds a daily roaming charge for the islands, as EE does, and as Vodafone and Three do in Jersey and Guernsey
• your network charges per megabyte, such as giffgaff or Smarty
• you are staying for weeks, for example on a work placement, and want to avoid fair-use rules on long stays abroad
• you are not sure how your plan treats the islands and want a fixed cost before you go

SimplySIM has plans for all three islands. Prices are in GBP as shown on 15 October 2026.

For Guernsey, the Europe Plus 1GB plan is cheaper than the Guernsey-only plan. We checked the country lists of each product. These include Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, along with most of Europe: every Europe Plus plan (1GB, 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, 20GB, 50GB) and the Europe Unlimited 7Day, 10Day, 14Day and 30Day plans linked here. The Europe (40+ areas) and Morocco plans include Jersey and the Isle of Man but not Guernsey. Our smaller Europe plans covering 30 to 35 areas, including their unlimited versions, do not include any of the three islands.

See the Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man eSIM pages for every plan. Check your phone supports eSIM and is network-unlocked with our device compatibility checker.

Calls and texts to and from island numbers

Roaming is only half the story. Calling a Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man mobile from the UK is not always included in UK minutes, because island numbers belong to island networks. Check your network's price guide if you call island numbers often. A travel eSIM is data only, so WhatsApp calls are the easy way round this while you are there.

FAQs

Are Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man part of the UK for mobile roaming?

No. They are Crown Dependencies with their own networks. Each UK network decides how to treat them, and some count them as roaming.

Does EE charge roaming in Jersey?

EE treats Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man as part of its Europe roaming zone. Pay Monthly customers on plans started on or after 7 July 2021 pay a daily charge or need a Roam Abroad Pass. Check the current rate on EE's roaming costs page.

Do all UK networks treat the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man the same way?

No. Some networks, such as Vodafone and Three, treat the Isle of Man differently from Jersey and Guernsey. Check your networks roaming page for each island you plan to visit.

Why did I get a roaming text when I was still in England?

Near the coast, your phone can sometimes connect to an island or French network. Contact your network if you were charged, and consider choosing your network manually at home.

Which SimplySIM plan covers all three islands?

Every Europe Plus plan and the Europe Unlimited 7Day, 10Day, 14Day and 30Day plans listed on this page cover Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. The Europe (40+ areas) and Morocco plans cover Jersey and the Isle of Man but not Guernsey.