Data Roaming

How to keep and maintain a UK mobile number abroad

In this article we’ll show you a simple (and cheap) way to keep your existing UK mobile number even when living overseas.


Expensive roaming charges. Difficulty staying in touch with family and friends back home. Needing a UK number to maintain a bank account.

All of these issues are things you might not think about until they crop up once you’ve moved abroad. For various reasons, you’ll probably want to — or even need to — keep your UK number, even if you’re firmly settled on foreign shores.

In this article we’ll show you a simple (and cheap) way to keep your existing UK mobile number even when living overseas.

Can you keep a UK number when living overseas?

Yes. If you’re an expat, you can retain your existing UK mobile number.

Many people simply continue using their mobile phone and number after moving abroad. While this may initially be convenient, there are some things to consider:

  • You may also need a local number, meaning an additional phone contract and extra expense.
  • Roaming and international call charges can get expensive very quickly (especially since Brexit), leading to additional charges on top of your monthly payment.
  • You may be threatened with disconnection from your contract if you don’t use the UK number often.

As mentioned earlier, you may require a UK number even when living abroad, perhaps if you have friends or family you want to stay in touch with, or perhaps business interests and bank accounts back home that require a UK number.

But there is a simpler way to keep your UK number when living overseas, without these costs and hassle…

How to get a UK number (or keep your existing number) from overseas

If you’re living overseas and realised that you need to keep your UK mobile number, there are a couple of options available to you. You could continue using the number as normal, but as we’ve already covered, this can soon become very costly.

Or, you can use Swytch to make it much more cost effective.

How can the Swytch app help?

Swytch allows you to quickly and easily set up a UK phone number, or transfer your existing number to the app to keep using it overseas (without being tied to a UK contract).

To sign up, all you need to do is:

  1. Register for Swytch
  2. Decide whether you want a new UK number, or to port in your existing number
  3. Verify your email address
  4. Enter your payment details to set up your monthly £6 payment
  5. Download the Swytch app and start using your virtual number!

A UK phone number without the roaming costs and hassle

Running a UK mobile phone number when living abroad can be costly. But thanks to Swytch, you can now stay in touch without the expense.

Need a cheap and easy way to stay connected? Sign up for Swytch today!

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