There is a new feature to do with Data Roaming on IOS 8 which is called EU Internet. The idea of this is to restrict one's data roaming to EU only to avoid nasty surprises in the rest of the world. Just in case anyone has the problem I just had in France, be aware that if this is enabled and you are on EE, you can't click on the link in the EE text message offering you data bundles as it says "could not activate mobile data network". This is a little counter-intuitive as you would expect to have this set if you are in the EU.

Do you mean by default the toggle is set to not allow eu roaming? I would suggest that should absolutely be the default setting - roaming ought only be available if you specifically allow it. At least until eu roaming charges are withdrawn, which I believe has suffered a setback anyway and no longer looks necessarily likely to happen. There are certain protections in place to reduce the chance of unknown data roaming these days (I.e. portals such as the EE one to activate roaming first), but having a handset based roaming block is certainly the safest way to stop unintended data roaming, and I would certainly want it blocked by default, both within the eu or elsewhere.

Or do you mean with the toggle set to allow EU roaming you can't follow your EE link? In which case that does sound strange.

This is the most pooly understood and falsely documented setting I've ever seen on iOS.

The toggle does NOT enable or disable access to the internet in the EU.

It is used to change the access point (APN) from your networks one to a generic EU one, so that you can be charged for roaming by an alternative roaming partner (ARP). You sign up to an ARP instead of roaming as usual and being billed by your own network.

When enabled, the 'everywhere' APN on EE, or 'idata.o2.co.uk' on O2, will change to 'euinternet' when in the EU.

AFAIK there aren't yet any companies you can sign up to for this service so it's pretty much a redundant setting.

Yes, that is definitely the case, I had to unset it to follow the link. Because it wasn't intuitive it took a call to EE to sort it. To tell you the truth I'm a bit hazy on the rest of how it works.

Oh thanks, that's v helpful

Given the delays in removing roaming charges in the EU, and the possibility (likelihood?) that when this eventually happens it'll still have limits, then perhaps the concept of alternative roaming providers might yet flourish.

Shame Apple's nomenclature for this option is so confusing - labelling it 'alternative roaming provider' instead would surely have been better.

It would help if Apple provided a "help" link next to the option when it appeared as its hard to find any information about it. Vodafone did tell us all at work to keep it turned off, but didn't explain why!

Strictly speaking steffangl, some of that isn't entirely correct either. The euinternet APN is for use with a local break out provider not an alternative roaming provider (where you need to keep your usual data settings).



For anyone not aware of the new options the EU brought in last year they are:

1. Alternative Roaming Provider
The ARP option lets you sign up with another provider who will bill you for all your roaming usage like calls, texts and data. They need to have an agreement with your home provider and you would normally sign up with them before travelling. Usage records are passed to the ARP who bill you. You aren't billed for any roaming usage by your home provider. To use this requires no change to your data settings as your billing status is all sorted out between your home provider and the ARP after signing up.

2. Local Break Out
The LBO option allows you to be billed for data by the foreign network (or someone linked with them) you are roaming on most likely on a prepaid basis. You'll still be billed for voice and texts by your home network but data will be handled by the LBO provider. This is enabled by changing your APN data settings to euinternet. The iOS option just gives you an easy way to do this (and change it back when you get home) but it has been the cause of a number of 'no data' support calls as most people seem to assume it should be on when in the EU.


I'm not sure if any ARPs actually exist in practice as it requires some level of investment by the ARP and it came in when all the talk was of an end to roaming charges by the end of this year.

However LBO providers do exist so the euinternet setting is something that can be used. Here's an example if you roam on Bite in Lithuania.
https://www.cheapdata.com

I suspect that being parochial Americans the people who wrote the code for the option didn't even know what it was for, were just told to put it in.