If you want to make the most of your data allowances, ensure your data never goes to waste. This can be done by considering a data rollover plan designed to carry over the unused data to the next month.
On monthly and PAYG plans, you will get a specific allowance valid for the whole month. By the end of each month, the unused data allowances normally expire if you don’t have one. The unused data, minutes, and texts will be removed from your account if you’ve chosen one such method.
Mobile network operators have started to roll over unused data into the following month. For example, if you’ve subscribed to a 20 GB plan, but your consumption was 15 GB only. The remaining allowance would be rolled over to the next month, giving you a second chance to use the allowance you’ve paid for.
Without further ado, let’s jump straight to how the data gets rolled over. Moreover, we’ll also examine the terms and conditions of how long your data lasts and how much you can carry over.
Table of Contents
What is Data Rollover?
In simple terms, it means your unused data rolls over from one month to another. This is limited to specific networks that provide this service.
On networks that don’t have this service, you’ll lose your unused data, meaning you may end up paying a lot more than you use.
The service also allows you to plan ahead. For example, if you know you’ve got heavy usage next month, you can use less the month before to ensure you’ve enough allowance for next month.
Also Read: Should I Leave Mobile Data on all the Time – User Guide 2023
Recommended Networks
Pay Monthly
ID Mobile, sky Mobile, and virgin mobile offer data rollover on a monthly contract. Similarly, Smarty offers a discount of £1 per gigabyte. For some users, this money-back offer is better because it is credited back into their accounts.
On iD and Virgin mobile, data can only be rolled over for one month. In contrast, Sky Mobile allows you to store unused data for up to 3 years.
Talk Home Mobile is expected to launch its data rollover offer for the monthly plan soon, allowing its customers to roll over their data to the next month. This feature will enable the users to save money from being wasted to use it to their advantage.
Pay As You Go
EE, O2, and Vodafone currently offer data rollover. In addition to data, Vodafone allows you to roll over unused minutes and texts as part of their total rollover offer.
Gifgaf doesn’t allow you to roll over your unused data, but being a customer for three months, you can get an extra 1 GB monthly. This often works out to be a better value than relying on data rollover.
Talk Home Mobile is expected to launch its data rollover offer for Pay as you go customers. This will allow the customers to roll over their unused data to the next month. This feature will enable the users to save money from being wasted to use it to their advantage.
Additionally, the service provider offers data discounts instead of data rollovers. One example of such a discount is double data for the customers who port in their numbers to Talk Home Mobile.
The service on pay-as-you-go is available if you automatically renew your bundle upon the expiry of the previous one. This means you shouldn’t have a gap between the end of one bundle and the start of the next. EE is an exception to this, allowing you to have a gap of up to 7 days between the two bundles before the rollover data is lost.
Overview of Data Rollover by Network
The table below shows an overview of mobile networks and price plans you can use with data rollover.
| Mobile Network | Pay Monthly | Pay-as-you-go |
| Talk Home Mobile | NO | – |
| ASDA Mobile | – | No |
| BT Mobile | No | – |
| EE | No | Yes, on Packs & Flex. |
| Giffgaff | – | No, but 1GB extra data after three months. |
| iD Mobile | Yes | No |
| Lebara Mobile | – | No |
| Lyca mobile | – | No |
| O2 | No | Yes, on Big Bundles. |
| Plusnet Mobile | No | – |
| Sky Mobile | Yes | – |
| SMARTY | Yes, unused data discount. | – |
| Tesco Mobile | No | No |
| Three | No | No |
| Virgin Mobile | Yes | No |
| Vodafone | No | Yes, on Big Value Bundles. |
| VOXI | No | No |
Data Rollover by Network
Several UK networks have recognized data rollover’s value and incorporated it into their mobile plans. Let’s take a closer look at some of the leading networks offering this feature:
EE
Data rollover EE offers flexible plans and Pay as you go plans. You need a 30-day plan with 100 MB of data per month to qualify for this. Secondly, you should purchase the next bundle within seven days of the last one expiring.
If you’ve not used all your data when the bundle ends, the unused data will be added to the next pack. It is important to note that you cannot roll over from Ad-Ons or free boosts. Rollover data lasts for the next bundle’s validity period, meaning it will automatically expire if you don’t use the rolled-over data.
Giffgaff
Giffgaff, known for its community-driven approach, offers a data rollover feature called “Goody bags.” With goody bags, users can roll over unused data from their plan for up to two months. This feature provides flexibility, enabling customers to accumulate data when needed.
iD Mobile
iD Mobile’s data rollover feature allows users to roll over unused data from their monthly allowances to the next month. This feature will enable customers to maximise their data usage and avoid losing unused resources. iD Mobile puts control in the hands of its users, empowering them to manage their data consumption effectively.
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O2
O2 offers data rollover through two different plans:
- The customers can roll over unused data from their monthly allowance to the next month.
- Custom Plans allow users to adjust their monthly data allowances. This ensures that customers have the right data and can roll over unused portions.
Sky Mobile
Sky Mobile provides an exceptional data rollover feature, allowing users to roll over their unused data for an impressive three years. This will enable customers to save and utilise unused data when needed.
Sky Mobile’s data rollover feature, called “Roll,” ensures that users get the most out of their mobile plans over an extended period.
SMARTY
SMARTY is an innovative virtual network operator that operates on Three’s infrastructure, offering a unique approach to data rollover.
With their “Data Discount” feature, SMARTY refunds users for unused data at a rate of £1 per GB. This allows customers to roll over their data and provides financial incentives for efficient data management.
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile offers data rollover to its customers, allowing them to roll over any unused data from their monthly allowances to the next month. This feature ensures that customers can make the most of their data and avoid unnecessary expenses by efficiently managing their usage.
Vodafone
Vodafone provides data rollover through its “Data Rollover” feature. Users can carry unused data from their monthly allowances to the next month, providing flexibility and avoiding wasted resources. This gives Vodafone customers more control over their data usage and ensures they get the most value from their mobile plans.
Three
Three is renowned for its generous data allowances and was one of the first networks to introduce data rollover. Their “Go Binge” feature allows users to roll over unused data for up to 3 months, ensuring that customers can accumulate data over a longer period.
Talk Home Mobile
Talk Home Mobile plans to launch a data rollover service for its customers. This service is expected to facilitate the customers and add value to their Mobile experience. With this addition, the customers can carry forward their unused data allowance.
With the launch of the data rollover service, customers can carry their unused data to the following months. For example, if you’ve purchased a gold PAYG plan and consumed 30 GB of data in a month. Your auto-renewal to the next months will give you 80 GB plus additional 50 GBs from the previous month.
Bottom Line
Data rollover has become a valuable feature many network providers offer. This feature ensures you never waste unused data at the end of your billing cycle.
While each network has its specific policies and limitations regarding data rollover, it is evident that the concept has gained significant popularity.
Whether you’re on a pay-monthly or pay-as-you-go plan, networks like EE, giffgaff, iD Mobile, O2, Sky Mobile, and Virgin are leading the way in providing data rollover benefits to their customers. With data rollover, you can now make the most of your data allowance, avoid unnecessary charges, and stay connected without interruptions.
So, if you’re looking for a network that values your unused data, consider opting for one that offers data rollover and start maximizing your mobile experience today.
