moneysupermarket.com: Proposed EU mobile phone roaming charge cap

Commenting on the announcement that Viviane Reding the EU Commissioner for Information, Society and Media, has told mobile phone network operators to reduce roaming charges, Rob Barnes, head of mobile phones at moneysupermarket.com said:
“Today’s news from Brussels is very welcome. Costs for Brits using mobiles abroad are amongst the highest in Europe. Initial focus was placed on roaming costs last year, however the reduced costs agreed with the likes of Vodafone and O2 do not come into effect until next month. Today’s revelations are great news for the UK mobile user and long overdue – savings (dependent on network) could be in excess of £100 for people making and receiving a couple of hours of calls.

“There are many ways to reduce call costs when travelling however, although the onus is on the consumer to prepare thoroughly in advance – subscribing to their network’s varied and at times complicated “roaming bundles”. These require a monthly fee to be paid or a one-off set up fee, which can often be misunderstood by the consumer. O2 operates a Chosen Country tariff, which once subscribed to, can save over £1 per minute. Vodafone also offers a Passport service with similar savings.

“My advice to consumers is – prepare for your trip early, contact your network directly and advise where you are travelling to and find out the costs of making and receiving calls. Once you know this you can decide whether to sign up to one of their roaming schemes or simply don’t use your phone unless it’s an emergency.”