Don't let your mobile bill take the sweetness out of Easter
As many Brits plan to jet off on holiday this Easter, Britain's number one comparison site moneysupermarket.com warns travellers to be aware of the expensive costs of using your mobile phone abroad, especially those with internet enabled handsets or dongle users.
Mike Wilson, mobiles and broadband manager at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Don't underestimate how easy it is to rack up a hefty mobile bill if you are going away this Easter and planning to use your phone. The cost of using your mobile abroad will quickly add up and operators may still charge for receiving calls, as well as making them, whilst overseas.
"Before escaping the country be sure to check with your operator how much calls, texts and internet use will set you back when you're away, and most importantly if there is a cheaper international tariff available.
"Vodafone Passport, for example, is free for all customers, allowing users to make calls at their normal rate, plus a 75p connection charge, in over 35 European countries as well as New Zealand and Australia. Orange and O2 also offer good traveller services offering flat rate costs for calls and texts for a small monthly fee. With roaming caps in place in Europe, mobile users are getting a better deal than ever before, but using the internet on your phone can still cost significantly more overseas."
The cost of using the internet on your mobile or using a dongle can also result in crippling bills. Those who have internet access on their phone and pay a set price for using it in the UK should be aware using the internet abroad is not included. Several people have come home to a bill in the thousands for downloading films or watching BBC iPlayer on their handset.
From 1st March 2010, new rules from the EU on mobile roaming have been in force to protect consumers from "bill shocks". A cut-off mechanism is now available from operators once the bill reaches €50, unless the customer specifies another cut-off limit.
Mike Wilson continued: "This regulation will make a big difference to how people use their phones abroad and will go a long way to reducing confusion over roaming charges.
"As the regulation comes into force Brits have a call to action to speak to their provider and set a realistic cut-off point for their individual circumstances and usage if they are not happy with the €50 limit, which is generally enough to handle emails with attachments, keep up with Twitter and do some browsing. Depending on your provider it may stretch to some light downloading as well.
"Some operators however do offer fairly good deals already when using the internet on your mobile whilst abroad. 3 offer a competitive rate of £1.25 per MB and Orange offers ‘Travel Data Daily' rates of £2 for 2MB."
moneysupermarket.com's top tips for using your phone abroad:
Check with your network that you are on its roaming service - this can save a significant amount of money on your mobile bill
If you do need to use the internet on holiday, check the price per MB before you go and avoid any heavy downloading or streaming
Turn your phone off when you are not using it to avoid being charged to receive calls/ texts
Remember that a quick call can be cheaper than a series of texts
If you regularly visit the same place consider getting a local SIM card