Travelling outside the EU could land you with a nasty phone bill unless you switch off data roaming
Holidaymakers travelling outside the EU are being warned to prepare for "bill shock" on their return if they don't keep their mobile phone's data roaming switched off when they are abroad.
Almost a fifth of overseas travellers fail to switch off data roaming in their mobile settings when overseas, according to price comparision website uSwitch.com. It has calculated that, outside the EU, a seven-day data bill – based on a modest amount of video streaming, emailing and browsing the web – could hit almost £300 if mobile users don't keep their phone's data roaming switched off and use free local Wi-Fi instead. Even downloading a couple of web pages and updating your Facebook status will cost you almost £5, regardless of which network you are on.
Cases of "bill shock" from travelling within the EU have fallen dramatically, however, since regulations introduced last year capped the cost of using mobiles abroad. From 1 July this year, mobile networks will be forced to cap roaming charges within EU countries even further. The new caps will mean it will cost €0.24 (21p) per minute to make calls, €0.07 per minute to receive calls and €0.08 to send a standard text message. There will also be a €50 (£43) cap on overall data usage.
Wherever you are travelling, most networks will offer call and data "bundles" that can be used abroad.
Ernest Doku, technology expert at uSwitch.com, suggests limiting potential damage by keeping data roaming switched off. "If you want to use the internet, wait until you can get Wi-Fi at a hotel or café," he says. "And, when it comes to calls and text messages, the best way to keep costs down to a minimum is to buy a local SIM card, put it in your phone and top it up."
Before you go it also helps to be sure whether or not the country you are travelling to is in the EU. Almost half of the 1,000 adults interviewed by uSwitch.com incorrectly thought that Croatia was part of the EU, and almost a third wrongly believed Turkey was.
No comments:
Post a Comment