How to avoid hefty holiday phone bills...

We couldn’t be without our phones on holiday but it is easy to run up a big bill if you are not careful about how you use yours abroad.

Research by comparison and switching service Uswitch reveals a quarter of consumers (24%) say they have no idea what using their phone abroad will cost, despite one in seven (16%) worrying about big bills on their return. Uswitch offers these tips:

DOWNLOAD AT HOME, NOT AWAY:

Download any maps, shows, films and music before travelling, to avoid data costs abroad. If using your mobile on holiday, focus on low-data activities and apps. An hour of Google Maps will only eat up 5MB, while streaming an HD movie for the same time will use about 2GB – 400 times as much.

CHECK THE CAP FITS:

Even if you are paying your provider for a bundle to roam abroad, you may not have the same data allowances as you do in the UK. Check your provider’s fair usage policy, which will govern how much data you can use before you incur extra charges.

SWITCH OFF VOICEMAIL:

When overseas, you can expect to pay the same per-minute rate for checking your messages as making calls. Yet sometimes even receiving a voicemail on holiday can cost you.

WI-FI WINS: Use hotel or café wi-fi connections whenever possible. You can also enable wi-fi calling or use services such as Whatsapp to make audio calls without using your minutes. Make sure access points are safe and secure before logging on and avoid online banking on public networks.

PLAY IT AGAIN SIM:

If you’re with a provider that has roaming charges it’s worth considering buying a one-month SIM-only deal for your time away. Lebara, which runs off the Vodafone network, offers a 5GB monthly SIM-only contract for £5.95, which comes with free roaming in the EU and India.

For more info on mobile and data roaming charges visit uswitch.com