Talk is cheaper on holiday in EU
Roaming charges are cut again – but not every country on the Continent is covered. By Scott Wright
THE cost of using a mobile phone abroad has long been a thorn in the side of UK holidaymakers, bringing millions of pounds in extra – and often unexpected – charges for those who call, text and surf the web while away.
But now it is getting cheaper – at least for those travelling within the European Union. The EU has made three attempts so far to end “roaming rip-offs”, and thanks to regulations passed by the European Parliament, prices have come down by around 75% since 2007.
The latest changes, due to come into effect tomorrow, will reduce the cost of downloading one megabyte (MB) of data to 45 cents (38.6p) from the 70 cents (60p) it cost last year, with the price of making a call falling to 24 cents (20.6p) from 29 cents (24.9p). The cost of receiving a call will go from eight to seven cents (6.8p to 6p) while sending a text drops from nine to seven cents (7.7p to 6p). Further reductions are planned to take effect on July 1, 2014. The data charge falls to 20 cents ( 17p) per MB, making calls will cost 19 cents (16.3p), receiving a call will cost five cents (4.2p), and the cost of sending a text drops to six cents (5p).
Yet while such prog ress is welcome, in the meantime UK mobile users continue to shell out huge sums on mobile-phone bills when they head on holiday.
According to research from price comparison website uSwitch.com, Brits will be hit with mobile roaming charges totalling £256 million this year, in spite of the new caps.
And part of the reason is down to poor geography, with many people running up charges because they believe incorrectly that popular holiday destinations such as Croatia, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Turkey are part of the EU.
US witch points out that a sevenweek holiday in Turkey could lead to a mobile bill of £280 for an individual who each day makes and receives two five- minute calls, listens to a two-minute voicemail message, and sends five texts and two photo messages.
Thankfully, there are ways to bring down the cost of using mobiles abroad, with some providers now offering set-price bundles on calls, text and internet data, specifically for use when travelling.
O2’s Travel European roaming package offers 15 MB of data in 29 countries for £1.99 a day, in addition to lowering the cost of calls to the UK from the continent.
It said the number of customers using data on smartphones has more than doubled since the package was introduced, as holidaymakers increasingly use social media platforms to provide a commentary on their holidays and keep in touch with family and friends at home.
Orange, meanwhile, has produced a Roaming Angel app to help users curtail their costs on holiday.
Those who have a less pressing need to be constantly connected have the option of keeping the roaming facility switched off as much as possible, and buying a local SIM card when you arrive at your destination to keep costs down. Holidaymakers can also tap into free wi-fi facilities in some hotels and cafés.
But the most crucial preparation travellers can make is to consult their providers before heading off.
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch, said: “Talking to your network before you jet off will very likely spare you a nasty post-holiday bill shock, as they may be able to advise a bundle, or at the very least let you know the costs involved with using your phone abroad.”
Yet for all the costs potentially involved, there are some who cannot bear the idea of not being connected at all times, it seems.
Aero Mobile, which provides the mobile network for airline passengers to roam inflight at 30,000 feet, says that it has seen data usage double and a 40% increase in the number of texts sent inflight this year.