How to avoid ‘bill shock’ when using your mobile phone abroad
Going abroad on holiday or business? With so many people relying on their smartphones to keep in touch, it is all too easy to run up a bill that reaches four figures; however, there are ways to keep the cost of calls, texts and data usage to a minimum while globetrotting.
The recent news that the EU is placing a cap on the cost of using a mobile phone in a member country has been welcomed, but this still means keeping a close eye on usage while outside the EU. Generally speaking it is easy to keep track of calls and texts, as most providers charge a set rate for each, but this will vary depending upon the destination country. It is much harder to keep track of the data that is being used. Sometimes there are apps that are in use in the background or something is updating without the user knowing about it, which can send the bill soaring.
The European parliament voted that there should be no roaming charges in the region from the end of 2015. MEPs also voted in 2013 to place a cap on the cost of using mobile internet abroad; however, these measures still need to be approved by each country.
The good news is that there are plenty of changes being made to the cost of roaming by service providers. Three, for example, will be ending roaming charges in a total of 16 countries, including France, Switzerland, US, Australia, Sweden, Hong Kong and Italy; however, there are still many cases where travellers are coming home to huge phone bills.
One option is for those travelling to consider a network add-on. There are various extras that users can add to their mobile phone deal, depending upon the type of contract they have, which will bring down the cost of using a phone abroad. It is also important for those who want to use internet services to check emails or browse while they are abroad to look for Wi-Fi hotspots. Most hotels have Wi-Fi now – generally free of charge – and users can save themselves a lot of money by connecting to these hotspots.
This can also work in other places while abroad. Airports, cafes and bars all seem to have a Wi-Fi service and users should be sure to use this. There are also free apps for messaging while online, which can help to keep data use low. Always ask if there is a password for internet access and be sure to save it for future reference.
Talking to your service provider before travelling can also help, as it may be possible to change deals to suit your requirements while you are away. Those who are in the market for a change of provider should shop around, as it may be possible to find a provider willing to work harder to keep roaming charges to a minimum.
If you’d like to find out more about how international add-ons could help you save money, contact Synergy Mobile today.