It’s been all over the news lately about how expensive it is to use your phone when you’re abroad. While we all know this, it’s still easy to start using your phone and end up with a huge bill. Just posting a daily selfie on Instagram can add up to an extra £50 on your monthly bill. There’s even a story of a holidaymaker who got a bill of over £20,000 after uploading photos to Facebook! Another couple spent £1,300 downloading Eastenders.
If you travel often, it’s a good idea to get your phone unlocked and buy a local SIM card when you arrive at your destination. You can unlock your phone at most shops that sell mobile accessories. Local SIM cards are usually available at the airport or newsagents, and you can top up and use Pay As You Go to avoid any nasty surprises on your bill.
If you don’t travel regularly, read on to find out which network can help keep your costs down when using your phone abroad.
O2
– Best for: Internet use and long phone calls.
– Beware: 50p connection charge on phone calls.
Be mindful of making phone calls. O2 charges a 50p connection fee for all calls abroad, but then you can talk for free for 60 minutes. To save money, try making fewer, longer calls. If you’re into uploading photos to social media, O2 is a good choice. For £1.99 per day, you get unlimited data, although speeds drop after using 50Mb for the day.
EE
– Best for: Texting and frequent travelers, thanks to the Extra Plan.
– Beware: You need to contact EE before traveling to opt into the Talk and Text plan.
EE doesn’t automatically activate data plans when abroad. You need to opt into the Talk and Text plan for £2 a day by contacting EE, which allows you to make a couple of calls and text freely. For frequent European travelers, the 4GEE Extra plan includes free minutes and texts as part of your contract, but it could increase your monthly bill or the upfront cost of your phone, so make sure it’s worth it.
Three
– Best for: If you’re traveling to one of their 19 covered countries.
– Beware: None. Three seems pretty good.
Three offers a great roaming service in 19 countries where you can use your UK data allowance for free on their Feel at Home plan. If your destination isn’t on the list, opt into their Euro Internet Pass when in Europe to minimize data usage outside Europe.
Vodafone
– Best for: Heavy use abroad.
– Beware: None. Vodafone seems pretty reliable.
Vodafone users should opt into the Euro Traveller plan, which lets you pay £3 per day to use your UK minutes, texts, and data abroad. Without opting in, you may face high charges (16.5p per minute and 17p per Mb of data). For business travelers, Vodafone’s Euro or World Traveller plan allows unlimited use of UK calls, texts, and data for £3 a day in Europe and £5 elsewhere, so you can stay connected without worrying about high costs.
Tips for using your phone abroad:
1. Turn off data roaming before your plane lands. Your phone will search for a connection as soon as you land, which can lead to extra charges.
2. Connect to WiFi. Many hotels, restaurants, and cafes offer free WiFi. But don’t spend all your time online and miss out on interacting with people around you.
3. Use flight mode if you don’t want temptations. This allows you to use your phone as a camera without sending texts or making calls, avoiding extra charges.
4. Limit data usage to certain days. Many service providers charge a daily rate, so check your emails or social media every other day to save money.
Massive thanks to James Padmore, Head of Utilities at comparethemarket.com, for sharing this information. Personally, I’m on O2, and despite my best efforts, my bill is always high when I use my phone abroad. When my O2 contract expires next year, I’m planning to switch to Three. Seems like a good reason to plan trips to Sri Lanka, Norway, and New Zealand next year!