It has been a couple of years now since I got stung badly by phone charges incurred while using my mobile abroad but it is definitely something which I won't forget in a hurry. The things that caused my charges to sky rocket were taking calls while outside the country and also switching data roaming on. The costs of taking calls varies from country to country and by network but can cost you up to £2 per minute. For instance, if you are a pay monthly O2 customer receiving a call in places such as the Bahamas, Thailand or Mauritius will set you back £0.85 per minute. It quickly adds up and before you know it you will have quite a hefty bill waiting for you when you get back from your travels.
Data roaming is another issue entirely and should be avoided unless you want to run up a massive bill. Something as simple as checking your emails or opening a Facebook app or Twitter on your smartphone is a big mistake. These things eat data and you will find that the simple act of updating your Facebook status to let your friends know what a fantastic holiday you are having will have cost you dearly.
To avoid such costs I urge you to look for alternatives. Here are my top tips on avoiding excessive charges while abroad:
Texts
Receiving texts while abroad is free so use them smartly. Use your mobile as a pager and ask family or friends to text you rather than call if they want to talk to you. You can then use a cheaper method to call them back. If you send texts keep them short and don't get into a text conversation with someone.
Data Roaming
I urge you to switch off data roaming and 3g while out of the country as it costs ridiculous amounts. If you do switch it on never, ever download anything such as a movie, app or photographs. I have heard of people ending up with bills costing hundreds and even thousands of pounds because they were careless with their web use while abroad.
Wifi
Make use of wifi if it is available where you are staying. If you have Skype installed on your smartphone use this to make calls back home. You can buy Skype credit if you need to call a landline which really does save you a lot of money.
Check with your provider
Some providers offer bolt-on's or packages to help save you money on calls while abroad so it is worth checking with them before you go.
Voicemail
It is a good idea to switch off voicemail before you go as although you will not be charged for receiving a voicemail within Europe, you will be charged to listen to it therefore my advice is to avoid this situation entirely and do not give people the option to leave you a voicemail. If you are outside the EU this is even more important as you will be charged for both receiving and listening to voicemail.
