JETSETTERS are facing extra costs as they fly off on their holidays this year – but you can avoid them if you know how.
A number of mobile phone providers have brought back roaming charges, and that means it’s going to cost you to call, text and use data if you’re heading abroad.
1
UK customers were previously able to use their texts, minutes and data in Europe without paying an extra fee.
But that changed earlier this year when mobile phone companies Three, EE and Vodafone all reintroduced the fees.
It followed the UK’s exit from the European Union, which allowed firms to apply the charge.
But for those worried about spending extra on their holidays, there are ways to avoid the dreaded “roam rage”, according to Catherine Hiley, a 33-year-old mobile’s expert at Uswitch.
She’s revealed her top tips for slashing your roaming costs:
Map out the costs
If your provider has brought back roaming charges, the first step is to understand the fees.
Look up the charges, says Catherine, particularly if you use EE, Vodafone and Three, and see what you might have to pay to use data depending on which country you’re travelling to.
If you’re heading to Europe this summer, you can expect to pay around £2 a day.
But there are different rules on usage limits for some non-EU countries like Northern Cyprus, Turkey and Switzerland and are ones “to look out for”, warns Catherine.
For those flying outside the EU, Travel Bolt Ons offered by some phone companies can be useful as well. Check what packages your provider offers.
O2 customers for example can pay a single, fixed daily rate which will give them unlimited minutes and texts and all the data they need. There’s no upper usage limit on data either.
Most read in Money
Flight mode is your friend
Before flying to your destination, enable your mobile’s flight mode and switch off data roaming.
This will avoid the risk of incurring charges as you pass through different countries and territories, Catherine says.
It also stops you being slapped with a charge the second you turn your phone on when you land.
Catherine said: “One of my friends went on holiday recently and actually forgot to turn on flight mode – they connected to several different flight modes when they were flying over.”
Download before you go
If you want some entertainment while you’re away, make sure you prepare in advance.
Download any shows, films and music at home before travelling to avoid using up your data, Catherine says.
Store your boarding passes and other important travel documents such as covid passes on your mobile in advance as well, so that they’re easy to access.
“Downloading shows before you fly out is a really important one because it stops increasing costs,” Catherine says.
And even if you do have a data package, it’ll reduce the risk of you going over it and being hit with a charge.
Use WhatsApp instead
WhatsApp is a great way to swap text, image, video and audio messages for free.
It can be a much better alternative to sending text messages or using standard voice calls, which can rack up charges while you’re away.
Be careful you only use it when you’re connected to free Wi-Fi or you could find it proves even more costly, and eats into your data package.
Catherine says: “You can call, you can have video chats, so WhatsApp can be a real lifeline if used correctly.”
Leave voicemail at home
Depending on your network and the country you are in, sometimes even receiving a voicemail on holiday can cost you.
If your provider does include this charge then give it a call before you travel and ask it to switch voicemail off.
A few countries where you could be charged to receive a voicemail include the Faroe Islands, Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
But Catherine says a simple phone call to your provider before travelling and asking them to turn this feature off will stop you being charged.
The best bet is to call your provider beforehand to double-check.
A timely Swytch
If you are planning to make plenty of calls and texts on your holiday, you could rent a second mobile number for your phone with a company like Swytch.
The service allows you to receive calls and texts sent to the second number when overseas and you won’t pay for incoming calls.
You can also get cheap outgoing calls and texts, charged at local rates.
On Swytch’s website there is currently just a “Business Plan” on offer which includes no set-up fees and Cheap UK SMS texts (4p per SMS). It will set you back £5 per month.
An “Unlimited Plan”, costing £20, offering unlimited UK calls and UK SMS texts will also be available soon.
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team?
