Mobile Phone Reviews
 
 
Mobile Phone Users At Risk Of High Overseas Charges

Wed, 12 Aug 2009

British consumers run the risk of incurring large mobile phone charges when they are abroad due to a lack of knowledge on roaming charges, according to new research from uSwitch.com.

A survey by the price comparison service found that many mobile users are unaware that they are charged when making and receiving calls abroad, as well as for each voicemail that is left and for each message that is retrieved.

Of the 1310 UK adults polled, uSwitch found just 4.5 per cent of holidaymakers protect themselves from unwanted charges by turning off their phone and keeping it turned off until they need to make a call.

In addition, as many as two-thirds of holidaymakers risk high overseas charges by switching on their phone when abroad without even intending to use it, with half of those having it turned on for most of their trip.

Steve Weller, communications expert at uSwitch.com, said: "As soon as your phone is switched on abroad, the damage is done - it is registered to a local mobile network and starts to incur overseas charges even if you switch it straight back off again."

He added: "For those who prefer to chat, ask your mobile phone provider about a separate roaming package for calls before you travel, or buy an international SIM card that lets you make cheaper calls abroad . "

"This is a very easy step to take but half of us have never asked about roaming packages and 75 per cent have never used an international SIM card ."

The survey was conducted in July following the introduction of the European Union’s new pricing guidelines on overseas roaming charges, which came into force on July 1.
add to favouritesnewsletterlink to this pagesend to friendpost comments

Link to this page

Copy and Paste the following HTML into your page.