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Consumers risk running up large mobile phone bills while abroad because they are in the dark about overseas charges, according to new research from uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service.
Mobile Brits abroad: The facts
- 36% make mobile phone calls
- 57% send text messages
- 17% pick up voicemail messages
- 6% browse the internet using their mobile
- 8% check emails on their mobiles
- 73% use the camera or alarm clock functions
Even though 22 million people (49%) plan to take their mobile phones on holiday this year, 15 million of these (70%) won’t be checking the costs beforehand. And it’s not because they already know - over half of mobile phone users (53%) aren’t sure what they are being charged and over three in ten (32%) have been shocked by an expensive phone bill when they have returned home from holiday.
According to the research, cash conscious consumers are getting caught out. Most consumers are aware that making calls while abroad can be costly but 58% are unwittingly opening themselves up to high overseas charges just by switching their phone on.
This is because the minute you switch on abroad and your phone registers onto a local network you will be billed at overseas rates – you will have to pay to receive calls, for someone leaving you a voicemail message and to pick up voicemail messages.
Despite consumers being liable for overseas charges even they don’t actually make any call, a quarter (27%) keep their phone switched on most of the time, even though they don’t intend to use it.
Even checking messages adds up
Those who turn their phone on sporadically to check messages – a further 27% - are also at risk of clocking up unexpected overseas charges even if they switch their mobile straight off again. Three quarters of people (73%) use the camera or alarm clock on their phone while away - but they too could still be in for a nasty surprise. In total, uSwitch.com estimates that 13 million consumers could get caught out.
Unsurprisingly then, 85% of people think that mobile phone providers charge too much for their overseas services. But despite this, just four in ten (41%) have asked their provider about a roaming package and just one in five have used an international SIM card to make cheaper calls while abroad even though these steps could really limit the impact on their bills.
6% of mobile users taking their phone abroad this year intend to surf the internet on their mobile while overseas and 8% plan to use their phone to check emails via the internet. Not only can this prove costly, but if a phone is set to automatic data roaming, users may be continuously paying for internet connectivity that they aren’t even using.
This spring saw the arrival of new measures from the EU to prevent ‘bill shock’ for customers using their mobiles to browse the internet while abroad. From 1st March customers have been able to set a financial limit on their roaming bill and from 1st July a €50 limit will be automatically imposed. But if customers don’t get in touch with their network before they travel, the uniform cap could cause problems for those with higher usage requirements. What’s more, the new rules only apply to within the EU - anyone travelling further afield remains at risk of limitless bills.
Matthew Wheeler, communications expert at uSwitch.com, says “Contacting your mobile network should be high on every mobile user’s holiday checklist, alongside their sun cream and passport. Using a mobile phone abroad shouldn’t automatically lead to a big bill if people stay in control. Users can opt for a special roaming tariff, fix a cap or even use a cut price local SIM card to keep bills low. At the very least, ask your network to switch off your voicemail service before you leave the UK to avoid these hidden charges."
“The new legislation is a step in the right direction, but €50 could still be a nasty sting in the tail of an already large phone bill. And as it’s only effective in EU countries, the increasing numbers escaping the strong Euro and holidaying further afield still need to be wary.
- Key tips
Mobile internet users must check that the data roaming is turned off when not in use to prevent online services such as email updating automatically.
They could also try to avoid visiting sites that are heavy on the visuals, as data is charged per megabyte downloaded – although this may be a hard ask for the Facebook and Twitter addicts amongst us.
