How to avoid roaming charges in popular holiday spots
Hefty extras could be added to phone bills by the 'surprise charges' if travellers are unaware of their mobile provider's policies.
It comes as nearly a quarter of Brits have been shocked to return home to charges, according to mobile experts at Uswitch.
Switzerland, Turkey, Albania and Montenegro are often not included in standard EU roaming plans, catching some holidaymakers off guard.
These countries aren't part of the EU or EEA, so different rules apply.
Simrat Sharma, Uswitch mobiles expert, said: 'For those travelling abroad to short-haul destinations this summer, it's important to be aware of potential roaming charges when using your phone on holiday, even if you have free EU roaming included.
'While it's great that many providers do offer free roaming in certain countries, there are usually exclusions, so it's always worth double-checking.
'You can avoid running up expensive roaming bills by checking with your provider on their respective terms and rates for travel to varying countries.
'Rates can vary between users on the same network, so it's essential to review your plan and understand your own personal data allowances and usage limits before you travel.'
Even if you have roaming included as part of your mobile plan, it's always worth double-checking that the country you're visiting is included.
Even if you pay for a bundle to roam abroad, you may not have the same data allowances as you do in the UK. Check your provider's fair usage policy to govern how much data you can use before you incur extra charges.
If you're with a provider that has roaming charges, it's worth considering buying a one-month SIM-only or a travel eSIM deal that will cover you for your time away.
When overseas, you can expect to pay the same per-minute rate for checking your messages as you do for making calls. Yet sometimes even receiving a voicemail on holiday can cost you.
Before traveling, call your provider to ask them to temporarily switch off voicemail services to void these charges.
Use hotel and cafe Wi-Fi connections whenever possible. You can also enable Wi-Fi calling or use services such as WhatsApp to make audio calls without using your minutes.
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If you choose to purchase a data, call, and/or text top-up pass, remember to check the terms and conditions carefully.
These may have an expiration time of midnight UK time, which could leave you caught out depending on your time zone.
If in doubt, engage flight mode, particularly in countries with high roaming charges, as this can then prevent accidental roaming charges for calls, texts, or data.
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