Most customers who went abroad and used their mobile phone experienced so called ג€œbill shockג€, when they came back from their trips. It simply means that their next monthly bill cost them an arm and a leg, because roaming is usually extremely expensive. With PAYG SIM cards you will not have this problem because simply you are limited by the credits on your account, so the worst case scenario is that you use up everything in a day or two. However, roaming rates are as expensive on pay as you go as when you pay monthly. If you follow some simple rules and tips you can cut the cost of using your mobile phone abroad.

1.ֲ ֲ  ֲ Get a local PAYG SIM card

If you are planning on staying for longer than a week or two, itג€™s the most reasonable thing to do. But even if you are just on a week-long trip but you are a heavy caller than picking a local pay as you go SIM card will be the best. Remember if you use a British SIM card abroad you not only pay for calling but also for receiving calls from other countries.

2.ֲ ֲ  ֲ Turn off 3G and data roaming

Using web abroad costs a fortune. Itג€™s pretty easy to spend hundreds of pounds without even knowing. In European Union the price of data roaming is capped at about 69p/MB, but if you go outside EU, for example Asia or America the operators can charge you as much as they want. Not browsing the Internet is not enough, as with smartphones nowadays you have many services and apps that automatically connect to the Web and for example to update Facebook or check e-mail. The best option is to turn off data roaming completely so you are sure no data is used.

3.ֲ ֲ  ֲ Donג€™t call, text people

Texting is cheaper than calling and there is no charge for receiving text messages. That is why texting is superior to calling when you are abroad. You can also use your phone as a sort of a pager. People might text you when they want to get in touch and then you could look for a Wi-Fi spot and get back to them using a Skype or instant messaging software.

4.ֲ ֲ  ֲ Switch voicemail off

As previously mentioned, you pay for receiving calls abroad. Thanks to EU regulation you canג€™t be charged if someone leaves a message on your voicemail and you are travelling anywhere in the world. However, if you want to listen to a message someone has left then you pay like for a normal call to the UK.

5.ֲ ֲ  ֲ Check out bundles and special offers your provider offers

Mobile operators want to please their customers and offer special bundles or services that will give them cheaper call rates or data price. The best way to check what your operator has to offer is to go to a web page dedicated to roaming bundles and deals or tips for people going abroad. Below you will find links to such places of on main British operatorsג€™ websites: