Uswitch urges holidaymakers to check roaming costs this summer
Uswitch has advised holidaymakers heading abroad this summer to check their mobile contracts before leaving following the recent reintroduction of roaming charges.
Most major service providers have recently opted to bring back roaming costs for using data, calls and texts in the wake of the UK’s exit from the EU.
Uswitch said many customers will be venturing abroad for the first time since the changes, so it is important to double-check whether a roaming add-on is required.
EE, Three and Vodafone all charge a flat rate of £2 per day for using UK allowances in the EU, though customers can cut costs by purchasing roaming passes.
Vodafone offers an eight-day pass for £8, which lowers the cost of roaming to £1 per day, while EE has a 30-day ‘Roam Abroad Pass’ for £10 for those on an Essential plan.
Smaller providers Sky Mobile and VOXI also introduced £2 per day charges in May.
O2 is doing things slightly differently with a ‘fair use’ policy that allows customers to use 25GB of data per month on the Continent, with a £3.50 per 1GB charge above that limit.
Uswitch mobiles expert Catherine Hiley urged customers going on holiday to visit their provider’s website to check what roaming charges apply for the country they are going to.
Doing so could reduce the risk of being hit with unexpected charges afterwards, which is more commonly known as ‘bill shock’.
Hiley concluded: “If you are concerned about unexpected charges, the safest bet is to keep data roaming switched off and make good use of free Wi-Fi.”