Using your mobile phone abroad

Using your mobile phone abroad

(Perspective: UK)

Gone are the days when taking your mobile phone on holiday simply meant carrying another useless item in your suitcase. With most UK networks cooperating with international providers to ensure extended coverage, you should now be able to use your British mobile in most countries worldwide. Mobiles can be invaluable for reassuring nervous relatives, for booking hotels and transport,

and cell phone plans for communicating in an emergency – so, if you’re planning your summer holiday, make sure you also plan to take your phone with you.

Forward planning

Before leaving for your holiday, it’s important to do a little mobile-related research. Bear in mind that some networks operate on different frequency bands that may not be compatible with your handset. Some network providers offer online or telephone services which will allow you to check the usability of your mobile in the country that you’re visiting – the Vodafone website, for example, has a ‘costs and coverage’ page which allows you to check the compatibility of phones with the networks in the country you’re planning to travel in. Other important aspects of forward planning include checking that your mobile isn’t barred from use abroad, packing a plug adaptor for your charger, and making a note of the emergency service number in your destination.

When you arrive

Most mobiles will pick up a foreign network automatically a short while after being switched on. However, some users will need to manually select a network – this can usually be done through a ‘phone settings’ application. Your phone can then be used normally, although you may find that you need a PIN designated by your network to pick up voicemail messages.

The cost of roaming

If you’re taking your summer holiday in Europe then you will benefit from the caps imposed on mobile roaming charges by the EU commission. Depending on your network and your tariff, you should find that you pay around 19p per minute to receive calls and approximately 39p per minute to dial out. It’s worth contacting your provider before leaving, however, to find out exactly how much roaming is likely to cost you. Bear in mind that using your mobile in long-haul destinations is likely to be more expensive – in China, for example, you could be charged up to £1.80 per minute to make a call. If you’re spending a significant time in a long-haul destination, it may therefore be worth purchasing an international phone or SIM card to use for extended calls.

Visit Vodafone’s site to learn more about how their mobile phones can save you money while abroad.

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