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How to
avoid roaming charges...
[back]
Before you travel abroad, here are a number of tips you might like to review. Hopefully they'll give you a couple of ideas on avoiding roaming charges when travelling abroad with your mobile phone.
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August 2005 - Vodafone have launched a new service for people using their phone abroad called Vodafone Passport. This service, free to register for, claims to save you money when roaming on other Vodafone networks abroad. Check their website for details. |
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Before travelling, check with your mobile provider if they have arrangements with companies at your destination, and find out what the charges are for using these preferred suppliers, and what the charges would be for using another non-preferred operator. Remember also that peak and off-peak times may vary where you’re travelling to. |
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If you’re happy that you understand what the charges are, and you understand how you’re going to be charged (for both making and receiving calls), then you can decide whether or not you’re willing to pay for the roaming service. If you’re happy to pay, then good. If you think it’s too expensive, don’t bring your phone with you. |
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If you are bringing your phone, and want to avoid having people calling you unnecessarily, make sure they know you’re abroad, or else make use of your “divert to voice-mail” – letting people know in your message that you are away. (Remembering the cost of checking your voice mail later). |
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Remembering that post-paid tariffs may be cheaper for you when roaming than prepaid tariffs you may have more control over how much you spend when you use a prepaid phone. You can top-up your phone with a set amount you’re willing to spend before going away, and then once that runs out, you’re done. It has been suggested in some quarters to specially purchase a prepaid SIM card and top it up before travelling for your holidays. |
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If you travel regularly, some mobile companies are not providing you with special tariffs that provide you with better deals on roaming rates. Investigate if these special tariffs can provide you with better value while roaming. |
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Alternatively, if you do travel to the same country regularly, it may also be worth investigating purchasing a prepaid SIM card in that particularly country – especially if your calls are concentrated within that particular country when you’re away, and you don’t necessarily call home so much. These will also have the advantage of you not being charged for receiving calls while you’re abroad. Just make sure the network provider has not locked the handset and always inquire as to whether the new Sim will expire after a certain period. |
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Many people who bring their mobiles while travelling simply use them for text messages. Bear in mind however that text messages sent while abroad may cost you more – you are however, not charged for receiving texts while abroad. |
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Investigate purchasing calling cards either before you leave, or when you get to your destination. These can significantly reduce the cost your outbound calls from payphones etc, but mean you’re not contactable. |
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Many airport arrivals areas now have companies providing mobile phone rental. It’s another alternative to consider, though it may not necessarily be a cheaper option. |
Value Ireland Commentary on Roaming Charges
With regards to what's posted on the Value Ireland Forum, there have been no complaints regarding roaming charges from any of the Irish mobile companies. From a Value Ireland point of view, since we haven't had any complaints, and since we haven't made any research or comparisons, we won't say whether or not Irish consumers are being ripped off on their roaming charges.
One thing which we in Value Ireland would like to question (though without much research cannot comment on) is how we in Ireland compare to our European neighbours with regards to how much we're charged for roaming. Do the British, French or Germans pay more, or less, or the same, when they come to Ireland as we pay when we visit their countries.
Without seeing comparison numbers between Irish and European operators, it's a little disingenuous of people to say that we're being ripped off. We're not making any comparisons to make such a judgment.
For example, those that may have travelled significantly in the past, prior to the advent of mobile phones, will warmly welcome the service provided by mobile operators in being able to roam with your mobile. Many will remember phones provided in hotels where the per minute rate to call home was 5 or 6 times the cost or local calls. They will also remember difficulties and issues with making phone calls from phone boxes using local currency or through having to work out the necessary calling cards to use.
Even the ability to be contactable at all times by those at home while you're abroad will be of value to many.
The advent of mobile phones has provided a premium experience with regards to phone usage abroad, which didn't exist in the past, and as such, to a certain extent is probably entitled to be charged at a premium rate.
Without appearing to be in total defence of the Irish phone companies, we in Value Ireland have tried to make comparisons between the costs charged to Irish consumers when travelling to both the UK and Spain, and then tried to do a reciprocal piece of research for visitors from the UK and Spain and how much they may be charged.
Over the course of a number of hours, this proved almost impossible. With the number of tariffs, and differing call charges within these tariffs (for Irish and European mobile phone companies), and deals between some of these mobile companies, it's very difficult to compare straightforward phone calls.
Given that our big 2 mobile phone companies are part of European or Global multi-nationals, there must be scope for these companies to leverage their size and coverage of the European map, for example, to provide easy to understand, straightforward pricing for roaming that everyone can understand, and that is easily comparable with what our European neighbours are charged.
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