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Mobile roaming advice - the long and short of it...

With the global financial crisis hitting home and household and personal budgets under pressure you may find the time is right to review how you use your mobile phone, especially when travelling abroad.

Whilst the EU commission has succeeded in capping the mobile roaming charges applied by the major UK mobile networks in European Union member states, those networks have moved their focus to non EU destinations to recoup lost mobile roaming revenues. This means that whilst you enjoy cheaper outgoing and incoming calls in Europe compared with the past, you are still paying the extortionate rates outside the EU, especially in long haul destinations.

The following article is designed to guide you through the options of making sure you get the best value in Europe and to help you to avoid the heavy penalties of mobile roaming on long haul trips when you use your mobile phone.

In Europe it is now possible to use your mobile phone more cost effectively but you still pay to receive calls (approx 19 p/min) and also pay a premium to make outbound calls (approx 39 p/min). Text messaging is also still expensive and data charges remain high. The simplest solution for even greater savings despite the UK mobile network mobile roaming caps is to use a foreign, International SIM or a Global SIM card. These relatively new network services mean that you can use a Global SIM card or International SIM in your existing handset and receive all your calls for free within the EU. Outgoing call rates are also reduced to around 25 p/min and text rates are cheaper at 39 p per text. Data facilities are to be added to the 0044 Global SIM card in 2009 and again will offer tremendous savings versus roaming with a UK network SIM. The Global SIM card or International SIM card can also be used in many other destinations to help avoid the higher roaming charges that the networks apply outside of Europe.

Pay-monthly mobile contracts can also help beat the reduced roaming charges in Europe. A French Pay-Monthly contract from 0044 will reduce call rates further in France to 20 p/min and you can still aso receive calls for free. However these solutions are typically suited to single country visits and for travelling throughout Europe a Global SIM card or International SIM is the better option. More specific detail and call rates on these multi-destination products is available here.

Business users can also enjoy the benefits of free roaming in the EU whilst having a UK number for use at home by using the Freedom pay-monthly contracts. These post-paid deals offer similar benefits to the Global SIM card or International SIM but are data enabled for internet access and using email and also include free minutes and texting whilst in the UK.

However, the real problems begin when you travel outside of Europe and the powers of the EU commission are completely removed. Long haul travel is often more costly in terms of the flight, accommodation car hire and other necessities but the cost of using a mobile phone becomes astronomical.

In the USA, for instance, a trip to Florida for some winter sun could see you paying over £1.00 per minute to make a call and around 80 p/min to receive a call. Pricing varies by network, but the basic facts are that you'll pay a lot more compared to when you are in Europe. Canny travelers might think that a Global SIM card or International SIM card could be the solution in the same way as they can reduce costs in Europe, but sadly they are not as cost effective in many long haul destinations. This is where the country specific solution comes into its own. The Jolt USA SIM, for instance, comes with a US number and allows you to make and receive calls from as little as 18 p/min, representing a huge saving compared to UK mobile roaming charges.

If you head east, let's say to China, then the roaming rates increase even more. UK networks can get away with charging as much as £1.80 p/min to make a call and £1.20 p/min to receive a call so it makes sense to look for another more cost effective option. Global SIM card or International SIM cards can represent a solution, but again they do not work as hard in China as they do in Europe. Costs can be reduced by around 50% with a Global SIM card or International SIM card in China, so it worth checking the options out, but for real savings you should investigate a Chinese pre-paid or contract SIM. Call rates start from as little as 15 p/min to make a receive calls so the savings can be as much as 90% of what you'd normally pay with a UK SIM card.

In other long haul destinations, the Global SIM card or International SIM card can work as hard as it does in Europe, so again it is best to research the options you might have available carefully for your destination. If Australia is on your itinerary then there are local Australian SIM card solutions available in the same way that there are in the USA, but a Global SIM card will match those savings as well. So, if a UK number is important whilst you travel then the Global SIM card may well be a better solution for 'down under.'

In conclusion, there are certainly many ways to save money when using your mobile aboard but it does pay to do some research first. What may be a good solution in one country may not be as suitable for other destinations. It also depends on the nature of your visit. If it's for work or a gap year then a local number may be important so a local or foreign SIM is the answer. If your itinerary includes several destinations then a Global SIM card or International SIM is usually going to be the most practical and cost effective solution. Either way, get on-line before you travel, research the price comparison sites as well as individual company web sites and you never know, your ideal solution could be just a few clicks away.