New European Union rules mean the costs of making calls or accessing the internet from a mobile phone have fallen.
But many expats and travellers remain confused about which countries are in the pact – and those that are not.
Here is a quick guide to the new rules and what they mean for mobile users in the EU:
What are the maximum call costs?
Roaming charges are capped at 15p a minute for making a call, 4p a minute to pick up a call, 7p to send a text and 16p to download a megabyte (Mb) of data.
Which countries are in the European Union?
Surveys have shown some expats and travellers believe Switzerland, Iceland, Tunisia and Turkey are in the EU. They are not.
Click here for a full list of the latest EU nations
Don’t forget candidate and potential candidate countries are not EU member states.
How to save on roaming charges
Take advantage of free wi-fi hotspots at bars, airports and hotels – but make sure the roaming option is switched off on the mobile phone. By doing this, no roaming charges are incurred for using a phone or tablet while overseas – regardless of whether you are in the EU or outside the member states.
Consider buying a local SIM card to make cheaper calls from overseas and swap the card with the one in your phone.
How much are roaming charges
Although the charges are capped and will come down still more by the end of 2015, each provider has a different scale of rates for using their service from overseas.
Check your mobile phone provider’s web site for details of the charges so you do not end up with a surprise bill when you return home.
A recent survey by price comparison site uSwitch revealed 60% of expats and travellers take their mobile phones overseas, but few understood how roaming charges worked and many switched off their phones rather than risk huge bills.
Why are roaming charges cheaper?
The fall in prices is the result of an EU directive. The new regulations say all EU citizens should pay the same rates when they use their mobiles in another member state as they do at home. After an investigation, the EU determined providers were treating their customers unfairly by imposing higher charges without incurring extra costs when mobiles were used in another EU country.
