MOBILE
PHONES - ABROAD
Many consumers are unaware
of the cost of using their mobile phone abroad, according to research
by Oftel. Key findings of the research that Oftel carried out with
the Republic of Ireland regulator ODTR are:
- nearly half of UK consumers
with a pre-pay mobile phone are unaware that they can be charged
for incoming calls - at up to £1.50 per minute - when using
their phone abroad.
- over 80pc of consumers
do not believe that the prices for using their mobile phone abroad
represent value for money.
- less than half of consumers
have tried to reduce their mobile bills when abroad, for example
by using text messages or switching from a pre-pay to post-pay
service, despite the potential to make savings of well over 50pc.
David Edmonds, Director General
of Telecommunications, said:
"Wherever your destination,
there may be ways of saving money while you are using your phone
abroad.
"Think twice before making
a call if you can send a quick message instead, as sending a text
message is cheaper than making a one-minute call.
"Think about changing
from pre-pay to contract. If you are a regular traveller, the money
you save on cheaper calls may even pay for the line rental charge.
"Check with your network
to see if it offers an international traveller service, which gives
you cheaper calls abroad for additional line rental and may offer
a good deal for heavy users.
"And before you travel,
check with your network so you know exactly how much you will be
charged for using your phone."
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