Scots flying off to some holiday hotspots this summer may be hit by a phone bill of up to £787 on their return, according to comparison site Uswitch.com.
Potential travel disruption is not the only challenge facing them, with roaming charges threatening to add an unexpected and heft cost to many trips abroad.
Nearly one in four UK holidaymakers (24%) have no idea of their mobile provider’s fees for using data, making calls and texting overseas, Uswitch.com has found.
Roaming cap is for data only
Visitors to some popular holiday destinations face fees of up to £7.20 per MB on mobile data, £5 per minute to make calls and 60p to send texts.
This means a holidaymaker using 1GB of data, making 20 minutes of calls and sending 10 texts a day could end up with a £787 bill.
After leaving the EU, the UK Government introduced a worldwide roaming data cap of £45 a month to help travellers avoid huge bills. Without this cap, holidaymakers in Egypt using 1GB of data every day could run up a bill of more than £50,000 in a week.
But the cap does not include calls and texts, which can be particularly expensive outside of the EU. Pricey destinations include Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which may all land unwary travellers with costly phone bills.
Uswitch.com telecoms expert Ernest Doku said: “Millions of Brits will soon be enjoying a hard-earned holiday abroad, and thoughts about the cost of using their mobile will be far from their mind.
“For many, it will be their first foreign holiday since EU roaming fees returned, so it’s important to remember you’re now likely to face extra charges for using your phone.
“There’s a huge difference in costs between countries, so it’s worth checking with your provider how much you will pay to make calls, send texts and use data in your destination, and if there are any passes or add-ons that could help you use your data abroad for a minimal cost.”
Frequent travellers
Mr Doku added: “If you regularly travel abroad, it may be worth considering switching to a provider without EU roaming fees, or looking at a 30-day SIM-only deal to reduce your charges while you’re away.”
Uswitch.com has an online guide explaining where it’s most expensive to use your phone and offering tips on how to avoid big bills.
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