Roaming - Guidance for mobile phone usage whilst abroad Guidance Note C03/17 13 th June 2017 Gibraltar Regulatory Authority Communications Division 2 nd Floor, Eurotowers 4, 1 Europort Road Gibraltar GX11 1AA Telephone +350 20074636 Fax +350 20072166 Email: communications@gra.gi Web: http://www.gra.gi
Roaming Using your mobile abroad No one wants to return from a relaxing holiday abroad to find a sky-high mobile phone bill waiting at home. Using your mobile phone overseas (roaming) could cost considerably more than it does at home, particularly if you want to surf the web a lot, upload photos to social networking sites or check or send lots of emails. You can even run up a big bill without actively using your phone as smartphones and 3G/4G enabled tablets automatically seek out mobile connections and use them to update apps. So unless you turn off data roaming before you go, these devices could be downloading data at standard rates throughout your stay without you realising it. This guide explains more about using your phone abroad and other ways to avoid running up a large mobile bill. Before you go Think about how you want to use your phone abroad. Your monthly allowance may not cover you for usage abroad so making and receiving calls, sending texts and using the internet or other data abroad could end up costing you extra. You may benefit from buying an international SIM card from a specialised provider, which may offer lower prices when travelling in a variety of different countries. Another option is to buy a local pay-as-you-go SIM card when you arrive at your destination. It means you'll have a different phone number while you are there, but will ensure you pay local prices and can be particularly worthwhile for people who frequently visit the same country. However, bear in mind that roaming charges will still apply if you want to make a call or send a text back to your home country using a local SIM. Check with your operator to make sure you can use another SIM with your phone and, if you do buy one, make sure you keep your Gibraltar SIM card safe and secure. Data roaming If you don't switch off data roaming before you leave Gibraltar, your smartphone will automatically seek out an internet connection when you reach your destination and you may start using data without realising it. Remember, even low data usage that you wouldn't notice at home could end up costing you more abroad as it may not be covered by your standard usage allowance.
It's simple to turn off data roaming on your handset. Voicemail If you are travelling outside the EU, check with your provider, as some charge every time a voicemail message is left on your phone when you are away. If they do, contact them - you may be able to switch off voicemail while you are away by keying a code into your handset, or your provider may be able to temporarily disable your voicemail. Remember, you may need to contact them again to reactivate your voicemail on your return. You may also be charged to listen to voicemail messages while you are away, depending on where you are. Using the internet on your phone when you arrive If you want to regularly browse the web on your phone, use local Wi-Fi hotspots instead of your phone's mobile internet (3G/4G) connection. You can usually access Wi-Fi in places like cafes, restaurants and hotels, sometimes for free, or you can pay to access the internet for a set time period. Some phone apps can seek out Wi-Fi networks and prompt you to connect to them so that you don't have to do this manually. This is particularly useful for downloading maps, checking emails or browsing social networks - all of which would otherwise soon rack up data charges if a mobile internet connection was used. Remember, you don't need 'data roaming' switched on to access Wi-Fi. But this does mean you will need to stay within range of the Wi-Fi to avoid losing your connection. If you haven't turned data roaming off while using Wi-Fi and the Wi-Fi signal drops, your phone may automatically seek out a mobile network to keep you connected and you may therefore incur data charges. If you're not using Wi-Fi, avoid data-heavy activities such as watching videos, updating social media with photos or downloading music. Also, if you are checking emails, avoid opening large attachments. Europe - Calls, SMS and Data As of June 15th 2017, under EU law, the cost of using a mobile phone within the European Union will be no higher than domestic rates. Roam like at home, as it is known, means that users from one EU member state can enjoy using their mobile phone (Calls, SMS and Data) at no extra cost. However, exceptions do exist and your provider may be able to apply a roaming charge if you exceed the fair use limit. The fair use policy protects providers from abusive roaming usage, particularly near country borders, where savvy users could purchase cheaper mobile phone contracts in one country and roam indefinitely in the next country in order to enjoy cheaper calls, SMS and data.
This applies across most European countries and territories, but not in Switzerland, Andorra, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Israel or Turkey, so beware that you could be charged more for using your mobiles in these countries. Rest of the world Calls, SMS and Data Costs tend to be much higher outside Europe so think about how you plan to use your phone in advance. It might be worth considering buying a SIM for the country you are visiting. If you are thinking about doing this, check whether your handset is locked' to the network of your provider as you may not be able to use another SIM. Check with your provider - if they do charge, consider asking them how to switch off your voicemail before you leave Gibraltar and tell your friends and family to SMS instead. The cost of data roaming can be significantly higher outside Europe. Check prices with your provider before you leave. Alternatively, it might be worth considering buying a SIM for the country you are visiting. Either way, using Wi-Fi can help to keep costs down. What if I am on a ferry or cruise? Mobile phones used in coastal areas or at sea may not be able to connect to traditional 2, 3 or 4G networks and may instead seek out a satellite connection. The euro-tariffs and world-wide data limits we mention above unfortunately do not apply to these and charges can be high. Try to use services on land where-ever possible. If you think you will need to use your phone at sea, check with your provider before you travel how much it will cost to use your phone via a satellite connection. You could consider manually selecting a preferred network while you are on the boat/ship to avoid satellite connections but signals can vary and this will mean you wouldn't receive calls or texts when out of range of the selected network. Lost or stolen phones Be extra careful when taking your phone abroad as thieves often target tourists. You should take care when using your phone in public, don't let it out of your possession. Not only are many smartphones worth hundreds of pounds, but thieves can quickly rack up huge bills on stolen phones. You may be liable for all charges run up on your phone when it goes missing up until you report it as lost or stolen to your provider. Therefore, it's important you contact your provider as soon as possible to avoid facing high charges as a result of unauthorised use.
Therefore, if your phone goes missing when you're abroad, it's important you contact your provider as soon as possible to avoid facing high charges as a result of unauthorised use. Even if there's a slim chance you may find your phone, it's worth talking to your provider about whether a temporary bar can be placed on your account. Once you have reported your phone as lost or stolen, your provider can bar your SIM to stop calls being made on your account. Your provider can also stop anyone else from using your phone by blocking its IMEI, a unique 15-digit serial number. You can get your IMEI number by keying *#06# into your handset or by looking behind your phone battery. Make a record of this number, as well as the make and model of your handset and keep it somewhere safe. Alternatively, you can also download an app which can trace your phone if it is lost or stolen and can enable you to wipe details remotely - such as findmyiphone or Android device manager. Some mobile insurance policies may provide some cover for unauthorised use so it is worth checking the terms and conditions of your existing policy, or when considering a new policy. Remember, if you do decide to take out mobile phone insurance, you may be obliged to let your insurer know if your phone is lost or stolen within a certain time frame too. You should still also let your mobile phone provider know. Finally, always make sure you put a passcode on both your handset and SIM to make it more difficult for thieves to use.