What is Mobile Roaming?

When you take your mobile phone abroad, your phone ‘roams’ onto overseas mobile networks. Although this enables you to continue using your mobile almost as you would in the UK, there are some major pitfalls to be aware of.

	You will pay up to £1.90 per minute just to receive calls
	You will pay for picking up your voicemails
	Your call charges will be up to 10 times more than in the UK
	You will be charged similarly high rates to call freefone numbers and your network's customer services

Why is using your Mobile Phone abroad so expensive

A combination of factors affect the cost of using your mobile abroad, a lack of regulation coupled with the greed of network operators (both here and abroad) mean that prices are high and information about tariffs is at best confusing and more usually completely hidden from customers. Whilst prices in the UK for local, national and international calls have dropped significantly over the past few years, roaming rates remain excessively high.

A European Commission investigation into the UK mobile industry in 2001 resulted in improved value within the UK (e.g. it led to the introduction of cross-network minutes for pay monthly users), but failed to tackle the issue of outrageous roaming charges…a billion pound industry in itself. More investigations have been announced, but nothing concrete has been achieved.

Recently several UK mobile networks have launched better value roaming products, however these tend to be so restrictive as to make the promised savings unachievable. It seems that without significant intervention and regulation roaming charges are here to stay.

SIM4Travel Services

SIM4travel provides you with a complete solution to avoid roaming charges wherever your business or leisure travel takes you.

Whether you go abroad just once a year, take weekend breaks or travel regularly, SIM4travel enables you to pay low, wherever you go. By simply swapping your UK SIM for our easy-to-use travel SIM, you will have access to the following benefits:

	Convenience , use the same number every time you travel
	Receive calls for FREE in over 80 countries
	Save up to 85% on calls worldwide
	Coverage in over 120 countries
	Top up from anywhere at anytime - direct from your phone
	Delivered to your door including £3 of calling credit to get you started

An average user on a two week holiday in Spain could easily save over £200 with SIM4travel.