Two-thirds of Irish consumers unsure about EU roaming rules, survey finds
People are being hit with phone bills of up to €700 when they come back from holidays, according to a new survey.
Switcher.ie has found two-thirds of Irish consumers are not sure about EU roaming rules, while a quarter admitted to being landed with an unexpectedly high roaming bill after a trip abroad.
99% of holidaymakers will take their phones on holiday with them this year, with one in four (42%) saying they will use their phone the same amount or more than they would at home
Eoin Clarke, Managing Director of Switcher-dot-ie, explains why leaving your data switched on in Europe can be expensive.
"If you’re one of the many Irish consumers heading away this summer, make sure you check charges for roaming before you jet off. A quick call to your network can help you to make informed choices about your mobile use while you’re away and avoid a nasty post-holiday bill."
He added that: "If you’re travelling within the EU, make sure you understand what ‘Roam like at Home’ means for you. If you’re a talker or a texter, the rules should work out really well for you.
"However, if you’re a heavy data user, you’ll need to be careful about how you use your data in the EU to avoid excess charges - try downloading content over WiFi, rather than streaming, and turn off automatic updates for apps."
