Top Tips

 

Your Phone/Network selection 

Check that your handset will work in the country you are travelling to.  Your mobile phone has two options for connecting to your choice of mobile network - manual network selection or automatic. You should always use the manual option when travelling to enable you to choose the cheapest foreign network. If you are travelling within the EU and have not opted into an operator's own roaming package, there is a maximum price limit you can be charged; from 1 July 2010, the maximum price on any EU network is 47c per minute for making a call and 18c per minute to receive a call. To send a text is 13c and to receive a text is free.  Check your mobile handset guide for instructions on manual network selection or contact your customer care department.

 

Ensure that your account allows you to use your mobile phone while abroad.  Check if you are on a special operator roaming package as this will affect your roaming costs.

 

Generally, you will be charged to receive a call.  Within the EU, the maximum charge to receive a call is 23c per minute (unless you are on an operator's own roaming package).  Check with your operator for these charges.

 

Know how to use your voicemail abroad. From 1 July 2010, receipt of a voicemail while roaming in the EU is free.  However, you may be charged for accessing or listening to a voicemail message and the cost is generally the same as the cost of calling home. Check these costs with your operator and check out what you need to do if you wish to disable voicemail while roaming. As with contacting customer care, the usual short code may not work. You need to be aware of the alternative means of accessing voicemail. Contact your operator for details. 

 

Check out http://www.callcosts.ie/mobile_phones/roaming_calculator.293.LE.asp to calculate the costs of calls and texts while abroad.  This will help you decide how best to communicate with home while in the EU.  You can also check if a special operator roaming package is best for your planned usage.

 

If you are a pre-pay customer, top up before you go and check out the methods of topping-up while abroad.  

 

When you arrive in the EU your 'welcome message' contains details of your rates for data, text (SMS) and MMS services as well as pricing for voice calls made and received.

 

When roaming, calling your operator for roaming price information is free.  Your 'welcome message' will inform you of the number to call.

  

Know the number for calling Emergency Services.  In EU countries, the contact number for emergency services is 112.  You will receive this number in your 'welcome message'.  In the USA and Canada use 911.  Access to the emergency services is available free of charge in all EU countries.

 

Check with your operator whether your handset can be used in the USA and Canada.  Also be aware that some networks charge for a call from when the phone starts to ring, so check with your operator to see if this applies.

  

Check with your operator which number to call if your handset is lost or stolen and what handset details (serial number or IMEI) you need to keep a record of.  The IMEI number is normally located under the battery inside your handset.  Make a list of important numbers so that you can access them without your phone.  If your phone is stolen, contact your customer care department as soon as possible so that your operator can suspend your number.  If you wish to make an insurance claim – check your policy for precise requirements including any time limits for making a claim.