Over three quarters of Brits use their mobiles abroad despite the costs

According to a new study by the UK-based GSM service provider for the aviation industry, AeroMobile, 78% of British travellers will use their mobile phones abroad – whether on holiday or on business.  This is despite 68% of the 2000 people surveyed also indicating that they are worried about the astronomical cost of roaming charges.

62% of users of mobiles abroad were simply using them for sending text messages, whereas 13% chose to rack up their data costs by using their smartphones to access social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Just under one-fifth browse the Internet, whereas another one-fifth actually admit that they leave their mobiles at home.  This statistic is higher amongst men (26%) than women (16%).  However, men are the more likely sex to browse the web when overseas.

Unsurprisingly, the older generation is more likely than the younger generation to leave their mobiles at home, with nearly a third of over 55s travelling phone-less.

As a company with a high interest in international communication methods, at Planet Telecom we always like to advise our customers on the best methods for staying in touch with those back in the UK.

In order to avoid roaming charges on your UK mobile, it is always best to acquire a SIM card for the country you are travelling to.  This would allow people in the UK to call you via our cheap international calls system for a low rate, whilst meaning you wouldn’t receive any incoming call charges, which can be ludicrously expensive on a UK mobile phone.

If you’re travelling to Spain for example, you can get a Spanish SIM card online for as little as £10, which could save you a whole lot more money.  Some special “world” SIM cards will even offer you free roaming charges in over 90 countries – including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Sweden, USA, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, South Africa and many many more.

So, the next time you travel abroad, have a look around online for one of these SIM cards that covers the country you’re travelling to, and then have people call you via our cheap international calls system.  If you want to browse online, it is always best to switch off your data roaming, and tap into some nearby free Wi-Fi if possible. Combining these two methods will mean you can still enjoy the luxury of using your mobile abroad, without any of the massive financial implications that comes with it.