Saving money on your mobile in France

Oftel has published advice on mobile call costs for consumers travelling to France.

Figures collected by Oftel show that visitors from the UK can save more than 40 per cent on their mobile phone bill.

For example:

• Pre-pay customers can reduce their bills by 18 per cent by selecting a different French mobile network;
• If you are on a monthly contract and taking a two-week holiday in France, you could use your mobile operator's international traveller service to reduce your phone bill by as much as 21 per cent;
• Regular visitors, or people spending a long time in France, should consider using the SIM card of a French mobile network, saving up to £28 on a pre-pay phone bill of £82 or up to £34 on a bill of £64 with a contract phone.

Earlier in the year, Oftel published a survey into possible savings for those travelling between the UK and Ireland.

From the results of the two surveys, it seems likely that consumers can save money in any European country by following the same advice, including using a different overseas network, using international traveller services or using text messages instead of calling.

Apart from following Oftel's advice, one of the most important things you can do to keep your bills down is to check how much it will cost you before you leave home.

Oftel's advice along with potential savings for France and Ireland is published on Oftel's website at www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/mobile/2002/roam0602.htm

For further information contact Nic Green (tel: 020 7634 8891 / e-mail: nic.green@oftel.gov.uk).