Using your mobile abroad

Think about how you want to use your phone abroad. Your monthly allowance probably won't cover you for usage abroad so making and receiving calls, sending texts and using the internet or other data abroad could end up costing you extra.

Some providers do offer products where you can use your domestic allowance abroad or buy some roaming allowance at a discounted rate, so it's worth checking with your provider before you go. Check how these work and that they apply to the country you are visiting. Also confirm when they will be activated on your account.

If you buy some data roaming allowance (for example in a bolt-on), check what happens when you use it up. It may be that your data use will be stopped unless you buy another bit of allowance, or you could automatically continue using data, but be charged at standard rates. In which case, be wary, as standard rates can be a lot higher. Your provider must provide a spend limit on data roaming usage- see below.

It may be that your data use will be stopped unless you buy another bundle, or you could automatically start using data, but be charged at standard rates. In which case, be wary, as standard rates can be a lot higher than the cost per MB within the bundle.

It's also possible to buy an international SIM card from a specialised provider, which may offer lower prices when travelling in a variety of different countries.

Another option is to buy a local pay-as-you-go SIM card when you arrive at your destination. It means you'll have a different phone number while you are there, but will ensure you pay local prices and can be particularly worthwhile for people who frequently visit the same country. However, bear in mind that roaming charges will still apply if you want to make a call or send a text back to your home country using a local SIM.

Check with your operator to make sure you can use another SIM with your phone and, if you do buy one, make sure you keep your UK SIM card safe and secure.

If you don't switch off data roaming before you leave the UK, your smartphone will automatically seek out an internet connection when you reach your destination and you may start using data without realising it.

Remember, even low data usage that you wouldn't notice at home could end up costing you more abroad as it may not be covered by your standard usage allowance.

It's simple to turn off data roaming on your handset.

These video guides show you how to turn off data roaming on some of the most popular smartphones.

If your smartphone isn't featured – or you're having problems – speak to your provider or look on their website for more information.

Smartphones

iPhone

Android (ICS, Samsung Galaxy)

Android (4.2, Jelly Bean)

Windows Phone 8

Blackberry

If you are travelling outside the EU, check with your provider, as some charge every time a voicemail message is left on your phone when you are away.

If they do, contact them - you may be able to switch off voicemail while you are away by keying a code into your handset, or your provider may be able to temporarily disable your voicemail.

Remember, you may need to contact them again to reactivate your voicemail on your return. You will, in any case, be charged to listen to voicemail messages while you are away.

If you want to regularly browse the web on your phone, use local Wi-Fi hotspots instead of your phone's mobile internet connection.

You can usually access Wi-Fi in places like cafes, restaurants and hotels, sometimes for free, or you can pay to access the internet for a set time period. Some phone apps can seek out Wi-Fi networks and prompt you to connect to them so that you don't have to do this manually.

This is particularly useful for downloading maps, checking emails or browsing social networks - all of which would otherwise soon rack up data charges if a mobile internet connection was used. Remember, you don't need 'data roaming' switched on to access Wi-Fi. But this does mean you will need to stay within range of the Wi-Fi to avoid losing your connection. If you haven't turned data roaming off while using Wi-Fi and the Wi-Fi signal drops, your phone may automatically seek out a mobile network to keep you connected and you may therefore incur data charges.

If you're not using Wi-Fi, avoid data-heavy activities such as watching videos, updating social media with photos or downloading music. Also, if you are checking emails, avoid opening large attachments.

All mobile operators have to apply a cut-off limit once you have used €50  (excluding VAT) – around £36 – of data per month, wherever you travel in the world unless you choose another limit.

The provider must send you an alert to your phone when you reach 80% and then 100% of the agreed data roaming limit. Operators must stop charging for data at the 100% point, unless you agree to continue to use data.

Mobile phones used in coastal areas or at sea may not be able to connect to traditional 2, 3 or 4G networks and may instead seek out a satellite connection. The euro-tariffs and world-wide data limits we mention above unfortunately do not apply to these and charges can be high.

Try to use services on land where-ever possible. If you think you will need to use your phone at sea, check with your provider before you travel how much it will cost to use your phone via a satellite connection. You could consider manually selecting a preferred network while you are on the boat/ship to avoid satellite connections but signals can vary and this will mean you wouldn't receive calls or texts when out of range of the selected network.

Be extra careful when taking your phone abroad as thieves often target tourists.

You should take  care when using your phone in public, don't let it out of your possession.

Not only are many smartphones worth hundreds of pounds, but thieves can quickly rack up huge bills on stolen phones. 

You may be liable for all charges run up on your phone when it goes missing up until you report it as lost or stolen to your provider. Therefore, it's important you contact your provider as soon as possible to avoid facing high charges as a result of unauthorised use.

If your phone goes missing and you are with Three, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, EE or O2 for mobile services, you should only be responsible for paying up to a maximum of £100 for any unauthorised usage outside of your allowance- if you report your phone as missing within 24 hours.

If you are with Vodafone and you miss the 24 hours but report your phone as missing within five days, you should only be responsible for paying up to £500 for unauthorised usage outside of your allowance. See the Government's announcement.

Therefore, if your phone goes missing when you're abroad, it's important you contact your provider as soon as possible to avoid facing high charges as a result of unauthorised use. Even if there's a slim chance you may find your phone, it's worth talking to your provider about whether a temporary bar can be placed on your account.

Once you have reported your phone as lost or stolen, your provider can bar your SIM to stop calls being made on your account. Your provider can also stop anyone else from using your phone by blocking its IMEI, a unique 15-digit serial number. You can get your IMEI number by keying *#06# into your handset or by looking behind your phone battery. Make a record of this number, as well as the make and model of your handset and keep it somewhere safe.

You can also download an app which can trace your phone if it is lost or stolen and can enable you to wipe details remotely - such as findmyiphone and Android device manager.

Some mobile insurance policies may provide some cover for unauthorised use so it is worth checking the terms and conditions of your existing policy, or when considering a new policy.

Remember, if you do decide to take out mobile phone insurance, you may be obliged to let your insurer know if your phone is lost or stolen within a certain time frame too.

You should still also let your mobile phone provider know.

Make sure you put a passcode on both your handset and SIM to make it more difficult for thieves to use. These video guides shows you how to do this on some popular handsets.

iPhone

Android (ICS, Samsung Galaxy)

Android (4.2, Jelly Bean)

Windows Phone 8

Blackberry

Ofcom's guide on keeping your smartphone secure and the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit are also useful sources of advice on how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of phone crime.

To report your phone lost/stolen