Taking my mobile on holiday

madaminx

Hi All

I'm off on my hols to Portugal on Saturday for a week and would like to take my mobile phone which happens to be a Samsung Galaxy Ace, android smartphone. I know I need to make a couple of calls when I'm and may receive one or 2 calls but only if necessary.

However I may want to check my emails / internet as well but not a lot.

Can anyone advise what settings I should adjust on my phone in order that I do not incur charges / charges I may not be aware of?

Many thanks

Madaminx

Browntoa

would put the phone in airplane mode and find wifi if possible to check emails

only turn it on to recieve calls , or use sipgate app (get a free local number from them , if say london 0208 529 then choose a free sipgate number 0208 529 ) to recieve calls over wifi and just turn it on at the alotted time . Using no wifi means no unexpected data charges

http://www.live.sipgate.co.uk/faq/article/838/Download_sipgate_Android_App


or possibly use skype at both ends

beccals

Make sure you turn off 3G capability and data roaming as this is where they really sting you.

You'll probably get a text message once you get there advising of the costs of calls and texts.

For internet access, Wi-Fi is your best option. Tends to be available pretty widely abroad.

Have a good holiday!

LMH67

As stated above, data roaming is the biggie. Make sure you turn this off before you even get on the plane. If left on, you will be charged as your emails and data/apps will automatically download and this will cost you big time. Just a thought but what network are you on? If internet is important and you can't get wifi, O2 do an international data deal at £1.99 per day up to a certain limit. If not, I'd look for wifi which you are bound to find. I only ever use wifi when abroad and never had a problem.

Calls will cost what they will - but if you are worried, put a cap on your account to save any pain when you get back or keep them short.

madaminx

Hi All

Many many thanks for your helpful replies. I really appreciate your feedback.

:-)

Bob_the_Saver

With all that faffing about I often wonder why they call them smart phones.

cabbage

Hi

you can get an app called Hullomail and that retrieves voicemail calls and missed calls without the need to ring your provider to collect these. You are often charged per call to receive messages and this bypasses the need. As others say, turn off data roaming/mobile data and only use wifi to surf the net.

redux

I don't think people need to be quite so wound up about data.

Browsing can use a lot, but visits to mobile format websites with images turned off in the settings can be a few kilobytes a page.

Use the Opera Mini browser, as they use a proxy server which reduces data use.

For emails, turn off automatic checking every few minutes and just check manually from time to time. Set to headers only, then only read urgent ones and leave the rest until later. This could cost about 5 pence for headers only and read 2 or 3, or even less if it's gmail in a browser.

Invoming mobile calls are 7 pence a minute in Europe nowadays, unless you have a different option tariff, so not much to worry about.

For a lot of outgoing calls use VoIP over wifi, or use a third party callback service which triggers an incoming call to make an outgoing one, so network incoming rate plus the callback tariff

daveyjp

Also ensure international roaming is activated. You may need to contact your network provider before leaving.

ash28

beccals wrote: »

Make sure you turn off 3G capability and data roaming as this is where they really sting you.

You'll probably get a text message once you get there advising of the costs of calls and texts.

For internet access, Wi-Fi is your best option. Tends to be available pretty widely abroad.

Have a good holiday!

I'm just back from Portugal - yesterday - I turned off data roaming and 3G and just used my phone as a phone. The hotel had wifi - it cost 1 euro to be given the code. The hotel also had a computer to use for a couple of euro an hour.

I'm with Vodafone and it was 8.9p a text and 75p + your bundle rate (at home) for calls or £3 a day to use your UK price plan (I didn't bother for a week).

GlennTheBaker

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Thanks, knobhead