Mobile phones: Using them Abroad

When travelling abroad, be it for business or pleasure, then many people like the convenience of having their mobile phones with them.

Here are some things to consider before taking your phone abroad:

• Check with your network provider to see if your mobile phone is enabled for 'international roaming'. This can sometimes take a while for providers to activate, so make sure you contact them well in advance of leaving the country.

• Check to see if your mobile phones coverage includes the country that you are going. Also, if you are travelling to America then in order to get coverage you will need a tri-band handset.

• Inquire about the international roaming costs and check them prior to leaving in case they have gone up. Many people are often shocked at how high their mobile phones bill is when they return. It's therefore a good idea to know how much calls and texts are going to cost in advance.

• Don’t forget to bring along a necessary adapter for your phone charger.

• If you plan on staying abroad for quite some time then you should invest in a pay as you go SIM card while you are abroad.

Be aware that you will be charged for calls you receive when you are abroad -this is something that catches many people out. If you want to avoid being charged for incoming calls then it's a good idea to divert incoming calls to voicemail and then just retrieve the messages later.