Greater protection to prevent mobile phone and computer users from running up large data bills when overseas has come into force across the EU. New rules mean that users will be automatically cut off when their monthly bill for using the internet abroad reaches 50 euros (£41), excluding VAT. However, savvy mobile users can still achieve great savings on data rates across the EU with a Global SIM from 0044.co.uk allowing users to access data rates of £1.53 per Megabyte. With a global SIM the user is also totally in control because the Global SIM allows them to top up when they need to. Heavy usage will simply exhaust their credit on a global SIM rather than present them with a hefty bill.
The new EU legislation follows cases where people built up massive bills by watching videos or downloading music while abroad. Unlike a Global SIM the data on a standard UK SIM will not cut off especially on a contract account.
One German traveller faced a bill of 46,000 euros ($56,436; £37,593) for downloading a film while in France. A UK student was also reported to have received a bill for 9,000 euros ($11,031; £7,349) for one month while studying abroad.
By purchasing a Global SIM (the small removable chip inside your handset) on the website at www.0044.co.uk and having your hand set unlocked most voice, text and data roaming charges can be avoided. Calls and texts made are at local rates and incoming calls and texts are free on a Global SIM. Kids in particular are often unaware of premium call charges for data whilst abroad, resulting in millions of UK holidaymakers receiving huge mobile bills when they return. That’s where a Global SIM can make some huge savings with calls from 32 p/min and texts rates at only 11 p each and data access at only £1.53 pMB. A global SIM can also enable kids to get on-line to update their social network sites with their web enabled handsets and the fact that the global SIM is payg means they won’t run up huge data charges either in the process.
Angus MacLeod, director of 0044 Ltd commented, “I needed to take my mobile abroad even though it was costing me a fortune and the kids also insisted on using theirs. Our UK network didn’t have a solution so we discovered the global SIM alternative. Like many of the best ideas in life, our global SIM service is simple. We aim to offer a solution for parents whose kids use their mobiles while on family breaks abroad. Inevitably it’s the parents who foot the bill for the text messages and calls and we hope our global SIM service can help control the costs as well as keeping families in touch while they are away”.