Mobile roaming costs can be cut - report

Irish people planning to use their mobile phones abroad could save up to 80 per cent on call costs by changing their user habits.

A report on the price of making and receiving calls in popular European destinations by the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation (ODTR) reveals people who use prepaid phones are hardest hit while on holidays. The report, Consumer Advice on Mobile Roaming, has found prepaid users face charges of almost €2 per minute when making calls in European holiday spots. And even the price of receiving calls can be as high as €1.60 per minute.

Telecoms regulator Ms Etain Doyle said people could make significant savings by switching from prepaid to postpay services and could reduce bills by almost half by opting to switch from Irish networks to cheaper local networks when they reach their destinations.

Countries surveyed included France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Netherlands. The report warned that, while using one's mobile phone abroad, known as roaming, can be very convenient, it "comes at a cost to consumers".

In France, Irish prepay mobile users can pay €0.70 to €1.60 per minute when receiving calls. Making a call to a fixed line in France will cost €0.80 to €1.90 and calls to fixed lines in the Republic will cost between €1.20 and €1.90 per minute. However, postpay phones have much lower charges.