To ask about most cost-effective way to use phone abroad?

[ComingUpTrumps]

Sorry for the boring post - posting for traffic. I just wanted to get a second opinion on the most cost-effective way of using my phone abroad.

I’m on a phone contract with EE and going to Spain soon for a week. My understanding is that I can use my normal phone allowance abroad (unlimited Internet etc). However, I think I’ll be charged for texts and minutes, so will just use the Internet, as I can just call/message on WhatsApp if needed.

Given all of this, I think it makes the most sense if I pay the daily roaming charges (which are up to £2.47 per day). This means I’ll pay up to just under £18 for the time I’m there. I’m on a £0 spend cap, so I’ve increased that to £20 to cover these charges. The spend cap will be helpful, as it’ll save me from unknowingly racking up a huge phone bill abroad, but I also just want to make sure that I can access all the services I need (e.g. the Internet) with the spend cap. As far as I know, I think I can!

Does this all sound correct, or is there anything I’ve missed?

First question should be whether you actually need to use the phone at all, unless say someone is ill or in an accident.

If the answer is yes, paying £18 seems reasonable.

I definitely will need to use it - e.g. for accessing the Internet for getting directions to places we’re visiting.

Look at e-sims - you can download an app like Nomad and buy a virtual SIM card that you use abroad which can be cheaper for data.

Probably won’t be much cheaper than £18 though, plus the aggro is swapping sims

You could as previous posters have said look at an esim, which is really simple to set up. I use ID2 which still gives free roaming in Europe.

If you have roaming included then you can use your UK allowance, and that'll include voice calls and texts as wel as data, so you'll be fine to use maps etc. It won't include calling premium lines, because that's not included in your UK allowance but you can phone someone at home for no fee.
If you do not have roaming included, you can pay the daily roaming charge, or, as others have said, an e-sim (which is likely to be more expensive if it's a short visit)
(Source: I work for a mobile phone provider)

Thanks, all!

Thanks @Hollowgast 😊 I’m pretty sure I do have roaming included in my contract, as I have the option in my phone settings to activate roaming. I’m always a bit scared to turn that on when I’m abroad though, as I worry I’ll get a huge bill. Because of that worry, I’ve got a spend cap (which I’ve increased to £20 whilst I’ll be away on holiday). I’d like to be able to use the Internet quite freely when I’m abroad, without worrying I’ll be hit with a huge bill when I’m back though. Given that, I think the best option for me is to just pay the daily roaming charge. Just wondering if you agree that’s the best option?

Sure thing. Looking at the EE website, it seems to depend on whether or not you took out your latest contract after 7th July 2021. Even if you have been on EE for years, if your current contract / upgrade took place after 7th July 2021 then you need to pay for roaming.
In practice, this basically means that when you go to Spain, you'll be charged 2.47 a day to use your UK allowance. Unless you use any out of bundle stuff (eg: MMS, premium phonelines etc) you shouldn't pay more than 2.47 a day.

If you took out your contract before 7th July 2021, then roaming will be included.

Details here:
https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile/roaming/eu-roaming-charges#article-heading-2

I have a basic BT contract which includes roaming so use my phone as normal abroad (Germany, France and Switzerland recently). Messaged via WhatsApp and called when on Wifi using WhatsApp. There were no extra charges at all.

I turned off roaming and every day you in a cafe use the free wifi. Why do you need to use a phone apart from to take photos unless someone is ill in the family. You are on holiday x

Thanks! Sorry, I misunderstood your previous message and thought that roaming being ‘included’ meant just that I was able to access roaming, rather than it meaning that I didn’t have to pay roaming charges - my mistake! I bought my phone in summer last year, so I’ll need to pay for roaming, but I expected that, so all good. Thanks again for your help!

I’ll need it for directions and maps, as we’ll be doing a few day trips.

If you're using google maps, you can actually download maps of specific areas to use offline. Navigation will work as well as long as the entire route is available offline.

https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid

If you don't mind having a different number while you're out there then just buy a sim with a monthly contract and roaming included, swap it while you're there and cancel any renewal. Look at the MSE website for the cheapest offers (as low as £1.25 depending mainly on how much data you want).

No problem. The point that another poster made about using wifi is a good one, so if you're staying in a hotel / house / villa with wifi then you can use that and not get charged, but to ensure this happens you'll need to turn turn mobile data off and don't make / receive any calls or SMS. Unless you're out there for ages then paying the daily roaming charge is the simplest way and you won't have to keep

having to keep fiddling with your phone

There is an app called Airalo which is extremely good!

In Europe I just used mine when I had WiFi access so in the apartment and some restaurants/bars - kept it on flight mode the rest of the time.

When I was in Aus, I bought a SIM card when over there

Thanks! I agree with this. I think this is the simplest option.