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Carphone Warehouse makes Euro bill shock boob

'Experts' in error

You'd expect a major mobile phone seller to have a good understanding of the cost of using a smartphone when you travel abroad.

Carphone Warhouse doesn't, if a press mailing designed to persuade hacks to encourage their readers to have a word with CW before travelling is anything to go by.

Says the intro from CW's flacks: "Even though EU regulations have been put in place to curb call and text costs, no such measures have yet been put in place regarding data charges."

Sorry, CW, that's bollocks.

As of 1 July 2010, EU law prevented network operators from charging customers more than €50 for roaming data transfers made in any given month.

The rules were laid down by the European Union's Council of Ministers and the European Parliament in June 2009 - two years ago.

CW said it was setting up stands in major UK airports "to offer... expert advice on making the most of using a mobile abroad".

Based on today's mailing, 'expert' is not the word I'd use.

Now, it is fair to say that travel outside the EU can lead to 'bill shock' if you send and receive even small volumes of data. CW rightly suggests disabling data roaming to avoid apps - from email readers to social networking tools - accessing the net when there's no Wi-Fi network available.

Wi-Fi can be pricey, but it generally works out cheaper than roaming charges. Checking ahead and buying a local Sim card can be cheaper still, though you won't get calls made to your main number, unless you set up call forwarding first.

That said, when I'm on holiday, I don't want to be bothered by calls... ®

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