Smart phone users warned about overseas costs

A consumer campaign group has recently issued a warning for users of smart phones over the cost of using their devices overseas to access the Internet.

One consumer campaign group has recently issued a warning for users of smart phones with regards to the cost of accessing the Internet whilst abroad using their mobile device. With smart phones having become increasingly popular, and take up having soared, many people could end up getting stung by extortionate charges by using their smart phones to use the Internet whilst they are abroad, particularly with many people starting to book their summer and Easter breaks.

A similar warning has already been issued to users of mobile broadband dongles, and now officials from the consumer campaign group Which? have provided a similar warning for the many smart phone users in the UK. The group warned that the cost of using the Internet through these smart phones whilst they are abroad could be potentially crippling.

The concern is that many smart phone users have become so reliant and used to using their smart phones to access the Internet that many may not think twice before using the devices to get online whilst they are abroad. For many this could lead to bill shock where they are hit with a bill for potentially thousands of pounds. Many people may start downloading data without considering the costs, and this is one of the main risk factors for smart phone users and mobile broadband users.

Whilst the consumer group is calling for a global voluntary capping on usage to try and reduce the risk of this sort of situation arising there is no way of enforcing this at the moment, so the group is focusing on simply increasing awareness of the problems that can arise.