Will you pay US$11.70 to open Facebook this vacation?

Pay less for mobile data roaming with these tips

Heading abroad for your next holiday, and hoping to spend your hard-earned cash on something more exciting than your phone bill? Then take charge of international roaming on your mobile before you leave on that jet plane, to avoid unwelcome bill shock on your return.

When you take your mobile phone abroad, you no longer use your regular operator’s network for calls, SMS or web browsing. You instead “roam” on to a network local to your destination. Your normal rates no longer apply, and you’ll be charged more and per megabyte for mobile browsing – even if you have an unlimited data plan at home. That’s a fast way to burn through your credit or send your phone bill through the roof.

So, how do you browse abroad without breaking the bank? Web browser makers Opera Software gives these tips for keeping on top of data roaming during your next holiday getaway:

Before you jet off on your journey, find out if your mobile operator offers international roaming plans, which often offer huge savings for data bundles. Whether or not you change plans, on arriving at your destination, take time to read the welcome SMS from your temporary network, as this message usually lists data costs.
Use a cloud-based mobile browser, which shrinks the webpages you visit before they land on your phone. That way, your phone has fewer megabytes to load – saving you money, time and frustration. For example, the Opera Mini browser crunches down webpages to as little as 10% of their original size, and features a data counter that shows the number of megabytes you’re using. Crunched down webpages also help you get more browsing out of your data-roaming bundle.
When you activate roaming, enable only the essential data services on your phone – like your web browser and email – to avoid other apps pulling in updates and large volumes of data in the background. Use a browser rather than apps to view your favorite web content. (And remember that holiday roaming is not the time for streaming video or downloading files.)
For the web without data-roaming drama, browse for free via your phone’s Wi-Fi connection. Wi-Fi is typically available in airports, hotels and cafés, or you can make use of apps like Wi-Fi Finder to locate your nearest hotspot. A cloud-based browser is also handy for speedier surfing on crowded, sluggish Wi-Fi connections.

“When I’m abroad, and need to check something online like a bus schedule or hotel reservation, I don't want to spend a lot of time and money fussing about with my phone,” says TV travel guru Ian Wright. “I may not understand this cloud-based stuff behind browsers like Opera Mini, but if something will save me some time and money on my journey, I want it now. It’ll be the only app you need when traveling.”

Imagine you voyage overseas from the US, and pay $US20.00 per megabyte for data on pay-as-you-go rates. It costs you US$8.75 (448 KB) to open the Facebook app, or $US11.70 (599 KB) to visit the Facebook Touch homepage with a regular mobile browser. However, it’s US$1.80 to open the same page with Opera Mini, which shrinks it to 92 KB.* So you can visit Facebook on Opera Mini 4.9 times more than via your app, and 6.5 times more than on your regular browser, for the same roaming price. Opera Mini is available as a free download from your favorite app store or m.opera.com.

People today want to be connected at all times, even with the higher price of holiday roaming. You want to keep in touch with friends and family (or even the office) while on break, plus go online to map out your next sightseeing stop, check out restaurant reviews or check in early for the dreaded flight home.

“With so many ways to reduce your international roaming costs, there’s no need to switch off your phone while and live in fear of your browsing bill,” says Jan Standal from Opera Software. “A browser that outsources the loading of webpages is a handy solution for international roaming, and means faster and cheaper internet when you travel.”

For more tips and tricks for traveling with the Opera browser, visit www.opera.com/travel.

* Kilobyte sizes were calculated as the average kilobyte result from opening the Facebook app and visiting touch.facebook.com (on both Opera Mini and the phone’s native web browser) 10 times each on an iPhone and Android phone, to capture variations in page size and content.

Download the high resolution illustrations.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 270 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. ‘Opera’, ‘Opera Software’, ‘Opera Mini’ and the ‘O’ logo are trademarks of Opera Software ASA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.