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How to avoid mobile phone 'bill shock' this summer

However, it is still early days and not yet clear whether all operators are complying with this rule. In a month"s time the regulations will tighten further, as at the moment customers need to opt-in to this limit, whereas from 1 July the cut-off limit will be set at р‚¬50 by default unless they opt out. For those travelling further afield the cost of calling, texting and using the internet on their mobile can still be an expensive pastime. Independent consumer body Consumer Focus warned World Cup ticket holders last week that costs for calls, texts and data use could add up to more than ВЈ100 on a match day рЂ“ more than the face value of a ticket. Mobile phone operators are expected to start bringing out more competitive overseas mobile phone packages in the next few weeks as the holiday season hots up. But for now, anyone who is about to go abroad has a number of options: doing nothing and sticking with their operator"s standard overseas charges (expensive); switching to their operator"s overseas calls package (cheaper); buying a global or local sim (potentially even cheaper, depending on usage). Mike Wilson, mobiles and broadband manager at moneysupermarket.com , says: "Don"t underestimate how easy it is to rack up a hefty mobile bill if you are going overseas and planning to use your phone. "Before escaping the country be sure to check with your operator how much calls, texts and internet use will set you back when you"re away, because you won"t be charged the same rates as your UK tariff. I would advise asking if there is a cheaper international tariff available." Paying as standard For standard call charges in Europe, T-Mobile and Virgin are the most expensive at 43p a minute, according to moneysupermarket.com, while 02 is the cheapest at 35p a minute. Network operator 3 is the cheapest for receiving calls at 15p a minute compared to Orange, T-Mobile and Virgin, which all charge the most at 19p. Sending texts is 11p a message with all networks, and all are free to receive. The cost of using the internet is where operators" charges vary hugely, and where holidaymakers are most likely to run up large bills. T-Mobile, 3, 02 and Orange all charge a flat fee per megabyte (MB) of between ВЈ1.25 (3) and ВЈ3 (02 and Orange), while Vodafone and Virgin offer the option of either paying per MB, or paying either a daily or hourly fee for web usage (with a cap on how much data can be used). Virgin, for example, charges ВЈ5 a MB, or ВЈ4 for a one-hour pass with a 3MB limit and ВЈ6 for a 24-hour pass with a 5MB limit. Whichever package you have you need to be careful about how much data you download. One MB is not much рЂ“ watching a two-hour film uses about 800 MB. All these charges when incurred within Europe are considerably lower than in some other countries. For example, if you visit Egypt with your Orange phone you will pay ВЈ1.75 a minute to call home and ВЈ8 per MB of data used, while in Australia you will pay ВЈ1.20 a minute per call and ВЈ7.50 per MB of data with T-Mobile. Package things up To keep costs down, a good alternative is to opt for your operator"s travel package. Vodafone"s Passport deal, for example, means you pay your standard home rate to call the UK from more than 35 European countries (and from Australia and New Zealand) after paying a 75p connection charge. These calls can be part of your inclusive minutes if you are on a contract. To receive calls you pay the 75p connection charge and you can talk for up to 60 minutes free of charge. After that you pay 20p a minute. 02"s My Europe Extra, on the other hand, is ВЈ10 a month for 25p-a-minute calls, free received calls and 11p texts. Go global рЂ“ or local You can avoid your UK operator"s charges altogether by

Best Home Vacuum Cleaners in the Market

All vacuum cleaner brands will tell you that they have the best technology for use at your home and office. But the decision to buy the best home vacuum cleaners is entirely left up to you. With the many offers on the market from such brands as Dyson, Miele, Electrolux, and Sebo, itтЂ™s no wonder why many people canтЂ™t seem to find the perfect vacuum. Here is a list of some of the best home vacuum cleaners that you can choose from.