Using mobile broadband outside the UK is just as simple as using a mobile call service abroad as both are subject to international roaming.

If you plan to use your mobile broadband dongle abroad, there are a few things that you should know, most importantly, the international roaming rates which differ from one service to another.

For Pay Monthly mobile broadband customers

  • If you are a pay monthly mobile broadband subscriber, make sure that your account is activated for international roaming before leaving abroad. Just contact your provider on telephone for activation.
  • The cost of your data usage will be automatically billed on your account.
  • If your monthly plan has some specific data allowance, you cannot just use it abroad as the cost of usage abroad will be separately debited on your account.
  • Contact your mobile ISP provider to know the rates of data usage abroad.

Pay As You Go mobile broadband plan while traveling abroad

  • If you are a pay as you go mobile broadband customer, your account is already activated for international use.
  • Just buy the required top-up from your ISP, before you travel.
  • To know the roaming rates abroad, just contact your provider.

UK Mobile broadband international roaming charges

UK mobile ISP providers do not have uniform roaming charges for your data usage abroad. The rate can change depending on which country you are visiting and what device (handset or laptop) you use to access broadband. Contact your provider to know more details.

Vodafone, for instance, have two different roaming rates for its customers depending on whether they use mobile dongle in Europe or rest of the world and the devices used (using dongle via laptop saves nearly half of the cost).

A few tips to cut mobile broadband international roaming cost

  • It is good to use Pay As You Go instead of pay monthly package, especially a pay per day mobile broadband plan when you travel abroad. This helps you to plan your data usage within restrictions.
  • If you use Pay monthly plan outside the UK, remember to check your usage and the cost using connection dashboard software.
  • Mobile internet abroad is a bit expensive with all providers. Pay per day plans offer limited usage abroad (50MB or so). So, use it only for checking & sending emails and browsing and not for downloading music, files or streaming videos.