Holiday Alert: Overseas Mobile Roaming Costs

With the holiday season approaching, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has advice for travellers on avoiding “bill shock”.

Unexpectedly high bills are easily racked up while using a tablet or smartphone overseas.

With some Australians returning from their travels with a phone or data bill that almost costs the same or more than their whole trip, here are useful tips for travellers before you go abroad.

The ACMA last week released a consultation paper on a draft Standard for mobile roaming that would require telecommunications companies to:

* warn consumers they are roaming
* provide country specific information about the costs of calls and data use when they switch on their mobile telephone overseas.