Going On Holiday? A Few Things Worth Checking Before You Travel.

With summer holidays coming up, it’s worth taking a few minutes before you go to check your business mobile setup. Not because you don’t know what you’re doing, but because things change. Tariffs change. Roaming rules change. What was included on your plan last summer might be different this year. And it’s always easier to sort things before you leave than when you’re already abroad.

Here are the things worth checking.

Know What Your Current Plan Covers Abroad

Most business mobile plans include some level of roaming, but the detail varies a lot. Some include full roaming across Europe with the same allowances as home. Others include a reduced data allowance abroad, or charge a daily rate once you leave the UK. A few have very limited international coverage depending on the destination.

Before you travel, check what your current plan actually includes in the specific country you are visiting. Europe is generally well covered, but if you are heading further afield, it is worth confirming rather than assuming. A quick check with your provider takes five minutes and means no surprises on the bill when you get back.

Don’t Forget About Layovers

This one catches people out more than most. If your flight has a layover in a country outside your roaming coverage, your phone will connect to a local network the moment you land. Even if you are only in the airport for two hours, data and calls can rack up charges on a network that falls outside your plan’s roaming zone.

If you have a layover in a country you are not sure about, put your phone on airplane mode for that leg of the journey and connect to the airport WiFi instead. It is a small thing but worth being aware of.

Check Whether Any Bars Are On Your Account

Call bars are restrictions placed on a mobile account. They can limit international calling, data roaming, or premium rate numbers. Many business accounts have bars set as a default when the SIM is first activated and they are never reviewed again.

If you need to make or receive international calls while you are away, it is worth checking with your provider that nothing is blocked before you travel. These restrictions cannot be lifted remotely by you, they have to go through your provider. Much easier to check in advance than to deal with on the morning of a flight.

Data Roaming Settings On Your Device

Even if your plan includes roaming, your phone may have data roaming switched off at the device level. It is worth going into your settings before you go and confirming it is enabled if you need it, or disabled if you would rather rely on WiFi and avoid any roaming data usage altogether.

It is also worth being aware that some devices will automatically connect to whichever network has the strongest signal rather than the most cost effective one. If you know which network your provider recommends in your destination, you can set a preferred network manually in your settings.

Consider a Local SIM for Data

If you are travelling for more than a few days and you need reliable data, a local SIM is a practical option. Available at most international airports and major stations, a local SIM gives you a local data allowance at a local rate.

Most phones now support dual SIM or eSIM, so you do not need a second handset. You can add a local SIM or eSIM alongside your existing UK SIM and switch between them as needed.

One thing worth being aware of though. When you add a local SIM, you need to make sure it is set as your primary data SIM and that your UK SIM data is turned off. If you do not do this, both SIMs can run simultaneously and you end up using your UK data allowance at roaming rates at the same time as the local SIM. The settings vary depending on your handset, so if you are not sure how to configure it correctly for your phone, ask us before you go. It takes two minutes to explain and avoids a problem that we have seen catch people out before.

Sort Your Call Handling Before You Leave

If your business number is your mobile number, think about what happens to calls while you are away. A divert to a colleague, a virtual landline, or an answering service means your business keeps running properly while you are not available.

A virtual landline is worth considering if you do not already have one. It gives you a separate business number that can be diverted to any phone anywhere. You can take calls abroad without the caller knowing where you are, or divert to someone covering for you without any disruption to the caller experience. If you need a virtual landline number, we can set one up for you quickly and easily. Just get in touch.

For Businesses With Teams Away Over Summer

If you have people travelling for work or taking holidays across June, July and August, it is worth a conversation about mobile coverage before the summer starts rather than resolving issues one by one as they come up. Different plans, different restrictions, different destinations. A review of your whole mobile estate before the summer is a lot more efficient than dealing with individual queries when people are already away.

Give Us a Call Before You Go

If you want someone to run through your business mobile setup before the summer, that is exactly what we are here for. We can check what your plan covers, confirm any bars or restrictions, and make sure your call handling is sorted before you go.

It takes less time than you think and a lot less time than sorting something out from a sun lounger.

Get in touch and we will make sure everything is in order before you travel.