Mobile phone use when abroad

Mobile phone use when abroad

Normally, the use of a mobile phone outside the borders of Finland does not require any special measures. At least making and receiving calls should be as convenient as in Finland. Your mobile phone searches automatically the network of the operator with whom your homeland operator has made a roaming agreement.

When you use a mobile phone abroad, remember that:

• calls are distinctly more expensive than in Finland;
• it is particularly expensive to use mobile phone data services;
• the monthly fees of package subscriptions normally only include domestic calls and text messages;
• most prepaid subscriptions do not function abroad; and
• balance limit can prevent the subscription from functioning.

Your operator's customer service or website provide information on the functionality of your subscription abroad.

Other advice on how to use your mobile phone abroad

Cut your phone expenses abroad

• when abroad, you can cut your phone expenses by sending text messages instead of making calls;
• remember that whilst abroad, you pay for both made and received calls;
• tell your friends and family that you will travel abroad and ask them to contact you by sending text messages, if necessary;
• a call to a telephone answering machine costs the same as the fee charged by the operator for an international call; and
• if you plan a longer visit abroad and make many calls in that country, it often pays off to acquire a subscription or SIM card from the local telephone operator; pay attention to that local SIM cards do not function in tied-in sales phones with locked SIM cards.

Be aware of thieves

• be careful - a phone in your pocket or shoulder-bag is a sitting duck for pocket thieves; be particularly careful in large crowds; and
• pack with you the contact details of your operator just in case your phone is stolen and your SIM card must be suspended.

Selecting a network

• if your own operator has made agreements with several different operators in the target country, you can select manually the operator's network you wish to have from your phone when you arrive to the target country;
• partners can be found on your operator's website;
• you will find instructions on how to select the network manually from your phone's manual; and
• if the signal to the operator's network that you have selected manually, is disrupted, the phone automatically searches for a network that has the strongest signal; the network may be different than the one you selected manually.

Coverage areas

• especially if you travel outside the EU, make sure you know the operators' coverage areas; and
• especially in large countries, not all operators have nationwide activities.

Price of phone calls abroad

Your mobile operator's website provides information on the prices of mobile phone use in different countries. Below you will find the price tariffs of major operators for using mobile phone abroad.

• DNA
• Elisa
• Saunalahti
• Sonera
• TeleFinland

Outside the EU, the prices of mobile phone use vary greatly, and prices are also significantly higher than in the EU countries. For example in Russia, a call can cost several euros a minute. The best way to avoid unpleasant surprises is to look into the prices beforehand.

Price cap mobile calls in the EU