The reality of data-roaming pricing

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  • Data-roaming bills

    Data-roaming bills

    ZDNet UK, along with its sister sites around the world, asked readers in March to give their side of the data-roaming story. Here, as part of our investigation into data-roaming pricing, are the first results of that survey.

    As these charts show, the issue is close to those readers' hearts. Globally, 80 percent of readers said they had received a data-roaming bill that they thought to be excessive. Even with European readers, who benefit from slightly lower rates within the continent, 77 percent thought they had been charged too much.

    Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

    Photo by: ZDNet UK

    Caption by: David Meyer

  • Data-roaming bills in UK

    Data-roaming bills in UK

    British respondents to the survey said they had received some very costly bills.

    Although the largest proportion said their highest data-roaming bill came to less than £50, around 100 said their most expensive bill was between £50-£200, and 67 had a bill that was in excess of £200.

    The highest monthly charge quoted by a UK reader was an eye-watering £2,400.

    Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

    Photo by: ZDNet UK

    Caption by: David Meyer

  • Data-roaming rates

    Data-roaming rates

    People in the UK's reports of how much they get charged per megabyte inside and outside Europe suggest that the European Commission's wholesale caps are having some effect.

    Within Europe, most Brits appear to pay £4 or less per megabyte. Outside the EU, the majority get charged between £6 and £8 per megabyte. However, these figures come only from readers who know how much their operators charged: a little more than half of those surveyed had no idea what the rates are.

    Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

    Photo by: ZDNet UK

    Caption by: David Meyer

  • Data-roaming prices too high

    Data-roaming prices too high

    Readers clearly did not think data-roaming charges were at all justified.

    Worldwide, 96 percent believe the prices were either "too high" or "much too high". The figure was only slightly lower for UK respondents.

    Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

    Photo by: ZDNet UK

    Caption by: David Meyer

  • Data-roaming charges with tablets

    Data-roaming charges with tablets

    As people increasingly try to take internet-connected devices abroad with them, the issue of data-roaming prices is clearly seen as crucial.

    Globally and in the UK, 81 percent of respondents thought the issue was "important" or "very important". However, data-roaming pricing levels appear to be most keenly felt by Asian and American readers.

    Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

    Photo by: ZDNet UK

    Caption by: David Meyer

  • Data-roaming charges drop

    Data-roaming charges drop

    Readers around the world want to see big price cuts before they will make more use of data-roaming services than they do now.

    The UK had the highest proportion of people calling for charges to drop more than 80 percent.

    Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

    Photo by: ZDNet UK

    Caption by: David Meyer

  • Data-roaming charges vs Wi-Fi

    Data-roaming charges vs Wi-Fi

    Readers clearly showed that they value Wi-Fi as a much more cost-efficient way of connecting to the internet abroad than using mobile data-roaming.

    Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

    Photo by: ZDNet UK

    Caption by: David Meyer

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ZDNet UK takes a look at what our readers tell us they are paying to use data abroad, per megabyte and per month, and how they feel about those costs

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Data-roaming bills

ZDNet UK, along with its sister sites around the world, asked readers in March to give their side of the data-roaming story. Here, as part of our investigation into data-roaming pricing, are the first results of that survey.

As these charts show, the issue is close to those readers' hearts. Globally, 80 percent of readers said they had received a data-roaming bill that they thought to be excessive. Even with European readers, who benefit from slightly lower rates within the continent, 77 percent thought they had been charged too much.

Sign the petition for fair data roaming.

Caption by: David Meyer

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