Mobile roaming in Europe to be cheaper from Monday

Summer may have only just arrived here in Blighty, but here's a good excuse to take a holiday -- the price of using your mobile abroad will come down from tomorrow, in Europe, at least.

New EU limits come into force tomorrow which make it cheaper to make and receive calls, send texts and browse the Internet while on the Continent, the BBC reports. The downside? Those of us stuck at home can expect more gloating texts and Facebook posts about what a great time everyone else is having. 

The biggest drop is for data use. From tomorrow, the most you can be charged for using mobile data while in the EU will drop to 39p per MB. That's down from the 60p per MB you can currently be charged. The price of making a call will tumble from 25p a minute to 21p, and receiving a call is down from 7p a minute to 6p. Similarly, sending a text will drop from a max of 8p per SMS to 7p.

These aren't drastic changes, but they're welcome nonetheless, especially the data.

It makes more of a difference when you add up a week's worth of mobile use. The BBC calculates that checking an online map five times would set you back just over £25 under current roaming charges, but with the new caps in place you'll be charged £1.92. Check your social media accounts for half an hour every day for a week, and you would've been rinsed for a ridiculous £179.76. But from tomorrow you'll have to pay just £13.48.

For the week's use of a phone, the BBC estimates you would've faced a bill of £278.06 when you got back home. That's enough to ruin anyone's holiday mood. But under the new caps that would be just £20.85. Phew.

Have you ever been stung by a massive mobile bill when you got home from your hols? Are these prices still too high? Let me know in the comments, or take a trip over to our always sunny Facebook page.