This latest Wandera data shows that employees use twice as much roaming data in the summer months (June, July and August) than any other three month period during the year. With data now accounting for 50% of total overseas phone costs, holidays and other travel mean that roaming costs are set to soar this summer.
With increased use of smartphones among businesses*, company bills now account for 30% of carrier revenue. For businesses, whose staff use corporate devices when on holiday and overseas for work, data roaming presents a huge financial risk, especially as the boundaries between work and home continue to blur.
Despite EU regulations to control data roaming charges, they still remain a major concern. Instances of ‘bill shock’, where users do not realise they are incurring large costs abroad, are commonplace with many people unaware of the hidden costs of using their devices overseas. According to this new data from Wandera, these events range from £40 up to £1,500, with an average cost of £650.
Eldar Tuvey, CEO of Wandera said: “It’s not realistic to stop people using their work devices overseas but it doesn’t have to be an unknown quantity for businesses – they can control it. The last thing an employee or MD wants to see is a huge bill as a result of clicking a link or watching a few videos. To avoid this, it’s important for businesses to educate employees and have a clear policy for data roaming and acceptable use when travelling abroad.”
“Data now accounts for 50% of overseas spending and is set to continue to rise, overtaking call and text charges. Many people make plans to minimise their calls while away, however data costs can escalate quicker and is much more difficult to keep track of. I would always advise anyone traveling with their phone to use Wi-Fi wherever possible as long as it’s secure, and if you have to use data, check costs with your network, and minimise usage of data heavy apps like video streaming.”
Wandera’s mobile data gateway sits between employee devices and the internet, allowing companies to manage how staff are using mobile data both in the UK and overseas.