Travelling abroad during the autumn holiday? One mistake can connect your phone to the wrong network – DNA shares five tips for travellers

You can also use your regular mobile subscription abroad. The subscription connects to a local operator’s network through roaming. In EU and EEA countries, you can generally use your phone without concern within the EU data allowance included in your subscription. Outside the EU, prices for calls, messages and data vary by country, so it is advisable to check the prices and available data packages for your destination before travelling.

“People now use mobile data while travelling in much the same way as they do at home. Navigation, video calls, social media and streaming can quickly increase data consumption. A little preparation can help avoid concerns about running out of data as well as unpleasant surprises on the bill,” says Mikko Valtonen, Vice President, Mobile Business at DNA.

Tenfold data allowance in five travel destinations

A new 10-gigabyte option has been added to DNA’s separately ordered Travel Data service in the United Kingdom, the United States, Turkey, Switzerland and Thailand. Previously, the package available in these countries included one gigabyte of data. The new package is valid for 14 days, and customers are offered it in a text message sent when they arrive at their destination.

“Ten gigabytes gives travellers considerably more freedom in how they use their connection. The package is sufficient for services such as maps, messaging, reading the news and using social media. However, videos and software updates that consume large amounts of data should still be downloaded before departure whenever possible,” Valtonen says.

The new service was introduced in welcome messages for consumer subscriptions already in early October.

More data for business customers on work trips

The same 10-gigabyte DNA Travel Data package is also available to DNA’s business customers in the United Kingdom, the United States, Turkey, Switzerland and Thailand. For business customers, DNA Travel Data provides a predictable way to use mobile data outside the EU and EEA without having to purchase a separate local subscription or eSIM service. The package is valid for 14 days.

“The United Kingdom, in particular, is an important business travel destination for Finns. On work trips, mobile connections are often used just as actively as in the office, for example for video meetings, cloud services and staying in touch. The larger data package responds to this need much better than before,” says Mari Eklund, Vice President, Communication and Customer Service Solutions at DNA.

The new 10-gigabyte DNA Travel Data package is ordered by text message according to the instructions received when the customer arrives at the destination. The company’s administrator can manage the Travel Data ordering permissions for subscriptions in the YritysDNA self-service portal.

Five tips for worry-free internet use abroad

1. Check the prices and data package for your destination

In EU and EEA countries, mobile data can be used within the EU data allowance included in the subscription. However, not all European countries belong to the EU or EEA. In Switzerland, for example, internet use is not included in the standard EU data allowance. Outside the EU, prices and available data packages should always be checked for each country.

2. Read the welcome message sent to your phone

When your phone connects to a foreign network, the operator sends a text message explaining, among other things, the prices and data services available in the destination country. Read the message carefully before using mobile data, and order DNA Travel Data according to the instructions in the message received at your destination.

3. Watch out for the wrong network near borders, in ports and on-board ships

Mobile networks do not follow national borders drawn on a map. Near a border, your phone may select a network in a neighbouring country if its signal is stronger than that of the local network. If necessary, you can change network or operator selection from automatic to manual in your phone’s settings. Roaming should be switched off when you are not travelling abroad. On ships and aircraft, the mobile network providing connectivity may be satellite-based, in which case standard EU pricing may not apply.

4. Download data-intensive content in advance

Films, series, podcasts, music, offline maps and large software updates should be downloaded to the device over Wi-Fi while still in Finland. High-definition video and video calls, in particular, can quickly use up a data package.

5. Use public Wi-Fi networks with care

Open wireless networks at hotels, airports and cafés are convenient, but their security cannot always be guaranteed. When handling banking, work-related or other personal information, a roaming connection over a mobile network is generally a safer option than a public Wi-Fi network.

“Before travelling, it is also advisable to enable the phone’s location and remote-locking features and replace the SIM card’s default PIN with a code of your own. If the phone is lost or stolen, acting quickly can help prevent misuse of both the data and the subscription,” Valtonen says.

Media Inquiries:

DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 (0)44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi