Cut the cost of phoning home

LONDON (Reuters) - New European rules have cut the cost of making mobile phone calls abroad, but British holidaymakers could still bring big profits for telecoms providers.

Here are uSwitch.com's top tips for cutting the cost of using your mobile abroad:

* Some networks are cheaper than others and your phone might not always automatically select the cheapest when you arrive in a new country. Do your research beforehand: check with your network operator on the cheapest network for the country you are in, and select this manually when you arrive. Keep checking that you remain on this network.

* Check with your network whether they offer any special products such as bolt-ons or flat fees for using your mobile abroad.

* If you are away for a long period, consider buying a local SIM card. This will let you receive texts and calls without being charged and calls can be made on a pay-as-you-go basis.

* Find an internet café or consider taking your laptop with you to use Skype or Voice over IP service to make free calls over the Internet.

* Buy a calling card and use a local payphone.

Read Reuters consumer finance blog here