Vodafone abolishes European roaming charges for the summer

Vodafone is chopping European mobile roaming charges for three months this summer, meaning calls made back to the UK from Europe won't cost you any more than they would back home.

Calls, texts and picture messages are included in the deal, which requires Vodafone customers activate Voda's free Passport service. Then, between 1 June and 31 August, you'll be charged either according to your UK service plan -- using your inclusive minutes, if you have any -- or pre-pay tariff, without incurring the current 75p connection charge.

Beware, though: data is not included as part of the deal, so browsing the Internet or checking email will still cost a pretty penny. Perhaps hundreds of them.

There's absolutely no reason non-Vodafone customers can't pick up a free pre-pay Vodafone SIM from the network's Web site, stick it in an unlocked phone and use it to call home over the summer months. In fact, we've just ordered four SIM cards for that very purpose.

Further details regarding how to sign up to Passport, including which 35 European countries the deal is available in, are available from Vodafone's Web site.

CC-licensed image courtesy of Brian Solis.