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Don’t get caught out when ringing family abroad this Christmas
It could cost you hundreds of pounds to make a call – read on for the most expensive and the cheapest mobile phone providers
Which? Tech looked at how much it would cost you to call a landline abroad this Christmas from your mobile. EE was by far the most expensive – where a one-hour call could cost you £234.60.
Technology has made it easy to speak to friends and family who are far away. However, it can still be costly if the person you're calling isn't confident with instant messaging and video calling services, and ringing your elderly aunt's landline in Australia might be the only way to speak in person and say merry Christmas and happy New Year.
We’ve looked at the cheapest ways to stay in touch with your loved ones over the festive period. Find out how much it would cost to call the USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Brazil across a variety of mobile phone networks.
EE, O2, Lebara and Giffgaff international calls compared
EE was by far the most expensive network of the four we looked at, charging a standard rate of £3.91 per minute.
By contrast, Lebara offered incredibly low prices, with the cheapest location being 2p per minute for calls to Brazil, and the most expensive just 9p per minute to call South Africa.
With bigger providers, even a quick catch-up could leave you with bill shock. Phoning friends or family in the USA or Japan for just 30 minutes would be £117.30 at EE’s standard rate. The same call would cost only £1.50 using Lebara.
In addition to its cheap international call rate, Lebara Sim-only deals include 100, 500 or unlimited international call minutes to 42 countries. This includes Australia, New Zealand and USA, but not Brazil, Japan or South Africa.
Cost to call a landline per hour
| Network | Australia | USA | New Zealand | South Africa | Japan | Brazil |
| EE | £236.40 | £236.40 | £236.40 | £236.40 | £236.40 | £236.40 |
| O2 | £180 | £180 | £180 | £180 | £180 | £180 |
| Lebara | £1.80 | £3 | £3 | £5.40 | £3 | £1.20 |
| Giffgaff | £1.80 | £1.80 | £3.60 | £12 | £8.40 | £8.40 |
Cost of calls to a landline per minute: EE – all £3.91; O2 – all featured are £3 on a pay monthly deal (pay as you go is £1.50); Lebara – Australia 3p, USA 5p, NZ 5p, South Africa 9p, Japan 5p, Brazil 2p; Giffgaff – Australia 3p, USA 3p, New Zealand 6p, South Africa 20p, Japan 14p, Brazil 14p.
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How to cut the cost of international calls
Mobile networks offer bundles and deals to reduce the cost of international calls, but these can be confusing and still expensive.
EE offers inclusive calls to 34 countries with an international pay-as-you-go Sim card, or pay monthly add-ons such as Call 50 (500 international minutes to 50 different countries for £13.03 a month) or Call 100 (250 international minutes for £26.10 a month to 100 different countries).
O2 has the £30 a month Big Bundle, which gives you 100GB of data and 250 international minutes to 42 countries, plus discounted international calls from the UK starting at 1p per minute.
While cheaper than the standard rate, these bundles are still expensive compared to smaller networks.
Using your landline could also rack up a hefty bill. A standard call from a BT landline to Australia is £1.17 a minute, although this can be reduced to 7.8p per minute if you pay £11.23 a month for the International Freedom package.
Alternatively, you can use an international calling app on your mobile, such as Planet Talk. Prices are a few pence per minute for most countries, such as 1p for Canada, 2p for Brazil and 3p for Australia and the US.
Switching network is as easy as sending a text. Read our guide on how to switch mobile provider for full details on the process.
How to make international calls for free
Ultimately, don’t let cost prevent you from reaching out to the people you care about most this festive period.
You can call over wi-fi at no extra charge if you use messaging apps such as WhatsApp, FaceTime or Skype. They only require a relatively stable internet connection and you can make video calls using them, too.
If you find yourself not calling a landline due to the cost, see if you can get someone local to your relative to help them set up one of these services.
If this isn’t an option and you do need to fall back on ringing a landline a long way away, our research shows that there are various ways to reduce the cost of doing so.
If you decide to visit in person instead of calling, find out how to prepare your phone for holidays abroad, so you don’t get caught out by unnecessary charges.
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