Smartphone Usage, Wanderings, and Online Banking: A Look at Summer 2025's Mobile Trends and Offline Banking
In the summer of 2025, consumers travelling abroad may encounter several challenges, particularly in the areas of geo-blocking, banking apps, and tariff limits.
### Geo-Blocking
Geo-blocking, the practice of limiting internet access based on geographical location, can hinder users from accessing essential services. In countries like China, strict internet censorship restricts access to popular international sites and services such as Google, Facebook, and Instagram.
### Banking Apps
Banking apps may face restrictions due to geo-blocking, making it difficult for users to manage their finances or make transactions while abroad. Some banks may not support international transactions or may impose additional verification steps for security reasons.
To overcome these challenges, users often rely on international banking services or credit cards that are accepted worldwide.
### Tariff Limits
International roaming can incur high charges unless users have a specific international plan or use local SIM cards or eSIMs. Many international plans have data caps, and exceeding these limits can lead to significant additional charges.
### Additional Considerations
In countries with strict internet censorship, using a VPN can help bypass geo-blocking, but it may be restricted or banned. For seamless international connectivity, ensuring that your phone supports eSIMs is crucial, as these plans often require an unlocked device.
To mitigate these challenges, users can:
- Use VPNs where allowed to bypass geo-blocking. - Choose travel-friendly plans such as international roaming plans or eSIMs that offer cost-effective data and call services. - Manage data usage carefully to avoid exceeding tariff limits. - Use local services for banking and other specific needs, or international-friendly alternatives.
In July 2025, the UK provider EE overcharged numerous customers for EU roaming, resulting in bills of up to £100 for a few days. However, under the regulation (EU) 2022/612, consumers can use their domestic mobile tariffs in EU countries without additional charges until at least 2032.
Providers must ensure that users abroad have access to comparable network quality under this regulation, and the regulated wholesale price for roaming within the EU will decrease from up to 1.30 euros per gigabyte to 1.00 euro by 2027.
Some streaming and banking apps recognise the user's location via IP addresses or GPS and restrict certain functions, even with local data connectivity. Some institutions offer "travel notices" allowing customers to pre-approve certain countries for use, but not all banks provide or actively communicate this function.
Banks temporarily block access to online banking using geofencing, IP-based risk analysis, and automated fraud detection. Many banks block login attempts from foreign locations or unknown devices.
International eSIM providers like Airalo or Nomad offer affordable data plans for frequent travellers, providing a cost-effective solution for staying connected while abroad.
- In the realm of lifestyle and technology, travelers might find it difficult to access banking apps overseas due to geo-blocking, potentially causing challenges in managing finances or making transactions.
- For those seeking a seamless travel experience, employing international banking services or credit cards accepted worldwide can help circumvent the limitations imposed by geo-blocking on banking apps.
