The high cost of using mobile broadband when abroad is a common complaint from computer and smartphone users. Recent intervention by Ofcom has curbed some of the more ridiculous charges, but getting on line overseas using a UK SIM card is still a costly business — and one to be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Smartphone and 3G dongle users with Orange, however, now have something of a lifeline for data use abroad — or for Europe, at least. Its new EU Daily Mobile Internet Browsing Bundle gives customers 30MB of data per day when travelling in Europe for just £3.

Although only available to pay monthly and not PAYG customers, the bundle can be paid for only when needed. So, if you just to check your email once while you’re away, £3 is all you need to pay.

The only catch is that the data deal runs from midnight to midnight and cuts out even if you don’t use the 30MB allowance in one 24-hour period. More importantly, data use beyond the 30MB allowance is charged at £3.07 per megabyte, although Ofcom requires all mobile phone operators to offer a cut-off mechanism that prevents customers from exceeding a pre-agreed data limit and incurring high charges — you need to set this up for you go abroad, though.

To buy an EU mobile internet bundle, Orange Pay Monthly customers need to call customer services by dialling 150 from their Orange mobile when at home or abroad.

[Orange]