It's been a long time coming but at last the charges for using your phone abroad are being ditched.

A ban on data roaming charges will take effect from 15 June 2017, just in time for summer holidays then.

The European Parliament has made the ruling that will apply to use of phones in all the EU countries.

Ahead of the full ban an interim cap will kick in from 30 April 2016. This will mean surcharges will be limited to 3.5p for calls, €0.02 per SMS and €0.05 extra per megabyte of data. That's about 75 per cent cheaper during the interim than currently is the case.

When the full bill takes effect on 15 June 2017 phone users will simply be charged at their local rate while travelling. That means any free minutes, texts or data bundles will be accessible while abroad.

Before the new measures come into place there are lots of options to save money while still using your phone abroad. Certain networks are better than others when it comes to saving money abroad. Check out our guide below to best allow you to continue using your phone while abroad without being stung for charges, until that magical charge free 2017 date arrives.

READ: Best roaming plans: Which is the cheapest network?