What is a "high usage alert"? It is a notice from your mobile network that there is abnormal or excessive usage on a particular number. This can be triggered by using more minutes or texts than usual, using data without a bolt-on and particularly for overseas usage.
This can be for normal usage but it can also be due to the handset being lost/stolen and used by the "new owner". These high usage alerts do not get sent straight away and can often be sent after several hundred pounds of charges have been run up.
Once you enter into a business mobile contract it is your responsibility to monitor your own usage to ensure that you do not receive a nasty shock when your bill arrives. Online billing has a number of options for you to keep track of all of your employees usage and ensure you remain within your chosen tariff wherever possible. You can set lower limits for notification ensuring excessive charges are not run up without your knowledge.
The problem with data roaming
One area where high usage alerts are commonplace is with roaming. Using your phone overseas is still extortionately expensive. In fact the charge per minute for you to use your UK phone overseas can be 100 times more expensive than using a local sim card!
Many phones are set by default to collect their emails and many applications use data in the background without you even knowing. Some applications are requesting data every few minutes. No problem in the UK if you have a data package but once you go abroad all of this data is costing you a small fortune.
Even if you add a roaming data bolt on the limits are incredibly small and a standard SmartPhone can run through this quickly. You can however disable application data and even data roaming completely on most modern handsets. Make sure you do this BEFORE you leave the country. It's easy to forget when you arrive at your destination.
If your phone is not locked to a particular network you can use a local sim card. For wi-fi enabled phones you can get your emails and data via local access points free of charge or perhaps for a small fee in your hotel. At least you know the charges in advance this way and won't come home to a large unexpected bill.
Tethering is also an absolute no-no when overseas. Tethering involves using your phone as a data modem for your laptop or netbook. Whereas a SmartPhone is optimised for data usage, only downloading email headers and avoiding large attachments, your laptop will not be and you will be downloading much larger amounts of data, all coming out of your mobile data allowance.
Bills of several hundred, or even several thousands, of pounds can be run up. So use your phone sparingly if possible, and if you have to use it make sure you get the necessary data bolt on before you go and switch off unnecessary application background data if possible.