Traveling can be expensive. From plane tickets to lodging, there are all types of costs involved in exploring the world. It’s hard to keep track of everything, but don’t forget about your phone bill. Here are some tips for how to use a cell phone overseas.
I should probably point out, that Jacqui and I are not big consumers of smartphone technology. It’s probably more accurate to say that I’ve been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
But there’s no denying that smartphones have lots of applications that can really help an overseas traveler.
Plan ahead
Be sure to check with your carrier before leaving home for any potential fees or restrictions that might apply when traveling overseas.
Prepaid plans often offer better deals than post-paid plans when traveling abroad, and it is worth investigating what such a plan might cost if you travel frequently.
It pays to also know in advance what your phone usage looks like. Check your current bill and assess your data usage while you’re at home. Do you think it will go up or down while you’re away?
For me it will definitely go up. I don’t need to use Google Maps when I’m at home, but I certainly need it when exploring a new country.
If you’re constantly on social media with your friends at home, then this might change a bit if you’re both in different time zones.
Check Your Roaming Rates
As I mentioned in the previous chapter, check with your own provider first. What are the roaming rates on your current plan? Can I change to a different plan to get better rates?
These checks will give you a starting point for your research. With this you’re in a better place to compare other options. Cell phone costs have been dropping steadily over the last 10 years or so, and should continue to do so for a while yet.
Ideally, you could just take your existing phone with you on your current plan, and only have to remember one phone number. But sadly, these days that’s rarely the cheapest way to go.
Compare With Other Hometown Plans
Check around at your other local providers to see what they can offer. The bonus of using a local carrier is that you can take your own phone number with you. This will make things much easier for you. At least your family and friends will still be able to get hold of you.
Check International Phone Plans
This was the option that we went for on our last holiday. We spent 6 weeks travelling through Europe and covered 7 countries. That’s not too uncommon for someone on a tour as well.
We purchased a Woolworths sim card. Now, Woolworths is a big supermarket chain over here in Australia. But everyone’s jumping into the market where they can, and supermarkets are no exception.
We each purchased a $30AU international sim card that was valid for most of Europe. During the trip, I purchased an extra $10AU on 2 occasions. So, all up, the phone bill for 6 weeks overseas was AU$50($37US).
As I said, I’m not a big user, and I have lots of friends who spend more than that at home on their regular plan.
We did have to get a new number for the trip, which was annoying. But at least we had the phone set to go before we left, which meant we weren’t trying to let all of our friends know while sitting in an airport.
Grab A New Sim Card When You Get There
This is generally the cheapest way to get phone coverage, and a lot of people swear by it. There are a couple of cautionary tales here though.
The first is coverage. My brother-in-law joined us part way through our last holiday. While he was waiting at Munich airport he went and bought himself a local Sim card.
We later got separated on the drive from Munich to Lucerne. It was somewhere deep inside Switzerland that the coverage stopped quite abruptly. More importantly, Google Maps stopped working as well.
So now they didn’t know where they were and couldn’t call anyone for help. They just had to keep driving and hoped that they would find assistance. They ended up getting to our accommodation at about 2am.
The moral of the story here is to know exactly what coverage you’re getting. This isn’t always easy in a foreign language.
The second point is that you have arrived in your destination after a long-haul flight. Got your new card and new number. Now you have to set it all up so that you can contact family and friends.
That’s just an added burden that I don’t need in the first hour in a new country.
How To Cut Down On Costs
So, you’ve done your research and found the most affordable Sim card that suits your style. That doesn’t mean you should go wild with it, or you’re still going to end up with a big bill.
So what steps should you take to get the most out of your new plan.
Use Wi-Fi when possible
It stands to reason that the less data you use, the better off you’ll be. Most hotels and restaurants have Wi-Fi these days, so make use of it when you can.
This means, if you’ve got a 6 hour bus journey ahead of you and you want to watch movies, then download the movies on Wi-Fi. That way you can watch them offline while on the bus.
Likewise, Google Maps can be downloaded the night before, so that the maps you will need the next day are all available offline. Here’s a webpage from Google Support that will guide through downloading maps.
Try to only use social media when connected to Wi-Fi. YouTube, for example, can chew through a huge amount of data in no time.
Check for Peak Times
A lot of the Sim card plans have peak and off-peak hours. Make sure you know what the best times are to make calls. Calling outside these hours could substantially drive up your bill.
Final Thoughts
Plan ahead, do your research, use Wi-Fi rather than mobile data, and understand how your plan operates. These are the basics for getting the most out of a phone plan when traveling overseas.
Personally, I’d be happier if I didn’t need a mobile phone at all. But sadly, I think those days are behind us.
Anyway, if you are looking to head overseas, here’s some other articles that you might find useful.
How to sleep on a long-haul flight.
Budget family travel for beginners.
Checklist for traveling overseas.
Cheers and happy travels