The Best Cell Phone Options While Traveling Abroad
As you’re traveling, you’re obviously going to need a phone. You’ll want a way to be able to contact those around you day to day, especially if you have a business. In addition, having a cell phone that works in country is helpful in the event of an emergency.
Getting an international cell phone through your normal carrier is possible. However, it can be expensive and unsustainable. There are a few other options available though. We’re going to break down the most popular ones so you choose what will work for you.
Google Fi
Google Fi offers phone plans where you pay a flat rate for calls, texts, and data (to a certain limit). International texts are included if you are visiting one of their 170+ included countries. Calls are charged by the minute, but are available in those countries as well. Data used internationally is included in their $10 flat rate. So, you could utilize data to make calls over the internet (via Google Hangouts or Skype) at a potentially lower cost.
In Country Sim Cards
Getting a sim card in the country that you are visiting is a good option if you will be staying there for an extended period of time. It’s quite easy to get a sim card that you can use for a month and extend by the month if needed.
One of the benefits with this option is that you are directly tied into that country’s phone system. You’ll have domestic phone number and in country calls will be local. In addition, it is extremely easy to use data when you need to (if you buy a plan with data). However, it won’t be as helpful for making calls outside of that country. If you want to do that, you’ll might need to pair this with Google Hangouts.
The first time I ever used this was when I went to Italy with my dad. I liked this this because we were able to call our hotel a few times and I could use data to GPS our way back when we went exploring through Rome. He wanted us to be able to have a local number if something happened.
Using Wifi and Data to Stay in Tough
If you go the route of using an in country sim card, you probably won’t be able to use it to call people back home (or out of your country). However, you can use Google Hangouts and similar services to reach them. With Google Hangouts, you can sign up for free and receive a phone number. You’ll be able to make and receive calls via the internet. You can do this either over wifi or through your phone’s data plan. Skype also offers a similar service
Whatsapp is also a popular way of communication, though it is via messaging. It uses the internet and can be used on both wifi and data.
Choosing a Cell Phone
When you purchase a phone to travel with, you’ll want to buy an unlocked phone. Having your phone tied to a network in your home country is not very helpful. It is very easy to find an unlocked phone online from Amazon or a similar site.
Worldwide, there are two major types of cell phone networks: GSM and CDMA. GSM is far more common, but check out the which is more prevalent in your destination. Then make sure whatever cell phone you choose to buy has the capability of using that network.
Having a phone with two sim card slots may come in handy if you frequently return to a certain country. You could keep both plans active and only make calls on the one associate with the country you are visiting.
These are the most common options to use while traveling abroad. And they are only the options for cell phones. If you need a way to keep in touch, but it doesn’t need to be via phone, there are other options to check out as well.
