How To Use Your Cell Phone Abroad
Having reliable access to a cell phone can be vital. Figure out when and why you will need it and how much it will cost.
Whether it’s to let loved ones know you’ve arrived at your destination safely, brag through your social media channels about that incredible experience you’ve had or to navigate the unmarked streets in some rural village, everyone has a need to stay connected these days.
With the growth of cellular phone technology in recent years, it’s not hard to do so when you travel abroad.
Here are a few tips that I’ve found can pay off significantly when it comes to using a cell phone in a different country.
1. Determine how much you’ll need it
You may want your phone to help you navigate if you’re spending two weeks driving around Italy, but if you’re spending a few days dogsledding and camping in Lapland, you might not need it as often.
Do a quick estimate before the trip in order to determine when you will need your phone and why. You should also check how much data you’ve used in recent months to give you an estimate of how much you will need while away. If you’re not traveling alone, you may not all need to have access to a phone at all times. Or, depending on the days or which part of the journey you’re on, perhaps you could split the responsibility — and the resulting charges.
(If you envision needing the phone to navigate and don’t want to pay car companies’ inflated rates for access to a GPS unit, consider downloading Here WeGo and Maps Me, a pair of apps that allow for offline use. Google Maps also offers the option, but I’ve found its reliability and accuracy varies depending on your destination.)
Of course, if your goal is to escape for a few days’ time and leave the world behind, then being totally off the grid isn’t the worst thing, either. Many hotels offer complimentary internet access, so using that to catch up on life instead of paying for a data plan can be just enough to satisfy your urges while allowing you to spend a little more on souvenirs.
2. Check your existing phone plan
Whether you’ve already activated an international calling plan for a previous trip or it’s just bundled into your existing phone charges, you may already be eligible to use your phone in a different country and you don’t already know it.
A simple call to your provider’s billing and service hotline should be able to clarify this for you — or, if you have time to spare and need a personal guarantee, stopping into a retailer can be just as straightforward. Just make sure to let the provider know which locations you’re planning to visit, as some plans may cover only certain countries for a base rate.
3. Consider opting for a per-day basis
One rather helpful perk that nearly every phone company has adapted is the ability to pay a set rate per day to access your existing phone plan internationally.
If your plan includes, say, unlimited minutes and text messages and two gigabytes of data, you could pay a cost — many are between $6 and $10 a day — to continue to have access. That can work to your benefit, too, as many carriers don’t actually apply the charges until the airwaves are used.
Just be aware: If your phone bill comes out to $70 a month, and you opt for that daily charge for a week abroad, you could end up paying double that month.
4. Look into the cost of an international SIM card
Not as popular in the United States as it is in other countries — though the idea is slowly gaining traction — international providers will allow visitors to purchase SIM cards that they can pop into their phones to access the local networks uninhibited.
Nobody dreams of beginning their vacation by spending 30 minutes at a telecom retailer, but it can be a significant advantage, especially if the alternative is a costly international plan from your home provider. (In South Africa, we were able to buy a SIM card, giving us a local phone number, plus one gigabyte of data and 12 emergency minutes, for $20 — a substantial savings over activating the phones for a daily rate.)
Where you choose to buy the SIM card can also depend on the rate you’re given. Some airports will have kiosks just outside the international arrivals terminal, and while they may be more expensive than visiting a retailer in the city, the sales staff is often more familiar with the demands of international travelers. But there can be a catch…
5. Find out how to “unlock” your phone
Providers often “lock” the phones until you’ve reached the end of your contract in order to prevent you from taking a phone that hasn’t been completely paid off to a competitor. That means that if you put a different SIM card into the phone, even internationally, that card won’t work unless the phone has been unlocked.
This was the obstacle I encountered in South Africa, as my phone would not accept a local SIM card because it had been locked by my provider. Thus, I had to go online, submit a request to have it unlocked and wait 48 hours for it to be granted — a vital misstep had we begun driving around the country within our first few days upon arrival.
Note that some carriers may demand the remainder of the balance of the actual handset to be paid off before they’ll consider unlocking it — and, if you’re still under the initial contract, they may not do it at all. It’s worth it to know what your rights and options are before traveling.
6. Download an internet messaging app
A number of apps will allow you to send text messages via the internet, including Skype, Google Hangouts and WhatsApp. If you don’t feel like paying for an international phone plan while you’re away — or if you will be on vacation for a considerable amount of time — relying upon these apps and Wi-Fi access at the hotel, restaurant, museum or airport can be close enough to being connected at all times.
Keep in mind, though, that some apps may only allow messages to be sent to certain countries, and some may involve your recipients downloading and using them as well. Make sure to look into which service is right for you.
7. Make friends with airplane mode
Even if you think you have control over when you’re using your phone abroad, you won’t be. If your grandmother calls you at an inopportune time to see how you’re doing, or if one friend wants to send you a screenshot of an argument she’s having with another, you could be on the hook for those charges — and they may not be cheap.
Remember, too, that a number of apps will run in the background when you’re not actively using them, and some will even update themselves when a new version is pushed to users. Those conveniences will eat up seemingly negligible amounts of data that can add up over time.
That’s why, unless you’re actively using your phone in another country, it’s best to leave it on airplane mode as frequently as possible, shutting down any access to cellular networks.
(Know, too, that some phones and providers will let you still make emergency calls while in airplane mode.)
One other benefit of airplane mode: Your battery will drain much slower when it’s not constantly searching for a connection with a network, meaning you need to charge it less often — and when it comes to plugging devices into foreign outlets, there’s always a chance of something much more costly occurring.
Disclaimers: All products, services and experiences were paid for and arranged by the author and the vendors named herein had no editorial oversight of this piece. The main photo was taken by Oleg Magni and licensed through Pexels; others were taken by and remain the property of the author. Contact for republication rights.
