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I didn't think that my daily cell phone was used in Paris in Paris during a vacation in Paris.
At the end of the five-day trip, however, I had almost 50 US dollars in additional fees for relatively routine tasks such as checking restaurants and menus or researching the attractions in the neighborhood after long, sailing walks.
Although it is not a bank amount, it was high enough to frustrate this personal financial reporter and get myself to rethink the telephone use (and the value of a better prerequisite) for my next excursion.
Fortunately, there are many options for reducing or eliminating additional mobile phone costs when traveling outside the USA, experts said.
“There is no way to save money with your smartphone when you are overseas,” said John Breyault, Vice President of Public Politics, Telecommunications and fraud in the National Consumers League, a consumer representation.
The best strategy depends on how travelers want to use their phone during a trip, he said.
Consider T-Mobile for basic use
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My additional fees resulted from my provider's international telephone package. My carrier AT&T calculates a flat daily price of 12 US dollars a day for international cell use, similar to other providers. I decided this daily fee every day to use the international cell network instead of Wi-Fi to search for the way or to look for restaurants.
While many airlines usually charge a fee a day or a “high surcharge”, some T-Mobile plans cover international roaming, said Tim Leffel, author of the “cheapest goals in the world” and “a better life for half the price”.
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As such, it can change to T-Mobile as their cell provider for those who often travel abroad-especially for those who do not rely on their telephones in order to use more than occasional text or data use during travel.
“If this is your plan, great,” said Leffel. “You are ready to travel the world without missing a blow.”
However, there are restrictions.
Not all T-Mobile plans cover international roaming fees. According to reports, a long-standing T-Mobile customer has selected fees of $ 143,000 during a trip to Switzerland in the amount of $ 143,000 for international data roaming. (The company later withdrew these costs.)
While its international plans generally contain unlimited texts and a allocation of high -speed data at overseas, telephone calls can be delivered with an additional price. (A problem bypass: All calls via WLAN to the USA, Mexico and Canada are free, according to T-Mobile's site.)
T-mobile plans do not work in every country, so customers should be careful to avoid additional fees in such places, experts said.
In addition, such plans may not be well suited for digital nomads (according to T-Mobile, they are not intended for an extended use abroad or for heavy data users, said Leffel.
Check what your mobile phone plan already offers and compare costs and services before making changes, said Breyault.
Use an ESIM
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People who intend to reduce a lot of data from Wi-Fi networks can buy better than buying a SIM card, said Breyault.
Replacing the current SIM of your phone with an international replacement makes your device essentially on a local phone, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
Many people can use a digital ESIM service today instead of replacing the physical SIM card of their phone, experts said.
It is generally a cheaper option compared to the international telephone packages of many airlines, experts said. Pre -paid Sims make travelers easier to manage their budgets, they said.
“Now you can simply download an app and buy as much data as you need, generally 1 USD or less a day for use over a week or a month,” said Leffel. “If you go out the data, just buy more.”
He recommends sticking to more established providers such as Saily, Gigsky or Airalo to be safe. They generally work all over the world, he said.
Many people only choose SIM plans for data and save all calls or texts for Wi-Fi, he said.
One restriction: travelers may have to “unlock” their phone so that an ESIM works, said Breyault. This would make sure that the phone is not closed to a specific freight forwarder. In such cases, customers should use their provider before traveling to ask if they can unlock the phone, he said.
Also note that your telephone number can temporarily switch to a local number when using a new SIM number, experts said.
If possible, use Wi-Fi
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Ok, yes, that obviously sounds.
But it cannot be denied that the use of free WiFi may save money in a hotel, in a restaurant or in other ways.
You can use Wi-Fi, even if your phone is in aircraft mode, which means that you will not dive with international roaming fees.
Experts have some hacks that help limit their need for mobile phone data if they are not from Wi-Fi.
Under the top tips: Download an offline card on Google Maps before traveling. In this way, you can navigate in one area via GPS without the Internet. There are some disadvantages: It can be difficult to find details such as the next museum or restaurant and your hours without internet.
Download a helpful article PDFS or travel guide in advance to limit your need for the Internet on the go, said Leffel.
The connection to public Wi-Fi networks can be a digital security threat. Therefore, avoid the implementation of sensitive transactions such as banking via WiFi, said Breyault. In such cases, you should adhere to a mobile network that is safer, he said.
I returned from another trip to Namibia and Botswana last week, where I took over a strict guideline to put my phone in aircraft mode and, if necessary, to use public Wi-Fi occasionally.
My additional cell fees? $ 0.