Here are 10 tips for staying in touch while overseas.
1. Is taking your smartphone overseas really that smart?
When we travel, we're often in a rush, throwing our phones into the bottom of backpacks where they'll likely get crushed. Your phone insurance doesn't cover you for breakage, loss or getting pinched by the guy who borrowed your bus map. And anyone who has made a travel insurance claim will probably tell you it'll be easier just to buy a new phone. But would you care if someone nicked your old Nokia? It may look like a dinosaur but it could be one of the smartest things you do. Plus, unless you've bought your smartphone outright, then you're going to have to unlock it before you head out of the country. Your telco can talk you through the steps but, more often than not, people report this doesn't work and when they arrive at their destination they can't use their phone. If this is the case, don't dwell on it. They probably just did you a favour.
2. Buy a cheap phone and/or a local SIM card An oldie but a goodie if you're heading to the same place for an extended period of time. It's also great if you are going for a two-week break to meet your mates and you need to contact them regularly to organise where to meet. Unfortunately, buying a local SIM is also the least likely thing you'll do. Why? Let's be realistic. If you've just spent 24 hours jetsetting halfway across the world, the last place you want to be stuck in is the local telco shop. You'd rather be checking out all the cool stuff than waiting in a queue. In Tokyo, Japan, you can rent a phone at the airport and drop it back before you leave. In other cases, think about it like this: that extra half an hour you spend at the beginning of your trip could end up saving you the entire cost of your holiday. And chances are you'll be waiting in line at a tourist attraction anyway.
3. Remove your SIM or turn everything off If you're intent on taking your smartphone then make sure you go to "settings" and switch off data roaming, location services, automatic downloads and - our tip - cellular data. That's the big one. Cellular data is the least understood setting on the iPhone, yet it's probably the most important. It's often the cause of a high phone bill even when you're at home. Why? Unless you have all the other bits and bobs switched off, then your iPhone may still be downloading data or syncing automatically without you knowing, especially if you use any games. Turning off cellular data doesn't prevent you from making or receiving calls and texts, but it does mean it's not racking up your bill in the background. Better yet, take out the SIM card. You'll still be able to access free WiFi.
4. Cancel voicemail and switch on out-of-office assistant Did you know you get charged when other people leave you voicemail messages? You'll also foot the bill if someone calls you while you're away so it's in your best interest to ignore emails, answer only texts and tell everyone you'll be heading to Mars for the next however long. If you're a business traveller or have family, then this is obviously easier said than done so your only real option is to use ...
5. Free public WiFi. But that doesn't mean free phone calls There have been horror stories in the news about people using free WiFi but then getting caught out with a phone bill the size of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Free WiFi does not mean free phone calls. If you want to talk to your loved ones then make sure you use an app such as Skype. The best place to find free WiFi is at a hotel, library, tourism office or cafe. There's a Starbucks on practically every street in every corner of the globe. And remember, you're a traveller. The point is to explore your surrounds. Find somewhere cool for a coffee and blog about it at the same time.
6. Be organised and take a travel SIM This one may go against everything travel is about going with the flow but a little prep before you leave for your trip is worthwhile. Especially if it's going to be tricky obtaining a local SIM when you arrive. After all, do you know how to ask for one in Swahili? (Some say asking for a prepaid SIM speaking English in America is bad enough). The biggest benefit to an international SIM is the account is prepaid, so you won't spend more than what you put on there. If you need more, just top up online - using free WiFi, of course. See TravelSIM (travelsim.net.au) and RoamingSIM (roamingsim.com.au).
7. Get appy This is by far the most popular option if you're going down the free WiFi route. Viber, WhatsApp, Tango and FooCall are all available in the app store. They're easy to set up and allow you to SMS or call home for free. Skype also means you can video-call. The only downfall is the occasional broken reception. Though Google Maps is tempting when travelling, it needs location services and WiFi to work. You can access free WiFi on the streets in most of Europe. If not, buy a laminated map. Or, better yet, ask a local for directions. If you're only going to one city, open it in Google Maps before you leave home and when you get there you'll have the map available, sans WiFi.
8. Research forums, talk to friends and other travellers Again, this falls into the "being organised" bracket, but hear us out. Asking other travellers and mates for recommendations of what option is best for where can save you a lot of your hard-earned holiday cash. Forums including Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor, Matador, Frommers, BootsnAll and Virtual Tourist are full of people offering advice for specific countries based on their experiences. Gauge the consensus.
9. Take everything or nothing Sound ridiculous? Who wants to lug around a laptop, iPad, iPhone, iTouch, iPod and whatever other gadgetry? The aim of travel is to travel light, right? Right. So either take it and budget for the expense or else leave it all at home. Not only will you be able to switch off and enjoy your holiday (which is the whole point of taking one), but you'll also have money for the next one.
10. Check if your provider offers discounted rates Different providers have different advantages.
Vodafone has expensive roaming rates, but is cheap for receiving calls. Other providers, such as Three, have sharing systems where they offer cheaper rates in particular countries. These need to be sorted before you travel. In any case, you'll probably be told to "check your data usage" as you go. This is easier said than done. For starters, you'll need to be online. Secondly, it can take up to 48 hours to record the usage from previous days, so it can be misleading. Don't get caught out thinking this is going to help you. It won't.
Keep in Touch Bro
1. Is taking your smartphone overseas really that smart?
When we travel, we're often in a rush, throwing our phones into the bottom of backpacks where they'll likely get crushed. Your phone insurance doesn't cover you for breakage, loss or getting pinched by the guy who borrowed your bus map. And anyone who has made a travel insurance claim will probably tell you it'll be easier just to buy a new phone. But would you care if someone nicked your old Nokia? It may look like a dinosaur but it could be one of the smartest things you do. Plus, unless you've bought your smartphone outright, then you're going to have to unlock it before you head out of the country. Your telco can talk you through the steps but, more often than not, people report this doesn't work and when they arrive at their destination they can't use their phone. If this is the case, don't dwell on it. They probably just did you a favour.
2. Buy a cheap phone and/or a local SIM card An oldie but a goodie if you're heading to the same place for an extended period of time. It's also great if you are going for a two-week break to meet your mates and you need to contact them regularly to organise where to meet. Unfortunately, buying a local SIM is also the least likely thing you'll do. Why? Let's be realistic. If you've just spent 24 hours jetsetting halfway across the world, the last place you want to be stuck in is the local telco shop. You'd rather be checking out all the cool stuff than waiting in a queue. In Tokyo, Japan, you can rent a phone at the airport and drop it back before you leave. In other cases, think about it like this: that extra half an hour you spend at the beginning of your trip could end up saving you the entire cost of your holiday. And chances are you'll be waiting in line at a tourist attraction anyway.
3. Remove your SIM or turn everything off If you're intent on taking your smartphone then make sure you go to "settings" and switch off data roaming, location services, automatic downloads and - our tip - cellular data. That's the big one. Cellular data is the least understood setting on the iPhone, yet it's probably the most important. It's often the cause of a high phone bill even when you're at home. Why? Unless you have all the other bits and bobs switched off, then your iPhone may still be downloading data or syncing automatically without you knowing, especially if you use any games. Turning off cellular data doesn't prevent you from making or receiving calls and texts, but it does mean it's not racking up your bill in the background. Better yet, take out the SIM card. You'll still be able to access free WiFi.
4. Cancel voicemail and switch on out-of-office assistant Did you know you get charged when other people leave you voicemail messages? You'll also foot the bill if someone calls you while you're away so it's in your best interest to ignore emails, answer only texts and tell everyone you'll be heading to Mars for the next however long. If you're a business traveller or have family, then this is obviously easier said than done so your only real option is to use ...
5. Free public WiFi. But that doesn't mean free phone calls There have been horror stories in the news about people using free WiFi but then getting caught out with a phone bill the size of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Free WiFi does not mean free phone calls. If you want to talk to your loved ones then make sure you use an app such as Skype. The best place to find free WiFi is at a hotel, library, tourism office or cafe. There's a Starbucks on practically every street in every corner of the globe. And remember, you're a traveller. The point is to explore your surrounds. Find somewhere cool for a coffee and blog about it at the same time.
6. Be organised and take a travel SIM This one may go against everything travel is about going with the flow but a little prep before you leave for your trip is worthwhile. Especially if it's going to be tricky obtaining a local SIM when you arrive. After all, do you know how to ask for one in Swahili? (Some say asking for a prepaid SIM speaking English in America is bad enough). The biggest benefit to an international SIM is the account is prepaid, so you won't spend more than what you put on there. If you need more, just top up online - using free WiFi, of course. See TravelSIM (travelsim.net.au) and RoamingSIM (roamingsim.com.au).
7. Get appy This is by far the most popular option if you're going down the free WiFi route. Viber, WhatsApp, Tango and FooCall are all available in the app store. They're easy to set up and allow you to SMS or call home for free. Skype also means you can video-call. The only downfall is the occasional broken reception. Though Google Maps is tempting when travelling, it needs location services and WiFi to work. You can access free WiFi on the streets in most of Europe. If not, buy a laminated map. Or, better yet, ask a local for directions. If you're only going to one city, open it in Google Maps before you leave home and when you get there you'll have the map available, sans WiFi.
8. Research forums, talk to friends and other travellers Again, this falls into the "being organised" bracket, but hear us out. Asking other travellers and mates for recommendations of what option is best for where can save you a lot of your hard-earned holiday cash. Forums including Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor, Matador, Frommers, BootsnAll and Virtual Tourist are full of people offering advice for specific countries based on their experiences. Gauge the consensus.
9. Take everything or nothing Sound ridiculous? Who wants to lug around a laptop, iPad, iPhone, iTouch, iPod and whatever other gadgetry? The aim of travel is to travel light, right? Right. So either take it and budget for the expense or else leave it all at home. Not only will you be able to switch off and enjoy your holiday (which is the whole point of taking one), but you'll also have money for the next one.
10. Check if your provider offers discounted rates Different providers have different advantages.
Vodafone has expensive roaming rates, but is cheap for receiving calls. Other providers, such as Three, have sharing systems where they offer cheaper rates in particular countries. These need to be sorted before you travel. In any case, you'll probably be told to "check your data usage" as you go. This is easier said than done. For starters, you'll need to be online. Secondly, it can take up to 48 hours to record the usage from previous days, so it can be misleading. Don't get caught out thinking this is going to help you. It won't.
Keep in Touch Bro
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