Cell Phone – The umbilical cord of globalization.
The world has become much smaller because it has become more communicative. From Peru to Pakistan, and everywhere in between, the smartphone is one of the most important tools in any Canyon traveler’s kit.
But what is the best way for a Canadian living abroad to stay in touch without thick markup? Today, let’s deal with it The best solution for roaming abroad In the market.
1. Buy a local SIM card
By my means, the most effective solution to use your cellphone while abroad is to buy a SIM card when you arrive at your destination.
Local plans reflect local prices, and since Canadians are one of the most charged people with cell phone fees, especially mobile data, there is no guarantee that you will find a good deal wherever you are, no matter where you are. Going.
However, I am not pointing out that you have to buy a SIM card every second time. Almost every airport on the planet now has mobile kiosks with English-speaking salespeople trying to thwart their “competitive” phone plans on undoubted foreigners.
Avoid such people, and find a seller in town. I have found that either the Hotel Concierge staff or, alternatively, your Airbnb host can be the ideal font for finding reliable local SIMs.
Another advantage of buying a local SIM card is that in many countries voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, are the main form of communication. Locals with businesses like restaurants often do not respond to traditional calls or text messages.
In such cases, getting a local SIM card may be ideal as mobile data will be offered at a much more competitive rate, regardless of the charges your service provider charges you while roaming. If you stop buying a local SIM, you’ll want to make sure you set up your VoIP app to use your new, local phone number.
Note that when traveling abroad, there is always a slight chance that your phone model may not work with a local SIM card or technology. Therefore, always do your research before traveling to make sure you have a compatible phone.
2. Cafe Camp
You can completely skip purchasing a SIM card. I would only recommend this option to locales that rely heavily on VoIP services, as you won’t have to worry too much about missing old-school texts or calls.
This type of thing is quite common in practice, if not ideal, for citizens of countries where Wi-Fi is free but cell service is relatively expensive, such as Cuba.
By turning off your roaming settings and putting your device in airplane mode, you will be able to use any universally-available Wi-Fi with a Canadian SIM card on your phone, even if Wi-Fi is enabled.
Then, you’ll be able to connect to any VoIP service of your choice at your destination for all your communication needs.
3. Use your mobile provider’s roaming plan
Of course, if you do not speak the local language or are not the most technically savvy person there, buying another SIM card can be a bit of a headache.
It should also be argued that the facility has a premium of its own and that “cafe camping” is certainly not convenient for every single traveler on the go.
If so, it may be best to accept a roaming fee for your carrier. The industry seems to be around average ড 15 per day Across all carriers that allow unlimited roaming, but these allow you to make full use of your device as if it were in Canada while abroad.
Too bad this is in addition to your regular billing costs. I have compared the talus, which is larger here in western Canada, to the bell for successor:
One of my pets for these services is that they do not always have a maximum charge cap; You could theoretically charge a roaming fee of $ 15 per day indefinitely. Rarely ideal for a mini-round-the-world bonanza.
On the other hand, it can be seen that the cost of less than $ 12 is standard for services that you can use while traveling across or through the United States. Not exactly a great savings, but cheaper than per-use.
My suggestion is that if you can use this option, do it for a short period of time and only for short-distance travel.
4. Google Fi?
If the idea of backpackers collecting SIM cards to collect their flags or paying মোবাইল 15 per day to your mobile provider doesn’t appeal to you, I may have only one solution: a service called Google Fi.
Before we begin, I would like to suggest that Google Fi be listed as available to Americans only. This means you need to have a minimum: a US-issued credit card, a US address, a US-based Google Account created with a US IP address, and a 5G-enabled smartphone that meets Google’s compatibility requirements.
Once you have these in hand, you can consider which Google Fi plan is best for your travel needs. Personally, I think the best economic option is available for US $ 20 per month with US $ 10 per gigabyte of data, although there are others with more extensive service to think about.
The best part is that on all Google Fi plans, you are charged for a maximum of six gigabytes of data, or US $ 60 per billing cycle, including data. Unlimited and free past this point.
After that, you need to order a Google SIM card And as a modern technology company, they offer you a few choices.
You can get an e-SIM card and start using your Google Fi account right away, but not every phone is able to do that.
Alternatively, you can wait for your physical SIM card to arrive at your US address and either pick it up and activate it during a trip, or arrange to receive the chip sent to you here in Canada.
Either way, it is up to you to get your US IP address to work, for which you need a US VPN. Having that US IP address will allow you to successfully activate your Google Fi account, at least if your device e-SIM is compatible.
Once your account is activated, you can always suspend your service through your Google Account, which will suspend your payments (taken automatically via Google Pay) until you re-enable Fi. I would recommend doing this whenever you are not traveling, in which case you will be billed at a regular monthly rate for your chosen plan.
For those of you who either have e-SIM capabilities or have a dual SIM port (which many modern cell phones, especially flagship models), Google Fi always allows you to create your travel options on your device – an ideal roaming solution for anyone Traveler
A word of caution, though: I would be wary of using your Fi account too much in Canada and would certainly not switch to using it as your daily carrier, as this product is intended for Americans only.
Excessive foreign use may seem suspicious, and there is no point in taking the risk of closing a potential account so you can avoid Canadian telecom companies.
One last thing to consider: Google Fi is in beta development for Apple. Although I’m an Android fanboy, I know many Miles and Points enthusiasts are equally loyal to iOS.
So far, I haven’t heard any complaints from my US-based Google Fi user friends who are Apple lovers, but it’s something to consider.
Conclusion
In a digitalized world, communication is more important than ever.
That’s why cell phone service can be a source of concern for any Globetrotter, and it can be an unexpected expense if not calculated properly before catching your flight.
I hope some of you can use a local SIM for a fraction of the price, or jump through the hoops to join our cousins in the South using Google Fi.
And if both of these solutions seem less appealing than using public Wi-Fi, why not launch your career roaming plan just for convenience?
Until the next time, go around cheap.
