International Cell Phone Travel Tips | Save MEGA $$$ on Roaming!

Summary

In this insightful video, travel expert Nora Dunn demystifies the complexities of using your cell phone while traveling internationally. She highlights the crucial first step of determining if your phone is locked or unlocked, then navigates through the options available for both scenarios. For short trips, Nora discusses the pros and cons of international roaming plans versus relying solely on Wi-Fi. For longer journeys, she explores international phone plans, mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, and the advantages of local SIM cards. Nora also offers practical tips for travelers seeking to minimize costs without sacrificing connectivity, including how to maintain your home cell phone number affordably. The video concludes with a bonus tip on avoiding roaming charges near borders, ensuring travelers are well-equipped to stay connected smartly and economically worldwide.

Takeaways

• 📱 It's essential to have your cell phone while traveling due to its multiple uses, but using a home plan abroad can be costly.
• 🔒 Before considering international cell phone options, check if your phone is locked or unlocked, as it affects your available choices.
• 💰 For short trips (less than two weeks), international roaming plans from your carrier, though expensive, are convenient for full functionality.
• ✈️ Putting your phone in airplane mode and using Wi-Fi is a cost-effective strategy for short trips, with limitations on calls and data use.
• 🌐 For longer stays, consider international cell phone plans or mobile Wi-Fi hotspots to keep costs manageable and maintain connectivity.
• 📲 If your phone is unlocked, you have more flexibility with options like local SIM cards or international data plans, providing local numbers and data.
• ✉️ Keep your home phone number active for important verifications by downgrading to a basic plan or using an online service, ensuring you're reachable.
• 🛫 Local SIM cards are recommended for ease and affordability, especially when purchased at airports to avoid complications.
• 📳 International data SIM cards or eSIMs offer a seamless way to stay connected across borders without needing a local phone number.
• ⚠️ Beware of roaming charges near borders; turning off your phone or enabling airplane mode can prevent unexpected costs.
• 💬 Engage with your audience for additional tips and unanswered questions to foster a community around smart travel.

Q & A

What should you check first when preparing your phone for international travel?

First, check if your phone is locked or unlocked, as this determines the options available for international cell phone plans and travel e-SIMs.

What is the likely status of a phone obtained from a cellular provider and under contract?

If you got your phone from a cellular provider and are under contract, it's likely locked, which means you are limited in terms of international travel options.

How can you unlock a phone that is locked to a carrier?

Contact your carrier to find out the terms for unlocking your phone. They are obligated to unlock it after a certain period, and can do it remotely.

What are the recommended cell phone options for short trips abroad (less than two weeks)?

For short trips abroad, you can opt for an international roaming plan from your carrier, which is more expensive, or use airplane mode with Wi-Fi for a cheaper option.

What is a practical cell phone solution for trips longer than two weeks but not permanent?

For longer trips, consider getting an international phone plan that works seamlessly worldwide, or use a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot to avoid high roaming fees.

What are some U.S. carriers that offer international cell phone plans?

T-Mobile's Magenta plan and Verizon's international plan are examples of U.S. carriers offering international cell phone plans.

What are the options for maintaining a phone number if you're a long-term or full-time traveler?

You can downgrade to a basic, no-frills phone plan for essential services or port your number to an online service or app like Skype, Hushed, or Tossable Digits for a low fee.

How can local SIM cards benefit travelers in a new destination?

Local SIM cards provide a local phone number and often offer inexpensive local data rates. They're especially useful and cost-effective for staying connected locally.

What is the advantage of international data SIM cards or eSIMs for travelers?

International data SIM cards or eSIMs provide data connectivity without a local phone number, making them ideal for travelers who frequently change destinations or don't need a local number.

What is a critical tip to avoid roaming charges near international borders?

To avoid roaming charges near borders, turn off your phone or activate airplane mode until you're well clear of the border, as signals from the neighboring country can incur roaming fees.

Outlines

00:00

📱 International Travel and Your Cell Phone

This paragraph discusses the necessity of cell phones for travel, highlighting their various uses like maps, messaging, and ride-hailing services. It emphasizes the importance of setting up your phone properly for international travel to avoid high costs. The speaker introduces the topic of international cell phone plans and e-sims, and explains the difference between locked and unlocked phones, and how it affects the available options for international use.

05:02

🔒 Unlocking Your Phone for Travel

The speaker explains the significance of having an unlocked phone for international travel. It outlines the process of checking if your phone is locked or unlocked, and what it means for your options. If your phone is locked, the speaker advises contacting your carrier to unlock it, while if it's already unlocked, it opens up more possibilities for using different SIM cards and plans while traveling.

10:06

🌐 Options for Short and Long Trips

This section provides advice on the best options for short and long trips. For short trips of two weeks or less, the speaker suggests either getting an international roaming plan from your carrier or using Wi-Fi only. For longer trips, the options include getting an international phone plan, using a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, or, if the phone is unlocked, purchasing a local SIM card at the destination for a local number and data.

💡 Bonus Tip for Border Crossings

The speaker concludes with a bonus tip about being cautious when crossing borders with your phone. Turning off your phone or disabling international roaming can prevent unexpected roaming charges when your phone unintentionally connects to a foreign network. The speaker shares a personal anecdote to illustrate the point and advises viewers on how to avoid such additional costs.

Keywords

💡International Travel

International travel refers to the act of travelling from one country to another. In the context of the video, it highlights the necessity of being prepared with a properly set-up cell phone to navigate, communicate, and access services seamlessly across borders. The emphasis is on the importance of cell phones in facilitating maps, messages, Ubers, and more, underscoring their role as a 'downright necessity' for modern travelers to remain connected and efficient while abroad.

💡Locked vs. Unlocked Phones

The concept of 'locked vs. unlocked phones' is crucial in understanding cell phone usage in international contexts. A 'locked' phone is tied to a specific carrier's network, often due to contractual agreements, restricting its use with other carriers without permission. An 'unlocked' phone, however, can be used with any carrier's SIM card globally. This distinction affects the available options for international cell service, as unlocked phones offer greater flexibility for travelers seeking local or international SIM cards or plans.

💡International Roaming Plan

An International Roaming Plan is a service provided by cell phone carriers that allows customers to use their home country's cell phone plan in other countries, typically at an additional cost. The video explains this as an easy but expensive option for short trips, enabling calls, texts, and data abroad. It's highlighted as a convenience for travelers needing their phones for navigation, communication, and social media, despite its higher costs compared to other alternatives.

💡Airplane Mode and Wi-Fi

Using 'Airplane Mode' and Wi-Fi for international travel is discussed as a cost-effective strategy for avoiding roaming charges. This approach involves disabling cellular functions to prevent accidental data usage and relying on Wi-Fi connections for internet access. The video suggests this method for travelers on short trips who wish to manage costs while still accessing essential services and apps, albeit with the limitation of needing Wi-Fi for connectivity.

💡Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot

A Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot is a portable device that offers internet access to smartphones and other devices through a mobile data connection. In the context of the video, it is presented as an alternative for travelers who cannot or prefer not to use roaming services or local SIM cards. It enables connectivity for multiple devices, making it ideal for groups. Providers like Keepgo and Travel Wi-Fi are mentioned, offering various plans and purchase or rental options.

💡Local SIM Card

A Local SIM Card provides travelers with a local phone number and, often, affordable local data rates in the country they are visiting. The video encourages acquiring a local SIM card upon arrival, particularly at the airport, for convenience and to ensure immediate connectivity. This option is praised for its cost-effectiveness and simplicity, allowing travelers to stay in touch locally and use data-intensive services without incurring high international roaming charges.

💡International Data SIM Card

An International Data SIM Card is designed for travelers needing data connectivity across multiple countries. Unlike traditional SIM cards, these do not necessarily provide a phone number but offer data services that can be used globally. The video highlights the versatility of data SIM cards, including eSIMs, for travelers who frequently move between countries, offering a seamless way to maintain internet access without the need for local SIM cards in each destination.

💡Downgrade Phone Plan

The strategy of downgrading to a basic, no-frills phone plan is discussed as a cost-saving measure for travelers who will not be using their home phone services extensively abroad. This option is ideal for maintaining a home country phone number primarily for receiving texts, such as for two-factor authentication, without the high costs associated with full-service plans. The video suggests this as a pragmatic approach for long-term travelers or digital nomads.

💡Online Phone Number

Moving a phone number to an online service or app is a modern solution for international travelers wishing to keep their home phone number active without the high costs of traditional plans. Services like Skype, Hushed, and Tossable Digits allow users to make and receive calls and texts over Wi-Fi or data. The video mentions this as an effective way to manage phone numbers for authentication purposes or staying in touch, highlighting the flexibility and cost-effectiveness for global nomads.

💡Roaming Charges

Roaming charges are additional fees that carriers charge for using a phone outside the home country's network. The video warns of the high costs associated with roaming, especially near borders where a phone might unintentionally connect to a foreign network, leading to unexpected charges. It advises travelers to use airplane mode or disable roaming to avoid these fees, illustrating the importance of being mindful of phone settings to manage costs while traveling internationally.

Highlights

The necessity of setting up your phone for international travel to save money.

The importance of knowing if your phone is locked or unlocked for travel.

Contacting your carrier to unlock your phone can unlock many international options.

For short trips, international roaming plans from your carrier can be convenient but expensive.

Using airplane mode and Wi-Fi is the cheapest option for short trips.

For longer trips, consider an international phone plan or a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots offer a flexible and economical way to stay connected internationally.

If your phone is unlocked, you have the most options for international travel.

Options include downgrading to a basic no-frills plan or using an online service for your number.

Local SIM cards offer local phone numbers and cheap data, best obtained at airports.

International data SIM cards or eSIMs provide a seamless way to stay connected globally.

Flexiroam as a recommended global data SIM card provider.

An in-depth article on the website covers more cell phone strategies for travelers.

Bonus tip: Avoid unexpected roaming charges near borders by using airplane mode.

Invitation for viewers to share their international cell phone tips in the comments.

Transcripts

these days it's unimaginable to travel without  your cell phone I mean why would you they are  

so handy from maps to messages to Ubers and  more it's a downright necessity to have your  

phone when you travel but if you've ever tried  using your home cell phone plan while abroad  

and paid the price for it literally then you  will know the importance of properly setting  

up your phone for international travel in this  video I'm going to show you exactly how to do  

that and for way less money than you might  expect I'll share a bonus tip that could just  

save you hundreds of dollars at the end so stick  around and Let's Travel Smart in style [Applause]

before we get into the best International cell  phone plans and travel e-sims and all of that  

jazz we need to figure out if your phone is  locked or unlocked because the options you  

have available to you will differ depending on  that crucial point if you got your phone from  

your cellular provider then it's probably  locked in most cases you're in a contract  

usually a couple of years long and the cost of the  phone is incorporated into your monthly payments  

unfortunately this means you don't have the best  phone for international travel the good news is  

that once you've had a phone for a certain amount  of time your carrier is obligated to unlock the  

phone for you contact your carrier to find out the  terms for your phone plan they'll also help you  

unlock it but they won't volunteer to do this  and they can do it remotely so just call them  

and find out if instead you bought your phone  outright it's probably factory unlocked which  

unlocks pun intended a whole bunch of options  for you we'll get it to those in a bit [Music]  

foreign the best International cell phone plan  for you depends first and foremost on the length  

of your trip if you're taking a trip that is two  weeks or less here are your options the easiest  

option for you is also the most expensive but for  short trips it's probably worthwhile and it works  

regardless of whether your phone is locked or  unlocked what is it it's getting your carrier to  

give you an international roaming plan many cell  phone companies have special temporary options or  

daily add-ons that make your cell phone functional  while you're abroad for an extra fee per day  

usually between five and ten dollars depending on  the company it will allow you to make and receive  

calls and texts to your home cell phone number  while you're abroad and you'll also get a certain  

amount of international data usage per day this  makes your phone fully functional while you're  

traveling so you can use it just as you would  at home including four Maps Ubers social media  

phone calls texts and more it's also the most  expensive option at 10 bucks a day in addition  

to your regular monthly charges this will add up  really quickly which is why I only suggest it for  

shorter trips if the international roaming add-on  gives you sticker shock the cheapest option for  

your locked or unlocked phone on a short trip is  just to put it on airplane mode and then enable  

the Wi-Fi so you can connect to Wi-Fi networks as  and when you find them putting it on airplane mode  

disables the cellular function so you can't make  or receive calls to your home number disable the  

cellular function also disables data connections  so you won't be able to use any apps that require  

internet unless you're on a Wi-Fi network and if  you're on a public Wi-Fi network make sure you're  

also using a VPN or on that in the description  this also means you won't be able to use apps like  

uber while you're out and about so think about  whether that kind of functionality is important to  

you you can however use certain apps offline like  Google translate and Maps as long as you download  

the relevant Maps or dictionaries before you  go or while you have a Wi-Fi connection [Music]  

if you're going away for more than two weeks but  less than well forever you'll probably want to  

still keep your home phone plan intact but it  won't make sense to pay the daily roaming fee  

to use it abroad here are your options one get  an international phone plan this works if your  

phone is locked or unlocked depending on where  you're from you might have the ability to get  

an international cell phone plan this is a regular  monthly cell phone plan that will work seamlessly  

no matter where in the world you are as soon as  you land in a new place your phone will connect  

to the local network and you can use your phone as  normal easy peasy examples of these kinds of phone  

plans for U.S residents include T-Mobile's magenta  plan and Verizon's international plan now there's  

a cost for all this convenience these kinds of  phone plans aren't cheap but past a certain point  

it'll be cheaper than the daily roaming add-ons  if you're traveling for more than a couple of  

weeks or if you travel frequently and you need  your home phone number to work wherever you are  

it may be worth it to have one of these monthly  international plans I'll also note that Google  

Phi is another international phone plan option but  if you are traveling long term or if you travel  

internationally frequently beware their plans are  designed to be used nationally and internationally  

on occasion and they have been unceremoniously  cutting off plans for people who have been abroad  

too long whatever that means two if you can't  unlock your phone and you don't want to pay for  

an international plan here's your other choice a  mobile Wi-Fi hotspot with this option you'll put  

your phone on airplane mode while you're out of  the country so you don't get dinged for roaming  

then you can connect to your mobile Wi-Fi  hotspot a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is a small  

device that gives you a Wi-Fi connection for  your phone laptop and other devices because you  

can connect multiple devices to one hotspot it's  ideal for couples or families traveling together  

two of the main providers of mobile Wi-Fi hotspots  are keep go and travel Wi-Fi with keep go you buy  

your mobile hotspot for about 100 bucks and then  you pay for data on a pay-as-you-go basis the more  

data you buy in one go the less it costs and if  you top up before the data expires any unused  

data carries over or you can sign up for a prepaid  monthly plan that costs less on a per gig basis  

but it's only good in the USA and Europe you can  also switch between plans whenever you like with  

travel Wi-Fi you can rent the hotspot starting at  about eight dollars a day including data or you  

can buy a hotspot outright for 149 dollars and get  various data packages depending on where you're  

going and for how long the best International  Wi-Fi hotspot depends on your needs to meet the  

keep Go website is a bit easier to understand  with global data but if you're only going on  

a short trip renting a hot spot with travel  Wi-Fi might make more sense in the description  

you will find more information about mobile Wi-Fi  hotspots and even a discount just for you [Music]

if your phone is unlocked you automatically have  the best cell phone for international travel with  

the most options available to you let's get into  it first of all it's important to decide what to  

do with your home cell phone plan you aren't  beholden to your carrier anymore in the same  

way since your phone is paid off and unlocked  this gives you the ability to switch carriers  

if you like or even to cancel your plan entirely  now before you go all like Nora I can't let go  

of my cell phone number don't worry I know these  days you need a cell phone number in your country  

of residence if for nothing else then to get  text messages for two-factor authentication  

when logging into bank accounts and such but  this doesn't mean that you need to be tied  

to an expensive full-service phone plan that  you're not going to use because if you travel  

long term or even full-time as a digital Nomad  a regular phone plan might be a waste of money  

here are your options one downgrade to a basic No  Frills phone plan the more basic the better just  

a phone number with the ability to receive texts  internationally or over Wi-Fi will do don't even  

worry about international data we will go over  other ways to get that two you could move your  

phone number to an app or online service for a  one-time fee you can Port your existing number to  

an online service like Skype or an app like hushed  or tossable digits and then you'll pay a very low  

monthly fee and in some cases no fee at all that  allows you to make and receive calls to and from  

this number over Wi-Fi or data regardless of where  you are in the world and if you're Canadian check  

out Fungo it's a free app that allows you to make  and receive calls to and from Canada from anywhere  

in the world over Wi-Fi or data for free I've  been using it as my sole Canadian number since  

2017. it's the best I can be in Timbuktu and  my dad can call me on my Canadian number it's a  

local call for him in Canada and it's 100 free for  me to take that call in the case of online phone  

numbers a common objection that I get is about  short code authentication texts many online phone  

numbers don't accept them although this seems to  be changing pretty quickly like I said I've been  

using an online phone number as my primary  Canadian number since 2017. and yes in some  

cases I don't always get verification texts but  in every single case there's always a workaround  

for example I can receive a phone call with the  verification code or an email for the cost of free  

it's an incredibly minor inconvenience that I've  always found to work around for with the No Frills  

phone plan or the online app you are now sorted in  terms of a phone number in your home country which  

really is just for posterity and authentication  texts and maybe for your grandma to call you if  

she doesn't know how to use WhatsApp or messenger  or Skype or any of the free online messaging and  

calling services so now there are two things you  need data and maybe a local phone number at your  

destination here's how to do both because your  phone is unlocked you can insert any SIM card  

from anywhere this means when you arrived in a new  place you can get a SIM card that will give you a  

local phone number which makes it easy to stay in  touch with people at your destination and often  

you'll get inexpensive local data as well I always  suggest getting a local SIM card at the airport  

you'll find kiosks in the arrivals Hall and the  people there will get you set up in minutes no  

plans no contracts no hassles these SIM cards  are generally cheap and in some cases they're  

effectively free with an equivalent amount of  phone credit that comes with the card and Airport  

kiosks offer special plans specific to Travelers  who are staying for shorter periods of time  

well I originally thought that they would cost  more at the airport because of the convenience  

and they're usually pretty competitively priced  also once you leave the airport buying a SIM  

card can be considerably more complicated and  in some cases downright impossible since local  

shops aren't always equipped to set up new plans  for non-residents the other advantage to getting  

a local SIM card at the airport is that you  can immediately start using it which you may  

need to do if you want to catch an Uber to your  accommodation for example it's just so much easier  

while a local SIM card gives you a local phone  number and sometimes great rates for local data  

if you're just passing through it might not  be worth it to get one and you may not need  

the phone number anyway especially with apps  like WhatsApp which in some parts of the world  

is actually what even local residents exclusively  use so if you're on a trip where you're changing  

destinations a lot or you just don't need a local  phone number then an international data SIM card  

or international data esim is for you this is  actually what I use 100 of the time at home in  

Canada and while traveling it's amazing as soon  as I arrive at a destination I have a connection  

I don't have to do anything data SIM cards can  be offered in a few different formats including  

regular Sims and e-sims a data SIM card offers you  you got it data there's no phone number associated  

with the SIM card and in most cases you purchase  data as you go through an app on your phone data  

packages vary depending on the provider many  offer packages based on geography so you can  

buy data for a specific country or a region for  example like Europe or you can purchase global  

data plans that tend to be more expensive  but they cover you anywhere and everywhere  

prices for data also vary depending on the amount  of data you buy and the expiry date the longer  

it is to the expiry date the more the data will  cost but the longer you can amortize that expense  

my advice look for deals my global data SIM card  provider of choice is flexoroam and they regularly  

offer up to 80 off global data like they do this  every month I wait until they're featuring one of  

these deals and then I purchase five gigs of data  with 180 day expiry date for about five bucks a  

gig okay this video is already way longer than  I wanted it to be and believe it or not I have  

just barely skimmed over the top options for  you to stay connected while you travel I wrote  

an article on my website that goes into even more  depth on various cell phone strategies and it even  

covers some additional options I didn't mention  in this video like international phone SIM cards  

which by the way just but before I wrap up this  video I promised you a bonus tip that will save  

you from getting nailed by bromian charges beware  of borders if you are anywhere near a land border  

turn your phone off and don't turn it back  on until you were well clear of the Border  

let me explain an American friend of mine was  driving across the Kennedy U.S border while he  

was still on the U.S side he sent a few messages  using his U.S phone number before crossing over  

unfortunately he was close enough to the  border that unbeknownst to him he was picking  

up Canadian cell signals which meant he was  roaming and his messages resulted in an extra  

forty dollars charged to his monthly bill now  he got off lucky if he had made a phone call it  

could have been hundreds of dollars you can avoid  this challenge by putting your phone into airplane  

mode or turning off international roaming in your  phone's settings while you are close to a border  

do you have any hot International cell phone tips  do you use an app or service that I didn't mention  

do you still have unanswered questions drop a  comment and let me know I'm all ears or eyes  

I'm Nora Dunn aka the professional hobo  and I will catch you next time [Music]