When you're planning a holiday or
even an extended period of travelling, having your phone with you is a
must. It helps you stay safe, allows you to keep in touch with friends
and family, and can help you to find your way around or speak the local language.
Travelling with your phone means thinking about the costs of using it
in another country. Whether you will be making calls back home or mostly
using your phone to get online, having the right SIM card is important.
Your SIM affects how much it will cost to use your phone, as well as
the quality of the service that you will receive.
Why Your SIM Card Matters When You're Travelling
Your SIM card matters while you're
travelling because it might or might not include international service.
If your SIM doesn't include international calls, texts, or data roaming,
it will cost you extra if you want to use your phone while you're
travelling. However, some SIMs will include perks like data roaming
or international calls or will help to make it cheaper in some way.
It's important to be aware of what your SIM and your contract allow you
to do without incurring any extra charges when you're abroad. Before you
travel, make sure you have the SIM that you need.
Should You Switch SIMs When Travelling?
You might ask yourself whether you
should change to a different SIM card when you're travelling. The answer
to this depends on a few different factors. Where you are travelling,
how long you are travelling for, and how frequently you travel are some
things to consider. If you currently have a SIM card, you should also
think about what it offers you while you're abroad.
It can be a good idea to have a SIM
that you use just for travelling. You might buy an international SIM
card, or you could buy a local SIM when you arrive at your destination.
However, if you often travel, it's also smart to choose your regular SIM
so that you can keep it when you're travelling.
Pay As You Go Or Monthly Contract?
If
you're looking for a SIM card for travelling, you can choose a monthly
contract SIM or a pay as you go SIM. A contract SIM will only make sense
if you will also use it when you're not travelling or if you're
planning to travel long-term. Otherwise, there isn't any point in
committing to a contract. A pay as you go SIM
could be a good option for your travels too. Most of them are one-month
contracts, which you can cancel any time after the first month. If
you're just going on a short trip, you can choose a SIM that's ideal for
international travel, and you can keep it when you get home if you want
to.
Important Features to Look For
When you're looking for a SIM for
travelling, there are a few things that you can keep an eye out for.
First of all, if you want to make calls or send and receive text
messages, you will need to have international minutes.
They will allow you to talk on the phone without any greater cost to
you. When you look at SIM cards with international minutes, be sure to
check which countries you can use them in. There should be a list of
countries so that you know you know where you will be able to make calls
for free.
Another thing to look for is data
roaming included in your SIM package. When roaming is included, you
won't have to pay extra for your data usage when you're abroad. This is
ideal for anyone who likes to use their phone as a way to get online.
Which Networks Are Best for Travellers?
Knowing
which networks and SIM cards are best for travellers will help you to
find the right option. If you are looking for a pay as you go SIM card,
there are a couple of good options that might work for you. Giffgaff
offers a "Roam Like At Home" feature, which allows you to use data
roaming without incurring any extra costs. Lebara is a popular network
for travellers, expats, and international students. They have SIM deals
that include international minutes that you can use in over 40
countries. Pay monthly SIM deals are available, too, on networks
including Three, Vodafone, O2, and EE.
You can discover great SIMs for travellers before you go on your next trip. The right SIM card can save you a lot of money.