Some of the most frustrating parts of traveling come after the trip is over, when you get that unexpectedly high cell phone bill. More often than not, the culprit is roaming charges. This can piss you off, your employer or your parents, for those still on the family plan.
Roaming Charges for Data Usage
We are in the era of the smart phone which means we are using our devices more and more for data transmission as opposed to just phone calls. In turn, a big chunk of the roaming charges incurred while traveling abroad are likely to come from text messages, web browsing and instant messaging.
Avoiding Roaming Charges
It is important to contact your cell phone service provider to understand the rates on international data plans for your trip. Typically, international data plans are offered separate from messaging and can range 50 MB at $24.99/month to 800 MB plan at $199.99/month as offered by AT&T. This compares to Verizon’s offering of 75 MB at $30/month and 200 MB at $100/month for coverage in Canada & Mexico and 25 MB at $30/month and 70 MB & $100/month for coverage in the Caribbean & Europe. If you are wondering how much data you might need, it is best to review your past few bills which will include the amount of data you used each month and perhaps review last year’s bill for the month in which you plan to travel.
SIM Cards Likely Offer the Cheapest Option
We can spend a lot of time comparing plans but at the end of the day, you’ll likely save the most by buying a cheap SIM card in the foreign country that you plan to travel to on your trip. But, first contact your service provider to inquire about unlocking your phone, which you’ll have to do to add a SIM card.
Don’t Plan on Using Data? Turn it Off
If you don’t plan to use your phone at all for data usage then just turn off the data roaming and data synchronization features on your phone and make sure you don’t have any third-party apps that would override your selection.
WI-FI is Another Option
Airports, malls and certain shops offer WI-FI access which costs little to nothing and may provide a nice outlet to quickly check your email or browse the web. This is done by using airplane mode which can be used while the cellular and data radio functions are set to off. The downside is that WI-FI is still not offered at enough locations but you can rent a pocket-sized device called a WI-FI bubble which costs arrange $15 a day. It doesn’t work everywhere but it can be a worthwhile option if you plan to use data and a SIM card isn’t available for your device.
If you’re interested in making calls at a WI-FI location, you can also use Skype on the Go which is essentially free at 2.3 cents per minute or $3/month.
More Budgeting Questions? Ask a Finance Professional.
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