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3 Tips and Rules to Follow Using Your Cell Phone Internationally

In such a modern era we live in today, we use our smartphones more than anything else. Research shows that they are being used even more than we use computers and laptops. This is not a surprise considering the fact that they are easier to use, since they’re small and portable, you can use them anywhere, anytime, not having to worry about how much space you’ll need for carrying them. Also, the user experience when it comes to mobile phones is almost as good as the one you have when you’re on your laptop. Since all the websites (or the majority of them) are optimized for mobile phones, it’s clear why people tend to use phones more, or as equally as computers. One thing is sure, we can’t live without them, as they’ve become our necessity.

We use our phones for everything: from business calls, emails, banking services, productivity apps and apps for work; to social media and entertainment apps of all kinds. Watching movies, TV shows, as well as reading books, watching online or offline courses, communicating with others – these are only some of the options you have as a smartphone user, as there are hundreds or thousands (or even millions) of apps you can enjoy on a daily basis. They are not only there for you to enjoy, but these apps are essential for both your personal and business life.

Just imagine that you have to spend one day without your phone. You cannot communicate with anyone, you can’t answer your business calls, then you can’t spend your free time watching your favorite show or scrolling through Instagram. Sounds like a nightmare doesn’t it? Or imagine that you’re in the gym, exercising and you don’t have an option to listen to your favorite podcast or music at all, and you have to work out in silence. Why is all this important to mention?

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We are all aware of the fact that smartphones are essential, whether it’s our daily routine or basically anything in our everyday life. Now, an important question occurs: what happens with your cell phone if you are planning on travelling abroad? What are the things you need to know if you’re planning on taking an international trip, and is your phone something you can rely on? Let’s dive into it:

Logically, smartphone users, whether they are Android or iPhone users, will expect to have the same access to everything they’ve been used to, and the same services, whether they are in their own country or they are travelling abroad. This is possible, of course, but there are certain things you need to know if you want to prevent unexpected expenses and other complications when travelling.

According to SimCorner, for the best experience possible, there are some tips and tricks you can take advantage of. We picked the top-5 so that you don’t have to do research on your own:

What Do You Have?

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First of all, you need to get informed about your own mobile phone and your service provider. What do we mean by this? You need to contact your service provider in order to get all the information about traveling abroad. This includes the info about your phone such as whether it’s locked or unlocked. This is important because in the majority of cases, you will need to get another sim card as soon as you land in a different country. If you can’t replace your sim card because your phone is locked, it means that you will either have to bring or purchase another phone or you will simply have to function only with Wi-Fi. Apart from that, you might be able to purchase some International services such as calls or messages, so you’ll be able to use your sim card even if you’re in a whole different country. This is something you have to do beforehand, because if you don’t buy a special pack of services, you will be charged for roaming and this is extremely expensive so you might want to avoid it.

What Do They Have?

After you’ve got all the information about your phone and your provider, as well as the offers they have for international traffic, the next thing you need to do is to get informed about the options you have in the country you’re about to travel to. This means that with a simple Google search, you can find out who are the biggest providers in the country you’re going to visit, and you can also find the best deals when it comes to prepaid SIM cards that you can purchase, use and then throw away as soon as you leave that country. Also, you can get informed about the Wi-Fi devices you can rent and use if you don’t need calls and messages specifically, but you only need the internet. Apart from doing research on your own, one of the best things you can do is to contact a local before you get there and they can tell you all about the options you have. If you don’t know any locals, you can check reviews and forums and get the needed info that way.

Don’t Forget The Essentials

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When traveling abroad, you need to keep in mind that your cellular data has to be off. Even if you bought a special roaming package, it’s not unlimited. This means that you can’t use the internet the same way as you did at home, but only when you really really need it. If you leave your data on, this could cost you a lot of money. Also keep in mind that you need to bring the adapters with you because in some countries you cannot charge your phone the same way as in your home country. So you might want to avoid the cost of buying the adapter when you arrive there. Finally, if you’re traveling for pleasure not for business, it might be a good idea to use your phone only in emergency situations, and to focus on other things which will help you make your vacation more beautiful, less stressful and most certainly – unforgettable.

About Nina Smith