Wazzup Pilipinas!
We all agree that when traveling, one of the first things that we
have in our pocket or bag (besides passport and air ticket) is our mobile
phone. Your phone is like your lifeline for keeping in touch with people and
the world, wherever you may be. You can use it in case of emergencies, get in
touch with family and friends back home, post your latest adventure on social
media, check your emails, do a google search, and so much more! It is simply
convenient to have a phone to rely on whenever you are abroad.
However, activating your phone’s roaming service can get pretty
pricey; nobody wants to go home and find a huge bill waiting for them at the end
of the month. Other scenarios that you should consider are not being able to
even use your phone or even worse, it gets lost or stolen. The following are
some things that you should know before taking your mobile abroad.
Questions to ask your provider when taking your phone abroad
If you are planning to use your phone a lot, the first thing that
you should do before getting to the airport is to get in touch with your
provider and ask about their roaming service. By doing this, you will know if
you can or cannot use your phone abroad. Here are questions that you should ask
your carrier:
●
Will my phone work abroad? Most of the providers today do have roaming services but they
require activation, so you can opt to do so. If you don’t want to use service
abroad, some carriers can opt to temporarily deactivate your service if you
want to save on roaming charges.
●
How much will I be charged
for roaming? If your
provider does offer roaming service, then you should ask how much it costs to
make international calls, use the Internet, make local calls, etc.
●
Is my phone locked? If the answer is yes, then you might
want to unlock your phone or use an R-sim. Some carriers do lock their phones.
If you are to insert a new SIM card (subscriber identity module), it wouldn’t
work especially if your phone is included within your mobile plan. Alternatively,
you can buy a disposable phone, where you can still call and text. If the
answer is no, then you can buy a local SIM card once you reach your
destination.
Some tips when taking your phone overseas
Traveling abroad without your phone is like crossing a bridge,
without an actual bridge. Many travelers today rely on their phones for finding
tourist destinations, affordable hotels, restaurants, checking reservations,
posting on social media, getting in touch with people back home, maps,
translating, and so much more! So whether you can use roaming service or not,
here are great tips to maximize your phone’s usage abroad:
Turn off everything that needs cellular data
If your provider doesn’t provide roaming service or you simply don’t
want to, then it is advisable to turn off your cellular data, data roaming
service or any such apps. It would also be helpful to turn off any automatic
features that would require apps to connect to the internet such as emails,
social media, automatic updates, etc. While abroad, you can also make great use
of your phone’s airplane mode feature or call your provider to temporarily
deactivate your SIM and reactivate it once you are back.
Use ONLY WiFi to connect to the Internet
Your phone is a tool to help you search and explore information from
the Internet. It allows you to stay connected with friends and to find out
about a certain place or a destination. Even without cellular data, you can
still access the Internet via WiFi. Before you travel, download all the apps
that you use frequently or your favorite social media apps (though using this
requires you to connect to the Internet, you would be surprised at how not getting
notifications every minute is simply refreshing and therapeutic). You can also
download offline travel apps and interactive maps so that you don’t have to
rely too much on the Internet. In doing so, there is no need to worry about
finding a hotspot if you want to get connected. Most hotels, restaurants, and
other facilities have free WiFi so that you can access everything that you
need.
Maximize using apps to communicate
Apps are simply heaven sent for travelers to stay connected. If in
the event you can’t use your phone or simply don’t want a huge bill filled with
data roaming charges, all you need to do is maximize your using WiFi. Skype,
WhatsApp, Messenger, etc., which are useful ways to communicate to your loved
ones while you are abroad. It is also a great way to communicate with your
friends locally. You don’t need to have cellular service to receive a message.
All you need to do is connect to the Internet via WiFi and you can instantly
chat, send and receive messages in no time.
Buy a disposable SIM card abroad
Perhaps one of the most popular option for travelers is using a
disposable SIM as it is convenient. Not only will you have local service,
enable cellular data, you can also make calls both locally and internationally,
and send text messages. However, some providers do lock their phones as
mentioned above. You need to unlock your phone or use an adapter or R-sim to be
able to use the local SIM. At the end of your trip, you can simply deactivate
the service and be on your way.
Worst case scenario - stolen phone
Probably the worst thing that could happen to you abroad is losing
your phone. You should be extra careful when taking out your phone in unfamiliar
places as pickpockets, thieves, and swindlers often target unassuming tourists.
As much as possible, never let anyone carry your phone or let it out of your
sight. Not only will you lose your contacts and information, unauthorized use
of your phone can result to hundreds of dollars’ worth of charges made to your
phone bill. On top of that, personal photos, passwords, and emails might also
be compromised. So, never lose sight of your phone while you are traveling.
If in the event that your phone is lost or stolen, do contact your
provider immediately to deactivate the service, even if there is still a chance
to finding it. You can opt to temporarily deactivate it just in case. You can
also ask your provider to further block anyone from using your phone by
blocking its IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity). To know
your phone’s IMEI, you can dial #60# or simply look behind its battery. Along
with your phone’s model number, take note of these set of digits if in case
your phone goes missing.
Phone locating apps downloaded earlier into your phone are handy as
they can be used to trace your phone and remotely wipe all information in it
such as findmyiphone and Android Device Manager. This way you can fully remove
all the sensitive information, lock your phone, and make your phone ring
remotely.
Make it a point to check your mobile insurance policies to see if
they cover lost or unauthorized use of your phone.
Conclusion
Your phone is one of the most important gadgets that you must always
have with you at all times while you travel. It is a great tool for many
travelers to quickly do a search, stay connected, and communicate through the
Internet. If you are travelling abroad with your phone, it is important to get
in touch with your provider about roaming service and charges before you fly
off. If you don’t want to wind up with a huge phone bill at the end of the
month, turn off your cellular data and roaming service, put your phone on
airplane mode and simply use WiFi. You can also opt to temporarily deactivate
your phone and use a local SIM card throughout the duration of your trip. Make
it a point to have your important and personal information and contacts either
written down or saved into another device. If you accidentally lose your phone
abroad, get in touch with your provider immediately, block call-making services
and wipe out all the information on your phone. According to a survey from
iprice, when planning to travel, you are recommended to bring along an international
travel adaptor so that you can charge your phone wherever your destination.
With a bit of time and effort upfront, you’ll know exactly what
options you have when you are abroad and still have an affordable, connected
trip with smartphone in hand. Bon voyage!
Contributed by Marjorie Mae Mendoza
Marjorie is a Filipino-freelance writer currently based in Kuala Lumpur and have been writing
professionally since 2010. On top of her superb writing skills, her great
command of the English language paved way to enrich her career in radio
broadcasting, working with some of the biggest names in radio. To enhance her
skills, Marjorie is continuously working as a creative writer who constantly
improves and develops her own style with
iprice.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
