A vast number of travelers feels "incomplete" when their cellphones aren't tucked in their pockets, but would prefer not to spend bucks for roaming charges or international charges. Utilizing your cell phones globally can prompt to extreme bills if not cautious.
What are the ways to keep phone bill charges low while on international travel? Huffington Post and Travel and Leisure have lined out a couple of tips to ensure that you stay connected with friends and loved ones at home while traveling without paying more than you have to.
The first step is to check for the current plan from your service provider if it allows international calling. If not, several providers offer a variety of data plans like AT&T and Verizon Wireless that starts at $25 a month for 100mb. Additionally, for short time travelers the plan can be divided letting the user activate the service only when needed.
Second is to check whether the data updates automatically, and change it into a manual selection. In this way, data charges won't occur whenever the app is not opened and will update whenever it's convenient for the user like when the cellular device is connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Using free voice and text messaging apps marks the third tip. Thanks to the advancing technology, when phones are connected to a network, apps like Skype, WhatsApp, Viber and Google Hangouts are travel essentials if the user wants to keep their phone charges low.
Next is to be on the lookout for available Wi-Fi hotspots around the area since most hotels and restaurants offer wireless internet connection, this can help you decrease your usage of mobile data. However, if the area does not have available Wi-Fi services try opting out to purchase a mini portable Wi-Fi device.
Lastly, buying a local SIM card since it is not always expensive. Keep in mind that phones are not always compatible with different SIM cards, so before going abroad, look for a low-priced open-line phone before traveling.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
