I sympathize, but that’s hardly a typical travellers’ experience. And when you say “frequent” I think business, not packing the kids off to somewhere 16 hours and a stopover away.
As for data roaming, I leave it off 100% of the time. Canada is reputed to have comparatively horrible mobile phone terms and contracts, and yet my plan gives me data service coast to coast without ever roaming off the network. Does it not work that way in other countries?
So, with no roaming needed within national borders, and data prohibitively expensive outside them, Data Roaming = Off is an easy set-and-forget kind of thing. At least for me; YMMV. The trick is to get set up with an alternative at your destination. I think we probably all agree that isn’t as easy as it should be.
Not quite sure where your sympathies lie. I travel enough, and am busy enough, that servant devices like phones exit my attention until needed.
I know plenty about the internal machinations of phone companies, more than I’d like to, and I know they get a fair chunk of revenue from the daily multiplicity of people doing the exact thing I do.
The reason it isn’t easy - and the reason you’ve never seen an app that does what I described (which, you have to say, is the easiest simplest app idea ever in the world), is that the phone companies subsidise the cost of the phones (at least, here in the UK, you usually get the thing on semi-reasonable contract terms for domestic use, given the high competition), and then take every last grain of every shred of opportunity to claw back profit in any way they can.
You may sense I find the whole thing somewhat foul.
Sure, and I agree for the most part. I certainly would appreciate data roaming that wasn’t insultingly expensive (as much as $15,000/GB). At least here we are edging slightly closer to usable data roaming, if only for travel to the U.S.
What I’m not seeing is how a to-do list that includes taking a moment to adjust your phone’s settings – or simply setting Data Roaming to off all the time, if you can – is any harder than remembering to remove the SIM with a paperclip (not that you do that, but the original author does). There is an app for that, it’s called Settings, and it takes much less time than fiddling with the SIM card.
I said I sympathize because I understand that travel must involve 1,001 exhausting little details for you. I can see why you got dinged once, but I doubt it’ll happen again.
T-mobile’s announcement today that they are offering international roaming at no additional charge seems to make them a pretty good option if you are going to be traveling a lot. I am curious what the coverage is like though - what kind of deals that have internationally.
I dont think this article writer understands much.
First of all, using 10GB of Data in a roaming trip is ridiculously hard to achieve. I have unlimited data on my phone which is use everyday and I cannot pull more than 5GB a month watching videos and streams everyday.
I feel this sticker application is easier and cheaper than getting a stupid sim-card which may or may not work in every country.
This thing is for LIFE. Sim card only last for a few days/duration for trip. You can buy 1 sticker and you will be roaming for low rates for trips to come.
His idea of saving money seems very skewed and seems uneducated about roaming in general for long term travelers(as he says he is)
To be honest your SIM-card everytime you travel is the stupidest thing in the world.
Sure you get Xminutes and Xdata for $80, but its a one time use. Use only 10MB? to bad $80
Really bad article in terms of a finance perspective and as a “true” constant traveler perspective. I am on a different flight every 2 days and I NEVER use a SIM-card for that purpose. It is just plain not cost effective.
Nobody travels to a country and is going to be like “you know what im going to bust out 10gb of data”
a) because usually Roaming internet is slow(3G, 4G if youre lucky)
b) most of the time you are actually doing something on your trip
I usually like your articles long time reader first time poster, but this is just stupid and seems like you are doing a marketing campaign for your friends?
I don’t know but I expect better next time. Please research better and give REAL life examples.
Amen,
You could ghostwrite for Wilco.
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