Today, having a phone is essential for travel. In this post, you’ll discover a convenient way to keep in touch and have internet access without spending a fortune. And get all the essential benefits to travel more efficiently and safely while staying within your budget.
Traditional Telephone Service
When you get a new phone, you usually go to a carrier, sign a contract, and install a sim card inside your phone. This sim card gives you your phone number, service, and a data plan.
You can call any cell phone or landline throughout the United States. And your data plan gives you access to the internet, such as email and phone apps.
But paying your phone provider for these same features overseas can cost a pretty penny. And getting a new phone package in a foreign country would give you a unique phone number and be costly and time-consuming. Not to mention not working when you got back to the United States.
Using Wi-Fi While Traveling
With access to Wi-Fi, you can do almost everything with your phone. You can make free phone calls using WhatsApp. And Wi-Fi allows you access to email and all your phone apps.
So, as long as your hotel or the coffee shop you are in has Wi-Fi, you can connect to the world. However, once you leave your Wi-Fi hotspot, your phone is useless. That’s why I recommend having a data plan.
Have You Ever Heard of an E-sim?
An E-sim gives a data package for your phone without changing the physical SIM card inside the phone. You download the new E-sim card to your phone. Here’s how it works.
I paid for a plan online. I received an email with a QR code. I held my phone to the computer screen, took a picture of the QR code, and installed my E-sim. It was really that simple. And since I got the data plan, I discovered its usefulness. And why I’ll always have one from now on.
2 Requirements For Using E-sim Cards and WhatsApp.
Unfortunately, E-sim cards will only work on unlocked phones, which requires you to own your phone. You can buy an unlocked phone or pay your current provider to get out of your contract.
You can have multiple E-sim cards on a phone. And you decide which one you use in the settings section on your phone.
Second, WhatsApp requires you to have a phone number. I got the lowest-cost phone provider I could find and paid for a year upfront, which cost me $300, which gave me phone service in the U.S. and allowed me to keep my current phone number.
Benefits of Having Data Access Anywhere You Travel
A data plan puts many powerful features in your hand 24/7. You can download phone apps anywhere, anytime you need them. So whenever you need to find your way, buy a bus ticket or make reservations at an “online reservation only” attraction. You can get the local app, and you are ready to go.
But that’s just the beginning…
Email Access
A data plan gives you instant access to your emails. Which is a great convenience when traveling. Plus getting alerts from your bank, airline, or hotel as soon as they happen can be critical. Not to mention keeping in touch with friends, family, and business associates.
Keeping in Touch Back Home
With a data plan, WhatsApp allows you to call home anytime. And be contacted in case of an emergency at home. Plus, you can message people using WhatsApp. Also, many foreign hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions now have WhatsApp numbers.
Finding your hotel
If you’re like me, you’ll take mass transit or walk to your hotel. So, having an electronic map in your hands is worth its weight in gold. So you don’t have to worry if people don’t speak English when needing directions.
Plus, having a map with you 24/7 helps you find bus stops, train stations, and attractions. And if you’re lost, you can find your way back to civilization.
Have you ever heard of Virtual Hotel Check-in?
Virtual hotel check-in is how you register in some hotels. They send you an email form to fill out, and after they approve your information, they send you codes to open the front door and the door to your room. But they only do this during their agreed check-in times.
I didn’t realize virtual check-in was “a thing.” Luckily, the first time this happened, I was able to find a coffee shop with free WI-FI to check-in.
Ride Share Over Taxi.
In Bucharest, Romania, no one recommends you take a taxi. My hotel told me not to use a cab, and a tour guide later said the same thing. So downloading the local ride-share app saves you time and money. It gives you the comfort of traveling safely without getting ripped off.
Tour Guides Sometimes Need to Contact You
On a tour of Dracula’s castle in Romania, our guide said if plans change, they’ll message us using WhatsApp. They also used WhatsApp messaging to inform us about our pick-up time and location.
Access To Your E-tickets and Vouchers
Since everyone accepts mobile passes, you don’t have to worry about printing and carrying your tickets. With a data plan, you can access all your e-tickets and mobile receipts on your phone.
Finding Well-Reviewed Restaurants
Not only can you find great restaurants, but you’ll have directions to them with a data plan. Heck, you can even make reservations while you are standing in line.
Posting to Social Media
Being able to post to social media instantly is something many people enjoy. You can share your adventures with friends around the world. And a data plan allows you to do it almost anywhere.
i hope this guide provided you with some of the benefits of having a data plan while traveling. It allows you to save money, keep in touch, and stay safe during your journeys.
I don’t know what apps you downloaded to your phone. But there are some that you want to access whenever you need them and a data plan lets you do that.
As always, please fill out the form below if you have any questions or comments about this post. I’m always happy to hear from you.
Till next time, enjoy life’s journey.
Joe O’Brien