Tips for choosing a Prepaid SIM Card while travelling abroad

Travelling abroad requires a lot of preparation and packing, one of the most important things is staying connected. If you want seamless communication and uninterrupted data selecting the right prepared SIM card is a must. Let us look at some of the tips which will help you in choosing the right prepaid sim

Research Your Destination

• Providers and Coverages – Check out the leading mobile providers available in your destination country.
• Reviews – Before selecting a mobile provider read the reviews and customer feedback. You can check out travel vlogs, websites and forums to get a valuable insight

Understand Your Usage Needs

• Data Requirements – Calculate the amount of data you will use for social networking, browsing and navigation
• Duration of Stay – Selecting a plan according to the number of days you are going to stay in the destination country. Many sim cards are valid for a specific period and some mobile providers also offer top-up options

Compare Prices and Plans

• Data Plans – A variety of data plans are provided by many service providers you should check them before buying a data plan
• Call Rates, Text Rates and Special Offers – Before buying a prepared sim you should the cost of international local calls and texts. You can also look for special deals and offers like bonus data and free access to many popular streaming apps

Buying Options

• Online Purchase – You can buy a Prepaid sim before your trip, and some service providers provide you with that service. This will help you save a lot of time
• Airport Kiskos and Local Stores – On Arriving at your destination place you can buy the prepaid sim card from the Kiskoks shops at the airport. The price of these may be a little higher. On the other hand, you can buy a prepaid SIM

card from a local store, the price may be cheaper as it will take more of your time and effort to find a suitable store

Roaming vs. Local SIM Cards

• Roaming SIM Cards – You can use your local number abroad but at a higher cost, It is convenient but can be expensive if you are looking for a long stay
• Local SIM Cards – You can get these SIM cards from mobile service providers of your destination country, they are more suitable for local usage

Activation and Customer Support

• You should select a prepaid SIM card which offers easy activation. Some of the sim cards available are pre-activated and some require activation so be careful before buying and also make sure that the activation instructions are in a language which you can understand
• Before Buying a prepaid sim check that the service providers has good quality customer support. If the customer is good and reliable your issues at the destination country will be quickly resolved without any worries

Dual SIM Phones

• Advantage – Having a dual sim phone is a benefit for you as you can use both your local sim and the international sim at the same time
• Management – You can prioritise your local sim for calls and data while keeping the international sim for receiving important calls and messages.

Data Sharing and Tethering

• Check the Prepaid sim you are getting allows you to share data and tethering. As some of the plans offered by the mobile providers have restrictions on using your electronic device as a hotspot
• If you want to connect multiple devices to your phone, you should get a prepaid sim card which has ample data allowances and allows mobile tethering

Alternative Options

• E-Sims – Esims are supported by some of the latest smartphones, in the case of Esim you can activate the cellular plan without the need for a physical SIM card.
• Travelling Sim Cards – Travelling sim cards are specially made for travellers and offer a competitive for numerous countries. Travelling sim cards can be a great option if you are planning to visit multiple countries

Conclusion

Selecting the right prepaid SIM card is important in case you decide to travel and make calls to different countries. As you review the different mobile providers in your area, learn about the data and calling requirements you need, and compare prices and plan options, you can avoid unnecessary communication troubles. Buying SIM cards locally instead of roaming is cheaper, and examining other options such as eSIMs or SIM cards for travel respectively can provide more possibilities. Another thing that can be recommended is to verify the activation procedure, as well as the adequacy of the customer service in the course of the given journey. Last but not least, if you are thinking of using your phone as a mobile hotspot, make sure that the SIM card you are using supports data sharing and tethering. Following these tips, you can travel and enjoy your trips knowing that you have made the best choice of the prepaid SIM card to use.