Travelling Internationally? Use The Best Travel Phone

May 2, 2019

Most people consider that traveling internationally requires knowledge of the phone hardware. However, that is not the only case. When you are choosing the best phone for international travel, you should prefer using the one with the right combination of hardware, operating system, and mobile data.

All of it should be in accordance with your specific needs. If you’re just traveling out for a holiday, it is okay even if you are not connected to your phone. But, if you are someone who travels regularly, you might just be in need of the travel phone.

Problem with International Phone

The problem with the international phone as per experts is that not everyone gets to enjoy the benefits of the cell phones. Even if the cell phone does not cost you much, you may end up paying more than you thought of. This can be a significantly bigger problem and even experts do face it.

Most often people consider international phones to be pretty expensive. However, the phone companies are now launching mobiles that can be brought under $300. You don’t need to be worried about screen, battery or even budget. These phones are reliable enough for you to choose the best phones.

Before you choose the international phone for travel, you will need to consider a few of the following things:

Will my phone work abroad?

The phones which have been brought based on a contract can work when you are traveling internationally. Although it will allow you to make phone calls, received them and explore the internet, you may need to pay a price for it.

It may happen that you exceed your international data limit while traveling internationally. This would further lead you to pay a huge bill. The pricing procedure for each company varies, so you can check with the operators before jumping to a conclusion. If your phone functions based on only one SIM, it may not be able to work while you’re traveling internationally.

What is an internationally unlocked phone?

An unlocked phone is the one which is not connected to only one network. If your mobile phone is unlocked, it will be able to work depending on any of the local SIM cards. However, if the phone is bought depending on the contract from the carrier, the phone will be blocked.

But, if you purchase the phone from any local store it will automatically be an unlocked one. The ‘locked’ word implies that software is implemented on the phone which means the phone can only be used on a particular network and not on codes.

How do I get my phone unlocked?

When you are about to travel international, you need to be very specific about choosing the phone. Most of the people who are too much into DIY or are extremely creative can easily unlock their blocked international phone.

Nonetheless, it is better if you don’t try it. You can visit any store or experts and ask them for the unlocking process. You may need to pay the third party some money. The fees for unlocking the phone usually varies from $30 to $50. These third-party companies further send you a code that allows you to unlock your phone.

What are the roaming charges?


man talking on phone

Roaming charges are the charges applied to you when you use your phone abroad and make an international call. These are the extra charges applied depending on your data usage. The cell phone companies will also charge you based on the time you take calls and listening to voicemail.

You need to consult the telecommunication company and understand how much you will be charged if you are constantly surfing the internet. This is because there are certain service apps which will automatically get connected to the internet without your knowledge.

People living in the European Union have a different scenario since they do not need to pay for global data roaming charges. Even if you’re browsing the internet, it wouldn’t be much of a cost. Nonetheless, if you’re in the UK, this data plan and international plans exhaustion will be free only till the Spring of 2019.

What to do after you unblocked your phone?

Once you unblock your phone, it will be ready to use, thus you can consider buying a local SIM card for your destination. The price of these local SIM cards usually varies from $10-50. These may allow you a significant amount of call, text, and data even if not unlimited. You can use the monthly and weekly plans if you are traveling to the country only for a short time.

The only drawback, in this case, is everytime you travel to different destinations, you will need to change the SIM cards. So, if you’re traveling the world, you may end up carrying a pile of SIM cards with you.

Is roaming bad?

When you consider international roaming, it is one of the worst things if you are constantly traveling. Your current plans may not be valid for the international plans. In this case, you will be charged higher.

You may often come across people who will tell you that on their return, they had to pay a bill of several thousand dollars. Even when you’re opting for a short international trip, it may cost you a significant sum of money.

Tips for using your unlocked phones

If you are going abroad and do not have unlocked phone, there is no point using it. This is what most of the people think. However, there are definitely a few things you can try for your phone to work.

WiFi is great


wifi

The phones with locked SIM cards internationally face a lot of problems. However, if you are close to any WiFi network, your phone will get connected to it. If it is locked, you may consider seeking out the password. This will enable your connectivity, for you can stay connected through social media.

Get a phone for rent

The option of rental phones is very much available abroad, although many are unaware of it. If you are unsure of where to get them, you can consider consulting about it at the airports. There are various international companies that give out the phones for rent.

If you are in a business or travel trip that will only last for a few weeks, renting is better than buying. Even if you are a constant flyer, renting is still safe for you don’t know which place you will be visiting. However, if you are to go to a specific country each time, you can consider buying as it will prove to be cheaper.

A smartphone within a budget

If you have been looking for some cheap way to get the best solution, you should prefer buying. You don’t necessarily need to spend thousands of dollars on the phone for a trip that is meant to last only for a few days. You can specify a budget and then do the research accordingly about the market. Once you get the phone, you can purchase the SIM of the specific country and use it.

Rent portable hotspots

The trend of renting hotspots is also very much efficient. The portable hotspots are the small devices like those WiFi adapters that can allow you to use the cellular data connection. Using this device you will able to create a network connection for about 5-10 devices.

These are available internationally at very much affordable rates. If you need internet daily and are setting out on a small trip you should rent one. However, you can also consider purchasing an unlocked hotspot device if you are traveling frequently to different parts of the world.

Buy a cheap yet useful phone

Prepaid phones are the best when you are travelling internationally only for a short time. To get the best deal, it is better to buy the cheapest option available. If you do not have any bigger work to do such as managing emails and more, you should buy a phone that will allow you to call and receive texts. There are mobile phones which allow some internet browsing too.

There are various companies around the world that have made travel easier for people. You need to be a little considerate of which plan to choose. Certain companies allow unlimited data coverage which thus proves to be beneficial for travelers.

In the UK, it is more convenient for people as it allows free calling to specific parts of the world. If you are travelling for business purposes, your corporate agency may cover your expenses. Poor network connection may be one significant drawback while travelling internationally.

Best Phones for International Travel within a budget

Most of the time it happens that we aren’t quite aware of the budget International cell phones that can allow you to stay connected even when you’re out. The budgeted phones have taken all over the market and these are now available for as low as $300.

Even within a budget, you don’t need to worried about the quality. Although they aren’t as good as the high-quality flagships, they are sufficient enough to get you through international roaming. You can just consider buying a local SIM, use it in your phone and get going for your international travel. Basically, if you’re looking forward to a budget, you can consider buying Motorola G6 or even Asus models. Honor, Samsung, Nokia, and Apple can be one of the right models too.

Best Phones for International Travel within a budget


mobile phones

If you’re looking for a mid-budget phone, it may usually vary from $300-600. Although you may not get the option of unlimited data and unlimited texting, these phones may be of the best value. As travelers, you may stay within the mid-budget range to determine the value of your smartphone.

Within $500, you will get all the phones that can handle everything. It will have a great design with bright screens. Moreover, you don’t need to be worried about the specifications since they will be of good quality. The phone works at a great rate which wasn’t even applicable a few years ago for this prove.

These cell phone have a great camera quality that allows you an internal memory of up to 32GB. Even when you have dim light all around, you will be able to click great pictures. The battery backups are great so you can use it moderately throughout the day.

The best travel phones that you can get within a range for international traveling include Huawei Mate 10 Pro and Honor View 10. However, if you’re more of an Apple fan other than Android, you can consider choosing Apple iPhone 7. If you’re looking out for a mid-range yet prominent brand’s flagship then Samsung Galaxy is the best to fit your range. If you want high battery backup, then OnePlus 6 is the right choice to make.

Best smartphones with longer battery life


best smartphones

There’s no point using a phone that can’t even offer you a great battery backup. There are high-end phones which cost higher with great specifications but often prove to be a flop when it comes to battery life. If you’re on a long-haul flight, you will definitely have a phone with great battery backup so that you can pass your time easily.

Moreover, no one would like the battery icon to be continuously flashing when you choose the phone. With the rapid advancement in the phone industry, the processors are becoming faster and phones are getting thinner. In a situation like this, people often have a tough time finding a phone with high battery backup.

Even when you’re following a strict budget, you don’t need to be concerned. The mobile companies these days are launching great products with higher battery specifications. If you want a longer lasting device, you can definitely choose to base on specifications. Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom is considered to be the best model for the long-haul flights as per experts.

Apart from Asus, there are other phones too which have great battery life and can get you saved through the long-haul flights. If the best flagship phone for long-haul flight is considered then Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the best one to suit your needs. Cat S41 is yet another great phone that can meet all your requirements. If you’re not one of those choosing smartphone based on screen types then Blackberry KeyOne is the best for you and if you’re looking out for a secure, durable phone Blackberry Motion is the right choice to make.

Sachin Suryawanshi

Sachin Suryawanshi

Digital Marketing Consultant

Sachin Suryawanshi is Digital Marketing Consultant at Claim Flights. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology. He loves to explore new places and learn new things.

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