Crazy Roaming Charges And Other Connection Problems Nobody Needs On Their Next Trip
Between the dreaded roaming bill shock to the heartbreakingly unreliable free WiFi, lies a travel tantrum just waiting to happen.
Published for FLEXIROAM, 23 Nov 2015, 12:36 PM
When it comes to staying connected on a trip, there are three kinds of people:
2. The adventurous ones who find a local SIM card the moment they land at the airport
3. The optimistic ones who rely completely on whatever free WiFi they can get
Roaming is relatively convenient (and you get to keep your number!), but if you have to go through these setbacks just ONE more time...
When you run into problems with your credit card, and calling your bank back home has the potential to empty out your life savings
It doesn't get any worse than getting your credit card blocked on a shopping trip, being mercilessly put on hold for a good 30 minutes, and just when you're about to speak to the customer service rep, the call disconnects...
And then there's this little present to look forward to when you get home.
When your check-in call to your Airbnb host gets hopelessly lost in translation, and you start getting more concerned about your phone bill than getting a roof over your head
When you're lost trying to find that hipster makan place your friend swears by, and the only way to find it is to make a pricey SOS call back to Malaysia
None of the locals seem to understand a word you say, and you're forced to make the impossible choice between a bank-breaking call or forgo what is to be the most life-changing slice of pizza you'll ever have.
Getting a local SIM card is often the cheaper option, but not without its interesting mix of challenges:
When you buy a local SIM card and the instructions to activate it are not in a language you can even begin to understand
"Umm, yeah, sure..."
Which sometimes also means you have no idea how to top up the credit on your phone...
That awkward moment when your comprehension extends far enough to understand it's a top up card, but not far enough to understand how to actually do it.
When you worry that you might miss an important call because the person doesn't know your local number
"What if that recruiter from last month's job interview suddenly decides to call?"
When you drop in to a cafe to make a call, but only realise their "free" WiFi requires an existing local account of some sort
And you've went ahead and bought a cup of coffee you totally didn't need and everything.
When the WiFi speed in your hotel room is determined to be the ultimate test of patience
And the only way to have slightly faster Internet requires you to go down to the lobby in your Adventure Time PJs and bedroom slippers.
When you make calls via WiFi, and everything is delayed by a crucial few seconds
"I just had the most amazing day! Went to the Grand Bazaar today and bought you a scarf I think you'd love! Then we went to Eminönü for the best fish sandwiches we've ever had!"
(after 3 seconds) "So what did you do today? Did you make it to the Grand Bazaar?"
NOPE.
Clearly, whichever route you choose there's bound to be some perks to enjoy and some annoyances to deal with
Sometimes, you just have to decide whether keeping your number is worth the crazy expensive call rates they come with.
Sure, there's the wallet-friendly option of local SIM cards, but knowing life's twisted turns, your local number might just mean a missed important call.
When all else fails, living on free WiFi seems like a good plan. Except for when you're at the mercy of their speed (or lack of it), and staying connected requires staying put in one location.
There are several roaming apps available today that make it easier for savvy travellers to stay connected on the go
Apps like FLEXIROAM could save you a fortune on roaming call charges with features like unlimited calls and messaging
If your contacts are FLEXIROAM users as well, you can make voice and video calls to them for free, while charges for calls to local and international numbers are kept minimal with local rates.
The app also allows you to keep your existing phone number, which makes it that much easier for everyone to keep in touch with you.
