Traveling internationally requires planning and foresight, especially if you are traveling for business or you’ll be staying internationally for more than a few days. If you plan to travel internationally in the near future, please consider the following 3 international travel Sims.
Sims Direct - Prepaid International Sim Card
SIM cards can be a real pain when you travel. You have to sing and dance the same song every time you land in a new place.
You land at the airport, and then you get scammed into buying a SIM card or you can't navigate to your destination without internet connectivity. Once you arrive in the city, you will need to navigate it by looking through various SIM providers and plans. You may also get lost.
You may just end up being scammed.
This is where an international SIM card can help! It's easy to get a SIM card that allows you to travel overseas with no hassle. You are always set up.
To be clear, although there are cheaper SIM cards for travel, they are not cheap. A local SIM card will always be cheaper for backpackers on a budget nine times out of 10.
Simify - Prepaid International Sim Card
Perhaps you are a digital nomad and need to always be connected. In which case Tribal is the best coworking hostel in the entire world. Maybe you are a businessperson who travels a lot and makes business calls.
We have done all the research and legwork to bring you an in-depth international SIM card review. This way you can get back on your business. Many people consider it very important to have a reliable cellular connection while traveling overseas.
It is useful for keeping in touch with family and friends back home, and also for accessing the internet when you are not connected to Wi-Fi. You can also call important numbers such as your hotel, tour guide, or travel partner, in case of an emergency, or for any other situation that requires assistance.
One of our top travel safety tips is to ensure you have a reliable cellular connection while you travel overseas.
Your home carrier may try to charge you an exorbitant roaming fee for calls, text, and data usage while you're abroad.
We prefer to use a prepaid SIM card purchased from a local mobile operator in every country we travel to avoid paying excessive roaming fees.
This is the most affordable solution as it allows you to send text messages, make voice calls, and use data at local rates. These rates can be significantly lower than those back home, especially in developing countries. Many countries have many network providers. This healthy competition helps to ensure that both the quality and tariffs are low. The SIM cards are also often free, and operators will charge customers only for the data plan or package they include with them.
TraveleX - Prepaid International Sim Card
Why do you need a travel sim from Travelex?
Business trips
International SIM cards are very useful for business travelers, especially if you are on a short business trip that is not a lot of money. You don't want your business trip to take too long. You want to get to work quickly.
For fast-paced leisure trips
It might also be too hasslesome for leisure trips that involve frequent stops in one country after another. It may not take long to set up a SIM card at an airport kiosk. But what if you are traveling overland and can't purchase a SIM card near your destination?
What if you don't like the plans or providers available at the airport?
Although you can find an official store for your company, this will take up precious holiday time.
It can also be difficult to get a SIM card at these stores if you live in a country with a significant language barrier. When I arrived in Taipei, Taiwan, I tried to purchase a Chunghwa Telecom SIM Card from an official company shop, but no one could speak English. It was a long and stressful process that ended up being very frustrating. A Taiwanese-speaking man on the phone had to help me and one of the clerks.
Although I was able to get my phone setup with a SIM card, and a data plan at the end of the process, it took me a lot more time and effort. Another problem is that you might end up spending too much time abroad.
The SIM cards available at airport kiosks are often equipped with a costly, mandatory data plan. This plan can provide more data, text, and calls than you will use during your stay. To illustrate, I was at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, a few years ago, and found that the local carrier, "Globe," had a kiosk there selling SIM cards. The SIM cards came with a 4GB data plan, which cost 599 pesos ($11.34). They refused to let me purchase a SIM with their 1.5GB plan, even though I didn't require 4GB.
International Travel Tips
Make Sure All of Your Paperwork Is in Order BEFORE You Leave
One of the most critical elements of international travel is paperwork. Paperwork can include having your passport in order, applying and being approved for visas, and any other documentation that you need to visit and stay in a country. You should plan to have all of your paperwork done before you leave in order to avoid any last minute hassles.
Buy an International SIM Card for Your Phone
If you will be traveling for more than a day or two, you should definitely purchase an international SIM card. An international SIM card will allow you to use your phone overseas without worrying about data overages, lack of WiFi or any potential security breaches when accessing WiFi from unfamiliar locations.
An international SIM card can be purchased online or in person after you arrive. You should look for SIM cards that are compatible with the country you are visiting. You can purchase your international SIM card online for the best prices, but they can also be purchased in person; in general, try not to buy your international SIM card at an airport, because their prices will be higher.
Be Smart About Personal Safety and Security
As a general rule of thumb, make sure you practice “street smart” rules regarding your personal safety and security. Never flash money while traveling, always be aware of your surroundings, never tell anyone (even a taxi driver) that you’ll be staying alone, and so on. Whenever possible, look up local high-crime areas and safety tips so that you can be prepared for whatever destination you are visiting. For instance, if you’re traveling to a city well-known for pickpocketing, you can be sure to leave any valuables out of pockets and accessible areas.
Travel Like a Local Whenever Possible
One of the simplest tips for international travel is to travel like a local! Take local transportation, including public transportation; visit local restaurants; and otherwise avoid tourist-heavy areas where prices are likely to be higher. Traveling like a local will also help you see your destination from local’s eyes, instead of like a tourist.
Consider Renting Apartments or AirBNBs To Save Money Long-Term
If you’re going to be staying for more than a day or two, you may want to consider booking a rental apartment, an AirBNB or the country’s equivalent of AirBNB to save money. It is often cheaper to book these types of accommodations than to stay in a hotel, especially in big cities and popular areas. Renting this type of accommodation help you save money in other ways, such as having a kitchen so that you can cook instead of eating out and on-site laundry so that you don’t need to pay for laundry services.
FAQs About International Prepaid Sim Card
A SIM, or subscriber identity module, is a removable chip roughly the size of a microSD card. It lets your current phone work in another country as if you bought the phone there: local number, cheap and fast data, and so on.
A SIM card, or subscriber identity module, is a small card in your cellphone that connects you to the network. Your SIM card contains your phone number, and lets you make phone calls, send text messages, and more.