Sim Cards
- Thread starter Kristie
- Start date
Antonr5860
New Member
Yes! Yes! Yes! Unless your mobile operator offers free roaming, the charges of using your mobile in another country can be eye watering! I only made a 10 minute call to my family back home and I got an extra £15/45 Euro tacked onto my bill. Data is often even more expensive that calls for roaming, believe me
Sadly, many contract phones are locked at the point of sale - and unless your out of contract - you can't unlock them without violating your contract. I recommend either using your hotel's WiFi hot spot and saving anything you made need, like maps, to your phone or buying a cheap feature phone and buying a local Sim card.
Enjoy your travels!
Sadly, many contract phones are locked at the point of sale - and unless your out of contract - you can't unlock them without violating your contract. I recommend either using your hotel's WiFi hot spot and saving anything you made need, like maps, to your phone or buying a cheap feature phone and buying a local Sim card.
Enjoy your travels!
Does your carrier offer a cheap roaming service, call them and see what they offer? If not I'd buy a sim card in India and use that while there. They must have pay as you go type phones there? Better yet, if you have a tablet bring it with you and use the hotel's WiFi. Most people are connected through Facebook, you can message them through that.
amelia88
Active Member
I made that mistake as a traveling 19 year old who missed her boyfriend back home at the time...and literally racked up a massive bill that I still cringe at remembering now!
I do still take my phone overseas, but only use it for free wifi purposes - I would never, ever put it on roaming again, if I need to make calls I'd absolutely just buy a local sim. Honestly...my phone bill back then was about as costly as my airfares...
knitmehere
Member
If you plan to make calls, then yes, you absolutely need to buy a local SIM. It will save you loads of money.
If you just plan on using it for WIFI, I'd suggest just bringing along a device that you can connect to the hotel's WIFI instead of paying to buy a new SIM.
If you just plan on using it for WIFI, I'd suggest just bringing along a device that you can connect to the hotel's WIFI instead of paying to buy a new SIM.
hellotraveler
Member
You have an alternative to sim cards. You can use Google Voice or other Voice over IP solutions over any wifi network to connect and talk with people in America, Europe, Asia, or anywhere else you might need to reach someone. I used to use a device called MagicJack, but due to the ease of use and fewer restrictions upon it, I just use Google Voice now mostly and other services to get around having to switch out the sim cards all the time or buy local.
If you're going to just use a mobile phone and be there a while, you're probably best off to get a local sim card and use that with a phone if you don't plan on finding or using wifi. For my travel needs in other places, I just use voip. I haven't traveled to India yet, but when I do I will see how well this works and whether or not a temporary phone will be necessary.
If you're going to just use a mobile phone and be there a while, you're probably best off to get a local sim card and use that with a phone if you don't plan on finding or using wifi. For my travel needs in other places, I just use voip. I haven't traveled to India yet, but when I do I will see how well this works and whether or not a temporary phone will be necessary.
johnstatler14
New Member
I would do what hellotraveler said and use Google Voice or another VoIP solution. There's plenty of Wi-Fi in Indian cities- almost everywhere you go. VoIP is also free, or some of the services are. I'm pretty sure that with Google Voice you can get it to work with your existing number, too. Good luck!
deewanna
New Member
If you can get a place to use wifi, then I think that would be better than getting a local sim. If you can't, then I would strongly advice that you get a local sim card, especially if you plan on staying there for a long time. It is always better to get a local sim card. I usually don't need to whenever I am out of the country, because I am always within wifi connection area. And for calsl, I have found facebook call to be really effective, and it's free.
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