Do you keep yourself connected while travelling overseas?

Staying connected when traveling internationally is super important, especially for business trips. While grabbing a roaming package from your mobile provider is a popular choice, it can sometimes lead to a shockingly high bill when you get back home.

The question arises: How can one stay connected without the risk of huge bills? Roaming packages (e.g. Telstra) are a big $ money waste.

❌ Figure: Bad example - Keep your Data Roaming on

❌ Figure: Bad example - Exorbitant Telstra bills upon returning home due to roaming data usage of 120 GB

There are a few options:

Option A. Dual-SIM - Travel SIM/eSIM (✅ recommended)

If you travel overseas a lot, it may be worth considering owning a dual-SIM phone. This is highly recommended due to its cost-effectiveness, easy management, and enhanced security.

Take the popular iPhone as an example, which offers multiple eSIMs and a physical SIM slot. You can keep your primary mobile number and add an eSIM for your travel SIMs.

✅ Pros:

• Usually cheap, and easy to acquire and setup
• Can be pre-purchased weeks before you go – it is only activated once you connect it to the network
• Your mobile number is still active when overseas and the data usage stays with the travel eSIMs
• You can share your data with other devices using Mobile Hotspot
• Disposal of a used e-SIM can be done easily with a few clicks

Note: Sometimes it is better to use a eSIM travel app, e.g. mobimatter.com> or roamless.com. You can buy an eSIM and add it to your mobile directly, which is available in most countries.

Option B. Portable 4G Router

Invest in a device, insert the local travel SIM, and share the Wi-Fi with multiple users and devices.

✅ Pros:

• Cost-effective, preserves your phone's battery life and is perfect for single-SIM phones

❌ Cons:

• You will need to carry an extra device
• You may miss out on free Wi-Fi – the router is connected by Wi-Fi so you cannot connect to others, for example, hotels

Option #C. Roaming package e,g,. Telstra

Rely on your current roaming service, for example, Telstra charges $10 per day for 1 GB of data and $10 per extra GB. Some other carriers may offer more competitive packages, such as Felix (TPG), which provides a 4 GB package that is valid for 365 days for $25.

✅ Pros:

• Straightforward, with no additional purchases, and a pay-as-you-go structure
• Good for a short trip

❌ Cons:

• Expensive and occasionally poor internet connectivity

Summary

Each option has its pros and cons, allowing you to tailor your connectivity strategy based on your preferences and specific travel needs.

Travel SIMs are a prepaid, disposable option that's usually cheaper than roaming for high data use, offering a good user experience and a great complement to your main number, though they can sometimes be data-only and non-rechargeable.

✅ Figure: Good example - Paying $129 AUD for 200 GB of data on a travel SIM to Europe