International travel is, to say the least, a major personal production. You need to book your flights and hotels, plan your route, pack your bags, etc., and that’s all before thinking about the best ways to use your personal devices. There are various accessories you can use to make international travel easier, but in addition to gadgets and gizmos, there are some security and sensitivity measures you should be aware of, such as your mobile plan’s travel policies, enabling personal tracking, and even using an entirely separate travel phone.
Traveling abroad is generally safer than it was a few decades ago, but that doesn’t mean you can jet off to another country without particularly thinking about what comes next. If you don’t plan your personal device usage carefully, you could find yourself stuck with exorbitant roaming charges or completely lost on the road, or worse. With just a few preventative measures, you can enjoy your trip with at least a little more peace of mind.
Check your current plan for travel incentives
In all likelihood, your current mobile data carrier is strictly for local use. When you try to use your local data plan outside of its coverage area, it’s called data roaming. With most regular data plans, roaming is likely to incur extremely high charges, which only increase the longer you roam. If you take your regular smartphone abroad with you and continue to try to use it as you normally would, it’s going to get expensive.
However, depending on your carrier and data plan, you may have access to travel-focused incentives that can take some of the hassle out of roaming. Some unlimited data plans may include an option to purchase international data passes, which allow you to access services outside of your coverage area for a fixed daily rate. If you have an international data plan, these services are already built-in. If you are unsure of your exact service line or benefits you are eligible for, check your provider’s website or call them for more information. They can also help you get an idea of how much data you’ll actually need for your trip.
Get a new SIM or eSIM card
Although major mobile service providers like T-Mobile or Verizon offer optional international data plans, not all providers offer this type of service. This means that if you take your phone with you abroad, you’ll either face roaming charges or your service simply won’t work. If your current provider can’t get the job done while you’re on the move, there’s actually a relatively simple solution: use a different one for a little while.
If you’re traveling to another country and know your service isn’t working there, you can get temporary service by purchasing a temporary SIM or eSIM card. The SIM card is a component of your phone that allows you to access services from a particular provider, and by switching to a SIM card registered for service at your travel destination, you can start using data as soon as you step off the plane. Depending on your phone model, you can either swap out a physical SIM card or use a digital eSIM that only needs to be scanned with your camera to work.
Pre-downloaded maps
Even if you have international or local data ready to go, that doesn’t necessarily mean your actual mobile coverage will be particularly good wherever you go. This can be problematic if you plan to use an app like Google Maps, which won’t load maps without a strong signal. If you already know the general extent of your travel route, you can download your maps in advance to plan for signal-free areas.
Google Maps, along with similar services like Apple Maps, essentially allows you to take a snapshot of a particular stretch of land and download the current iteration of maps for that area. Even if your connection is interrupted, your local map will still be saved and you can still use it for navigation. It won’t be constantly updated if you don’t have a connection, so it won’t reflect things like traffic, but general routing and pathfinding will work just fine. Remember that these saved maps can take up a decent amount of space on your internal storage, so don’t make them too large.
Make sure Find My or similar services are enabled
Whether you’re traveling locally or internationally, the ever-present fear of losing or having your device stolen remains. Having your phone stolen would be bad enough if you were close to home, but if you’re in a completely different country, your chances of getting it back are considerably lower. To help you keep tabs on your phone and any other devices you have on you, make sure tracking services like Find My are turned on before you leave the house.
The Find My service on iPhone and Find Hub on Android, when enabled, have paired devices constantly sending location data, which can then be tracked on another paired device, such as a travel companion’s phone or laptop. This can be used to keep tabs on your phone, as well as other devices or trackers like AirTags. As well as ensuring you don’t lose your stuff, Find My also works in reverse, ensuring your travel companions can still find you if you get separated by tracking your phone’s location.
Consider a dedicated travel phone
If you only use your smartphone to listen to music or watch videos, losing it or having it stolen, even if it’s ugly, wouldn’t be the end of the world. However, for some people, a phone is a lifesaver, storing vital information such as work documents, banking details and private conversations. Carrying a private phone while traveling internationally presents a risk of loss or access to information, whether by bad actors or local travel security.
If you are concerned about your personal device being exposed, it may be in your best interest to leave it at home and bring a burner phone instead. You can purchase inexpensive smartphones intended for travel from an electronics retailer, or simply charge a used or refurbished phone with a suitable eSIM. You’ll still be able to use your essential services like calls, messaging, maps, and web browsing, but with much less risk of your personal information being exposed, not to mention a much smaller headache if it’s lost or broken.
