As easy as 1, 2, 3! Ha-ha. Yes, I know, that is a bit below the belt. I suppose this article will mostly strike a chord with people in the UK, but there are some general tips here that should come in handy wherever you’re based.
Ever since smartphones came in, together with those fiendishly clever mobile apps, for many of us life has become well-nigh impossible without mobile internet.
If you travel a lot, you know that one of the biggest issues is always around how to have constant internet access. I’m not just talking about uploading to Instagram and Facebook to make everyone jealous, but for important stuff like keeping in touch so friends and family know you’re safe. Or checking in for your next flight, booking a hotel, getting a car on the fly. Not to mention that you may be a digital nomad – working while you travel. Checking your email and sending files can be vital.
After years of painful trial and error, I can finally say I’ve found the best solution. In a word, it’s Three (three.co.uk). I’m a super-satisfied customer and I’m more than happy to recommend them to anyone. Now, as far as UK packages go, there frankly isn’t a huge difference between the major mobile networks, but if you cross a national border then – WOW! It’s a whole different ball game.
I was locked in with another provider, but I was also using a Three Pay As You Go SIM card for my overseas travels. As soon as my contract finished, I jumped at the chance to switch. I’m on a monthly plan, but I’m using my own phone – not provided by Three.
I guess these are the usual scenarios:
1, You’re free to switch and you’d like to get a new phone as well (Phone + Plan)
The huge advantage of having a Three network mobile phone is that all of their phones are unlocked. This means you can use whatever SIM card you like, even though Three provide the actual phone. You can take out your Three SIM from your phone anytime and put in any other SIM and – it’ll work. Most other networks won’t allow this, so you’re permanently stuck with their own-brand SIMs. For frequent travellers this is a huge deal.
2, You have your own phone or you want to use a second phone for your travels (SIM Only)
Click Here for monthly SIM only
Click Here for Pay as You Go SIM only
(they have an“unlimited everythang” package with unlimited data, minutes and texts plus a free subscription, all for £35)
3, All you need is fast, reliable and cheap internet access, especially when you’re abroad (Data SIM)
Click Here for Pay monthly data SIM
example: Click Here to see a 3GB data card for £16 only!
And as if this wasn’t enough, these plans also include their “Go Roam” scheme, which means that you can use your allowances to call and text home and use data in 49 European destinations, while “Go Roam Around the World” covers 71 destinations worldwide. For me, the fact that I can use my phone in the USA from my monthly allowance already makes Three the best choice. Then again, I was recently in Malaysia and Israel. Problems? None whatsoever. I switched on my phone – good to go. Just as if I’d been at home.
Go Roam destinations: Click Here!
Go Roam Around the World: Click Here!
You can carry one of these SIMs with you on your trips and when you land you just swap to this SIM. Or – you carry an older second phone with you and you keep this SIM in the old phone. This is what I used to do before I switched to Three. I had an older iPhone with a Three data SIM in it and my current phone. So, if someone wanted to reach me on my usual mobile number they could call me, but I didn’t turn on the data-roaming on this phone. I used my other phone for all the UBER orders and Google map searches, WhatsApp, watching films and listening to music, etc., etc., without having to worry about an eye-watering phone bill.
Right, I rest my case. Now, don’t say I didn’t tell you how to squeeze every drop of usage out of your mobile abroad while keeping costs at rock-bottom level!
