Here at TalknSave we tend to travel a lot and when we travel we need to have our phones with us and connected all the time—that’s kind of what we do. Roaming outside of the U.S has drastically improved, Yet, even with all of these changes, international data still isn’t cheap and also may not be the best option for you.
Thankfully, gone are the days of astronomical pay-per-megabyte rates, limited roaming carrier agreements and poor options from some of the carriers. Two of the big four U.S carriers are now offering some sort of free international roaming, with the other two coming around to friendlier pricing structures and fewer restrictions on how we use our data we bought. Even prepaid carriers are getting in on the action with some international calling plans.
So we’ve gathered up the international data rates and policies for three major U.S. carriers — Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Don’t know what to choose? Keep on reading for everything that you need to know about roaming services.
AT&T has finally joined the rest of the mobile community by offering an additional service called the “international day pass.” What does this new plan include? Excellent question, rather than paying for buckets of data to use abroad, you can now simply add an international day pass to access your domestic data usage in any supported roaming country.
Their pricing is dead simple: pay an additional ten dollars a day (per device) to access data internationally. The pass will stay on your account until you choose to cancel it; but it is only activated and you are only charged for each day you are abroad. Like all good things that sound to good to be true; there is one big drawback, your international data may not exceed 50% of your total data usage over two consecutive months.
Sounds complicated no? Let’s imagine two months down the line and hmm, you accidently used up the majority of your data when you were in Israel. How will you survive the next three, yes, three weeks with no Youtube, Whatsapp, Uber. Hmm…sounds a bit more complex than you initially thought.
Here is the best part– wait for it– if you do exceed your data then your plan may be automatically be stopped. Imagine being abroad and suddenly you find yourself phoneless just because you unknowingly surpassed your data usage. In today’s world people equivalent being phoneless to being homeless; especially when you’re abroad, your phone becomes your lifeline.
Currently, T-Mobile offers free (that’s right-free) international data roaming on many of its postpaid plans. If you are traveling to one of the 140 countries covered by their roaming plans. But like anything free it does come with a caveat–the data you’re given comes with speeds that are limited to 2G. So basically, we are talking about is data slower than watching a pot of water boil. If you want faster speeds–and hey we all do, you’ll have to pay for an additional fee for an add on pass to bump up your internet connection.
However, even with the added pass, you might still face slower internet depending on the country and your phone’s radio bands. At the end of the day T-Mobile’s Simple Global plan and its international capability is really best served for individuals wishing to catch up on email, Twitter and Facebook. It is definitely not for lengthy web browsing, uploading, downloading or tethering. Still, even at what amounts to 2G speed, it’s free and it keeps you in contact even if it might conjure up the thought of AOL dial-up tones as you wait for Facebook to load…and load…and load.
Like most carriers, Verizon has moved away from pricey per-MB roaming plans and towards systems that charge a set rate per day. The $10-per-day TravelPass program that oh-so-generously lets you use your regular data plan in over 100 countries worldwide. This should mean low bills and hassle-free roaming, but some customers who’ve come home to four-figure bills claim it’s anything but.
Recently, several Verizon customers have mysteriously received bills for roaming charges incurred in Jordan, even though they never went to the country. How could this happen? Easily, it appears that devices may have accidentally roamed onto a Jordanian network despite the users remaining in Israel the entire time. Verizon didn’t pick up on the error, and instead billed customers for any roaming data used “in” Jordan. Problems with the billing system aren’t limited to Israel and Jordan, either. One user claimed a bill of over $2,000 for a visit to Brazil, and another said that TravelPass activated even though he didn’t use his phone at all. Are you as shocked as I am?!
Even though Verizon doesn’t use gimmicks like ‘free data roaming’ to lure you in and then put you on a slower network and restrict your data use while outside of the U.S.” This is superficially true, in that, yes, T-Mobile’s free international roaming is 2G (I’ve tested it and it is pretty slow). However, what they don’t mention is that because Verizon phones are CDMA, not all of them will work on European servers, and those that do might not have 4G capability on GSM networks.
Does that mean your phone won’t work? No, but there’s no guarantee it will (or will work fast) either. Check out Verizon’s Travel Planner for more info and where your Verizon phone will work 100%. But basically, taking a swipe at other providers for slower service, when there’s no guarantee their service will be faster, is misleading.
“So What’s The Bottom Line?”
When traveling outside the United States, it’s usually a smart idea to do think about how you will be using your phone. Know your mobile needs before leaving home. We also recommend staying on Wi-Fi whenever possible — make use of Wi-Fi calling on Sprint or T-Mobile or perhaps try a solution like Skype or Hangouts. Also you always have an option to rent a mobile hotspot during your trip, providing you with instant and secure WIFI wherever you may find yourself. How simple does that sound?
If you just have data though — and there’s nothing wrong with that– so long as you’re willing to pay and remember that it’s important to do the math. The good news is that there are options and the options have gotten much better over the years. Not that you’ll likely have much of a choice when it comes to switching carriers just for overseas use, but comparison shopping can never hurt.
We look forward to hearing how your experiences have been while trying to stay connected while abroad.
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Stress less — Here at TalknSave we offer outstanding American customer service is so you can focus on what really matters. We know your time is precious while you’re visiting Israel, so if you have a problem, we’ll do our best to get you a working phone as soon as possible. We have our full-service office in Jerusalem where you can walk in and walk out with a working phone in minutes.
Mobile hotspots are critical for anyone who travels or who needs to have constant access to the internet with multiple devices. Our mobile hotspot offers you to be able to surf the web at faster speeds, thanks to our LTE network. More than that, I think that the best advantage of using a hotspot, besides not having to worry about racking up huge fees is the convenience– WIFI all the time and anywhere you go. And a dedicated connection for your devices. Eliminating all of the worries of using an unsecured network and the annoyance of having to find a WIFI connection.
We are now offering unlimited calling to Canada for no additional fees. Forget about hidden fees or a massive bill. With TalknSave we strive to keep you connected while you can keep your bills down.
With our ”Stay Local” number, you can have a local US* number that rings on your phone in Israel. Parents love this feature – there are no codes to remember, no PINs, no need to top off minutes. We’re sure you’re going to love it too!
*Not from the USA? No problem – we have lots of other country choices too.
If you already own a compatible phone, you can just rent a free SIM card from TalknSave for short or long term use. If your a frequent traveler to Israel i.e more than once a year, check out our SIM for Life program which is the best way to have a permanent number in Israel. Invaluable for business travelers and immeasurably convenient for families; stop renting phones and save the most.
No need to return your SIM when you are done!
Use old SIM cards to sign up again!
All incoming calls are free with our unlimited talk within Israel. Isn’t that nice? Doesn’t matter where they’re from, local or international. With just a click you can instantly keep track of your phone usage, which will come in handy since you’ll for sure be making international calls.
A lot of them.
Right now, you probably almost never call another country from your cell phone. But when you’re in Israel, your family expects to hear from you! Make sure you check what you’re paying for int’l calls. It’s cheaper than you think!
We’re happy to accommodate tour groups, large family trips, missions, etc. Don’t hesitate to contact our amazing Groups Department for a custom solution just for your needs! Email groups@talknsave.net now.
We offer free sim delivery before you even arrive, just pop in your new sim and your rearing to go. No matter where you choose delivery, you can usually get your phone number in advance of your rental start date. At the end of your rental, there is no need to return your SIM card; you can save it for next time!
TalknSave’s “Stay Local” number will keep you connected with your top people back home. With our ”Stay Local” number, you can have a local US* number that rings on your phone in Israel. Parents love this feature – there are no codes to remember, no PINs, no need to top off minutes. We’re sure you’re going to love it too!
4G LTE™ is actually two different terms that are often combined into one. 4G is the fourth and latest generation technology for data access over cellular networks. LTE, which stands for Long Term Evolution, is a protocol for wireless high-speed data communications. Combined together, 4G LTE means you’ll enjoy the most advanced data speed available within the network.