I am in a camp of one that believes the smartphone is the most overrated piece of technology in the history of technological inventions. Having a computer connected to the internet is nice, having a computer that fits in your pocket and connects to the internet 24/7/365 is an unnecessary luxury.
In 2014 I traveled around the world without a smartphone. It was exhilarating. It amplified my nomadic freedom and worldly disconnect. I used WiFi in the morning to chart a course for the day, I hand drew a couple of maps, plotted a couple of restaurants and sights, then headed out. If there were any issues, which was rare, I stopped at a coffee shop, bar, or restaurant, all of which had WiFi, to re-chart the adventures. I made a compelling argument against traveling with a smartphone—I showed smartphones were a crutch to lean against rather than a device to enhance your travel experience. My argument was the smartphone impeded your wandering, caused you to question your intuition and judgment, and had you fall victim to Instagram-induced travel experiences.
I’ve since made a 180-degree spin on my perspective. The times are relatively the same, but I changed—one week in Russia was all it took to show how a smartphone could add value while traveling. I now believe a smartphone with a local data plan and SIM card is a travel necessity not a luxury. Of all the advantages a local data plan provides, the one I found compelling and changed my opinion was that local data allows you to find buses and public transportation on the fly. You can adjust your route as you go. Buses run more frequently than trains. Buses go to more remote areas than trains. And bus schedules are a direction option available on Google Maps. I’ll sacrifice the “wandering the streets and hoping to stumble upon some random local experience” for “the train’s been cancelled, and I’m stuck for the next three hours so where’s the nearest bus to my next destination” convenience.
There’s also a practical financial reason to have a local data plan—the plans are cheap. Americans are suckers. In Russia 5GB of data costs…$5…and it takes 5 minutes to purchase and setup a SIM card…and the data speeds are faster too. It’s a given that data speeds in Hong Kong and Singapore will be faster than the U.S., but Bulgaria? Even Bulgaria has faster internet than the U.S. And greater choice in vendors. When you return to the U.S. you will hate the telecoms even more—that’s a better argument than bus directions in Google Maps.
Research the telecom environment before arrival—identify the major, national carriers. At the John F. Kennedy (JFK) international terminals, there’s a kiosk in the arrival’s hall, after immigration, offering SIM cards and data plans from obscure carriers. I feel sorry watching people signup for these services on the spot rather than waiting to reach Manhattan. Don’t be like those people at the JFK arrival section. Purchase your SIM card from a national carrier. Depending upon the size of the country, say Russia, there may be local carriers that work in major cities but not in remote areas. Determine which carriers are the AT&T and Verizon equivalents and find their nearest store.
If you have AT&T and Verizon in the U.S., don’t keep your existing plan and pay for international coverage through those carriers—it’s too expensive. The fees are way too expensive for a week, let alone a year. Cancel your U.S. cellular and data plan before you leave, then sign up for a local plan when your arrive in a new country. 5GB…$5…5 minutes of your time. AT&T and Verizon can’t match that pricing in the U.S., how are they going to provide a fair value internationally?
There are additional ways to connect while traveling. There are companies that offer global WiFi hot spots like Skyroam Solis or Teppy. Their services require you to purchase a $150 device or rent a device and pay $9 a day or $300 a month to have WiFi during your travels. And you would subscribe to these services because? $9 a day versus $5 for 5GB? $3,600 for a year of renting a WiFi hotspot device versus $60 for a year of international data? The entire concept of Skyroam Solis and Teppy doesn’t make sense. Also, WiFi is ubiquitous internationally—WiFi hotspots are everywhere, even the African savannah.
Phone cards, like traveler’s checks, are a relic from a prior era. There are applications that perform the same function as phone cards. Skype is necessary when you need to call someone who doesn’t have a computer or a smartphone—like your Grandparents. For $10, I was able to stay connected with my Grandmother throughout my travels.
Bottomline: Purchase a local SIM card and data plan. Don’t waste time with the mental gymnastics thinking how great it would be to travel without 21st century conveniences but don’t consider renting a global WiFi hotspot product. And remember smartphones are overrated—don’t let their apps dictate your travels.
In 2014 I traveled around the world without a smartphone. It was exhilarating. It amplified my nomadic freedom and worldly disconnect. I used WiFi in the morning to chart a course for the day, I hand drew a couple of maps, plotted a couple of restaurants and sights, then headed out. If there were any issues, which was rare, I stopped at a coffee shop, bar, or restaurant, all of which had WiFi, to re-chart the adventures. I made a compelling argument against traveling with a smartphone—I showed smartphones were a crutch to lean against rather than a device to enhance your travel experience. My argument was the smartphone impeded your wandering, caused you to question your intuition and judgment, and had you fall victim to Instagram-induced travel experiences.
I’ve since made a 180-degree spin on my perspective. The times are relatively the same, but I changed—one week in Russia was all it took to show how a smartphone could add value while traveling. I now believe a smartphone with a local data plan and SIM card is a travel necessity not a luxury. Of all the advantages a local data plan provides, the one I found compelling and changed my opinion was that local data allows you to find buses and public transportation on the fly. You can adjust your route as you go. Buses run more frequently than trains. Buses go to more remote areas than trains. And bus schedules are a direction option available on Google Maps. I’ll sacrifice the “wandering the streets and hoping to stumble upon some random local experience” for “the train’s been cancelled, and I’m stuck for the next three hours so where’s the nearest bus to my next destination” convenience.
There’s also a practical financial reason to have a local data plan—the plans are cheap. Americans are suckers. In Russia 5GB of data costs…$5…and it takes 5 minutes to purchase and setup a SIM card…and the data speeds are faster too. It’s a given that data speeds in Hong Kong and Singapore will be faster than the U.S., but Bulgaria? Even Bulgaria has faster internet than the U.S. And greater choice in vendors. When you return to the U.S. you will hate the telecoms even more—that’s a better argument than bus directions in Google Maps.
Research the telecom environment before arrival—identify the major, national carriers. At the John F. Kennedy (JFK) international terminals, there’s a kiosk in the arrival’s hall, after immigration, offering SIM cards and data plans from obscure carriers. I feel sorry watching people signup for these services on the spot rather than waiting to reach Manhattan. Don’t be like those people at the JFK arrival section. Purchase your SIM card from a national carrier. Depending upon the size of the country, say Russia, there may be local carriers that work in major cities but not in remote areas. Determine which carriers are the AT&T and Verizon equivalents and find their nearest store.
If you have AT&T and Verizon in the U.S., don’t keep your existing plan and pay for international coverage through those carriers—it’s too expensive. The fees are way too expensive for a week, let alone a year. Cancel your U.S. cellular and data plan before you leave, then sign up for a local plan when your arrive in a new country. 5GB…$5…5 minutes of your time. AT&T and Verizon can’t match that pricing in the U.S., how are they going to provide a fair value internationally?
There are additional ways to connect while traveling. There are companies that offer global WiFi hot spots like Skyroam Solis or Teppy. Their services require you to purchase a $150 device or rent a device and pay $9 a day or $300 a month to have WiFi during your travels. And you would subscribe to these services because? $9 a day versus $5 for 5GB? $3,600 for a year of renting a WiFi hotspot device versus $60 for a year of international data? The entire concept of Skyroam Solis and Teppy doesn’t make sense. Also, WiFi is ubiquitous internationally—WiFi hotspots are everywhere, even the African savannah.
Phone cards, like traveler’s checks, are a relic from a prior era. There are applications that perform the same function as phone cards. Skype is necessary when you need to call someone who doesn’t have a computer or a smartphone—like your Grandparents. For $10, I was able to stay connected with my Grandmother throughout my travels.
Bottomline: Purchase a local SIM card and data plan. Don’t waste time with the mental gymnastics thinking how great it would be to travel without 21st century conveniences but don’t consider renting a global WiFi hotspot product. And remember smartphones are overrated—don’t let their apps dictate your travels.