![\"aether\"](\"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/aether.png\")
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Roaming is an area that lots of people are still confused about and we\u2019d like to try to explain what roaming is all about and how you can avoid being handed a huge bill for calls, texts and data when you travel abroad.<\/p>\n
Roaming\u2026what exactly does it mean?\u00a0 Well in simple terms, it means taking your phone abroad and using networks in the country you are visiting to enable you to use your phone as you would at home, so voice, SMS, email and the internet.\u00a0 Your normal mobile provider would have agreements with many networks around the world, enabling you to continue to use your SIM card abroad.\u00a0 The only downfall of this is the astronomical rates your normal provider charges for using your phone abroad.<\/p>\n
So why is roaming so expensive? Well, to be quite honest, main network operators won\u2019t and don\u2019t reduce their roaming rates because most people won\u2019t switch to an alternative provider when they travel abroad, and so seem to be happy to pay their astronomical rates!<\/p>\n
A few years ago, the only way to avoid horrendous roaming bills was to simply switch your phone off and just check it occasionally to see what calls and texts you had missed.\u00a0 Then if there was anything urgent you could respond to it.\u00a0 Nowadays, it\u2019s not necessary to switch your phone off completely. You can still make and receive calls and texts, and use data, but you just have to be a bit carefully and consider your options before you travel abroad.<\/p>\n
Most of you will already be aware of the changes that have been happening in the EU over the past few years, and the EU Commission has managed to force MNO\u2019s (Mobile Network Operators \u2013 such as Vodafone, EE, AT&T and Verizon) to reduce their roaming rates within the EU for voice, texting and data, and have capped rates with reduced rates coming into force every year for the past four years.\u00a0 As of December 2016, MNO\u2019s will not be able to charge a different rate to customers who are travelling within the EU, they will simply be able to take their SIM and bundle deal and use it wherever they like in the EU and not incur any additional fees.\u00a0 All calls, SMS and data will be taken from their bundle.\u00a0 However, that is no so for the rest of the World and customers will still have to look at their rates for the rest of the world and see what the best options are for them.<\/p>\n
So what are your options?<\/p>\n
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You could continue to use your normal SIM card from home.\u00a0 It\u2019s convenient, you can continue to use the same number, it\u2019s easy for people to contact you, you don\u2019t have to spend time switching SIMs, copying contacts from your SIM to you phone, and you don\u2019t have to look at alternative options.\u00a0 However, there are downsides and they are going to always be that you cannot get away from paying extortionate rates.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Use VoiP<\/strong><\/p>\n You could look at using a VoiP service for calling and messaging whilst you\u2019re abroad. There are some fabulous services available and most people we know have an account with a major VoiP provider!\u00a0 You can voice call and video call, so it\u2019s like being in the same room as the person you are talking to. Great for both business and personal use. However, to be able to use the service you need to have a data connection.\u00a0 When you\u2019re on a free WiFi connection all is great, but beware of the data charges!\u00a0 Unless you are connected to a WiFi, you\u2019ll be looking at substantial data roaming rates (see below for WiFi pros and cons).<\/p>\n Free WiFi Hotspots<\/strong><\/p>\n Free WiFi hotspots are great, letting you catch up on all your communications, and are becoming increasingly common globally. Public places such as hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, exhibition centres and more offer free WiFi hotspots, but be mindful, for when you are out of range you can\u2019t benefit from free data and could begin incurring roaming charges. Check your phone settings and if you are roaming, ensure you switch Data Roaming OFF in your settings to avoid any possibility of bill shock.<\/p>\n Buy a Local SIM<\/strong><\/p>\n You could buy a Local SIM card with a local mobile number.\u00a0 Obviously the major benefits of this are that you\u2019ll get low local domestic rates for voice, SMS and data within the country you are visiting, and you won\u2019t have to pay to receive any calls.\u00a0 However, you will pay high rates to call internationally and each time you visit a new country you have to swap to a different SIM.\u00a0 You\u2019ll have to keep updating friends and family who may need to contact you that you have a different number, and any credit you might have left on the SIM when you leave the country will be lost when you leave the country.<\/p>\n Many people are seeing the benefits of using a roaming SIM when travelling abroad.\u00a0 Mobile\/cell companies specialising in providing roaming service generally offer voice, SMS and data service on one SIM.\u00a0 The coverage ranges from between 175 and 200 countries and network agreements are generally set up with multiple networks in each country that the service works in. This enables customers to use a service that remains active a lot of the time, with the SIM automatically switching to the strongest network at all times.<\/p>\n A roaming service provides a convenient solution to being able to remain in contact, at all times, without having to switch data off completely, and have peace of mind that you will not incur a horrendous bill for use of your phone when travelling abroad.\u00a0 There is no more juggling of multiple SIMs and providing numerous contact numbers so people can call or text you!\u00a0 One SIM, one account, one balance to manage and incredibly low call, text and data rates covering the majority, if not all, of the countries you would ever want to visit!<\/p>\n We have teamed up with Aether Mobile<\/a> to offer you an amazing 20% off their SIM+credit packages and handsets!<\/p>\n Aether Mobile<\/a> is a global roaming service provider, offering low cost solutions for voice, data and SMS in over 200 countries.\u00a0 Why not take a look at their\u00a0rates<\/a> so you can see just how much lower theirs\u00a0are than the main network operators?<\/p>\n Roaming is an area that lots of people are still confused about and we\u2019d like to try to explain what roaming is all about and how you can avoid being handed a huge bill for calls, texts and data when you travel abroad. Roaming\u2026what exactly does it mean?\u00a0 Well in simple terms, it means taking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[50,51,6,5],"tags":[19,18,53,54,12,11,13],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=594"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":628,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions\/628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"240_F_70892516_bG7CuV8PjoUatFEDTDNaCOfUvj6bDyme\"](\"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/240_F_70892516_bG7CuV8PjoUatFEDTDNaCOfUvj6bDyme-1.png\")
Keep your normal SIM<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"wireless-signal-1119306_960_720\"](\"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wireless-signal-1119306_960_720.png\")
<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"ca7a607e-e9ec-4be7-bf90-2f01a05c72c0\"](\"https:\/\/www.worldprivilegeplus.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/ca7a607e-e9ec-4be7-bf90-2f01a05c72c0.jpg\")
<\/a>Buy a global roaming SIM<\/strong><\/p>\nUse code\u00a0WPP20<\/strong> to save 20%<\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"