Mobile communication abroad
Being without mobile communication abroad is not a pleasant situation: you can't call a taxi, nor can you load Google Maps. We advise against relying on Wi-Fi and instead choose a convenient way to make calls and get online for your trip in advance — let's talk about that.
Connectivity while traveling: three ways
What insurance to choose for a trip and how to pack a suitcase, we've already covered. Now it's time to prepare for mobile communication. For trips, we have three options: roaming from your home operator, a travel SIM, and a local SIM card.
To make a choice, first analyze your needs: where are you going and for how long, are you traveling to one country or planning to visit several, how often do you travel abroad. Prioritize what's more important to you: long calls or more gigabytes and fast internet, or maybe you want both. Finally, consider your budget and decide what you prefer: a more economical but complicated method, or an expensive one without extra hassle.
Roaming from a Russian operator
The easiest way to stay connected while traveling. The advantage of this option is minimal hassle: no need to remember and tell someone a new number, deal with unfamiliar operator tariffs, or repeatedly remove and insert a SIM card.
But there are also downsides: it's expensive, and if the standard package runs out, you'll have to buy more. Roaming is suitable for those who rarely travel abroad — if you're an experienced traveler, other methods will still be more cost-effective.
The subscription fee for calls and internet while traveling is, on average, 400–500 rubles per day, whereas at home, operators offer services for a month for the same amount. So, if you're going on a week-long vacation and want to go online or make calls every day, be prepared to pay 3,000 rubles or more for communication. You can also save money: instead of connecting a special expensive tariff, configure the necessary options separately — buy a package of SMS, minutes, or gigabytes.
Travel SIM cards
The strong point of tourist SIMs or travel cards is that they are not tied to a specific country or operator, meaning they are suitable for those who travel frequently and visit different countries on one trip. Travel cards work in several countries at once and offer fixed prices for calls home and internet traffic, as well as free incoming calls from any number. Some even forward calls from your Russian number for free, so you won't have to tell acquaintances a new number.
Travel SIM cards are designed specifically for travelers, so they can be used immediately upon arrival, and the tariffs and conditions are optimally selected. Numbers are not blocked for inactivity for a long time — up to two years. To "wake up" the SIM, simply go online, make a call, or send an SMS message.
There are also downsides: you need to understand the tariff features for each country and wait for card delivery if you live in a small town.
Local SIM cards
This option is suitable for those planning a long trip to one country. What's good about a local SIM: mobile internet will clearly be cheaper than roaming, and you'll pay for most communication services at the local rate.
What's bad: this method is only cost-effective in one country, and you'll also have to hustle — find a communication store, figure out international communication tariffs (and do it in a foreign language), deal with documents, and sign a contract. Calls to Russia will be more expensive, and your acquaintances might not want to call an international number.
If you initially plan to stay in one country for a long time or your trip has been extended, using local SIM cards is your option. Especially if you're going to Europe: since many European states have abolished roaming among themselves, you'll get access to inexpensive calls in several countries at once.
How to save on communication abroad
Many operators provide the ability to use messengers without consuming your data plan — you send and receive messages, but gigabytes are not spent. In this case, WhatsApp is an excellent alternative to SMS messages. The application can be installed on iPhone and Android, as well as on a laptop.
In addition to standard messaging, WhatsApp users can create group chats for several people — convenient if you want to quickly send photos to relatives, and sending to each individual chat consumes precious gigabytes from your plan. Personal and group audio and video calls are also available — the main thing is that the right people are messenger users. And if you don't have time to call or type, just tell everything in a voice message.
Telegram
Communicate with friends and family without having to pay for calls or SMS messages: in "Telega" (Telegram), you can send text, audio, and video messages, photos, videos, music, and documents to other users completely free. If you have something to tell and show loved ones, arrange voice and video calls. And to emphasize emotions, spice up messages with emojis, GIFs, and stickers.
In Telegram, it's convenient to create group chats with a large number of participants, and not just with close ones — you can find people by username (not by number, like in WhatsApp) and exchange information and experiences with other travelers. Join channels in advance where users share useful tips, news, and life hacks for the country you're interested in — you definitely won't get lost.
Telegram works in almost all countries, and if it's blocked somewhere, it can be easily bypassed with a VPN. Use Telegram on Android, iOS, and in the web version, even if the internet won't connect: thanks to offline access, you'll still be able to view previously received and sent messages.
Skype
Skype is probably the most famous program for calls (not only voice but also video). You can also communicate via regular text messages. It's not necessary to take a laptop with you on a trip: Skype can be installed on your phone for free. With Skype, you can call not only other program users but also any phone number (mobile or landline), although this service is paid.
Among the advantages: group calls — you can invite all your friends to a group call at once and share experiences, and also the Skype Wi-Fi feature — the ability to connect to Wi-Fi worldwide. The service is paid, but it turns out to be many times more cost-effective than paid Wi-Fi from local providers.
FaceTime
If you and your relatives or friends are Apple product users, you can use the FaceTime app for online meetings, which is pre-installed on iPhone, iPad, iMac, and MacBook. However, if you or your loved ones don't have Apple devices, this method won't work — the app cannot be downloaded.
Viber
Here are all the features of a modern messenger: voice messages, sending photos and videos, calls to other Viber users.
Plus stickers and GIFs to add fun to the chat.
Travel in a way that you always stay connected!
