Current Events > Leaving for Asia tomorrow. Any tips on cell phone use?

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Stopping in Tokyo briefly then heading to Ho Chi Minh City. I looked into Verizon's Travel Pass and it's $10 a day. $140 for 2 weeks just to send texts here and there sounds excessive. I mean I could do it but don't want to.

There has to be a poor man's option to stay connected with people back home.

Can't you just buy a local sim?

there's WhatsApp, as long as you have a wifi connection

I'm living in the Philippines right now, you have a few options.

First, several American carriers allow wifi calling included for free internationally. These include google-fi and Mint mobile, but likely some others too. As the name implies, you will get access to phone calls and texts when connected to a wifi network.

Second, you can buy a local sim card for cheap and subscribe to a local network. I have a local number here under "Globe", not sure if they are present in the rest of south east Asia though.

doomcrusader posted...

I'm living in the Philippines right now, you have a few options.

First, several American carriers allow wifi calling included for free internationally. These include google-fi and Mint mobile, but likely some others too. As the name implies, you will get access to phone calls and texts when connected to a wifi network.

Second, you can buy a local sim card for cheap and subscribe to a local network. I have a local number here under "Globe", not sure if they are present in the rest of south east Asia though.

Do local sim cards allow you to text or call to the US without some crazy fee?

LeoRavus posted...

Do local sim cards allow you to text or call to the US without some crazy fee?

No, the local card is just for local calls and texts. I imagine it's impossible or expensive to call internationally with it, but I'm not positive.

But I have an e-sim for the American network, and the physical sim card for local, so I can use both at the same time.

doomcrusader posted...

No, the local card is just for local calls and texts. I imagine it's impossible or expensive to call internationally with it, but I'm not positive.

But I have an e-sim for the American network, and the physical sim card for local, so I can use both at the same time.

Thanks for the info. I just looked into Google Fi unlimited plus. You can get a month of the service from Amazon for $45, keep your old number, and make unlimited texts to the US while abroad. Almost sounds too good to be true but Amazon can deliver the sim today. Then after the trip I could cancel the service.

I hope I read everything right. I'm half asleep.

LeoRavus posted...

Do local sim cards allow you to text or call to the US without some crazy fee?

Why not use the local sim's Internet?

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