I recently came back from the Bahamas with the family. We had a great time needless to say. But, as always, before the trip, I had to prepare my iPhone for International time. That means getting my iPhone up to snuff with data, minutes, and texting with the Bohemians.
I went to my trusty AT&T app on my iPhone and just added the International plan. That meant plunking down $30 for 15 minutes of talk time. I wasn’t planning on talking, but this was added for emergency purposes or the occasional voice mail. Then, I added $120 for 800MB of data. Hey, I like browsing my apps! Finally, I added the $10 50 text message plan. For $160, I had peace of mind in knowing that my bill wouldn’t be in the hundreds due to International roaming fees. Oh yeah, I also added the free standard international roaming fee service for good measure.
Yes, $160 is expensive, but I didn’t have to take time out of my vacation to purchase a local SIM and unlock my iPhone to handle the local phone IT service. There’s a better option though. As my family and I were killing time before the flight took off, I noticed International SIM cards being offered. Just buy it, replace your current SIM with it, and you are instantly have an International plan. Not a bad deal.
The World SIM card is the most convenient International SIM card to go with. It applies to most countries and will turn your iPhone into a local iPhone service plan. The quickest way to get one is just to buy it right at the airport. Otherwise, you’ll need to purchase it online which will take some time.
The World SIM card route is a good IT strategy to go with if you want to easily separate your vacation expense from your regular phone plan. I wanted to see if I could have done better with the World SIM card. So, I chose the Bahamas as my destination. You would choose where you would like to go for your specific rates.
Here is the breakdown with the World SIM Card plan:
- Data is $200 per 200MB.
- Texting is 69 cents per text.
- Calling is $2 / minute.
- You’ll get your own International number and 69 cents for forwarding from your regular number.
- You’ll need to spend $4.95 for the SIM card.
- Don’t forget you still need to unlock your iPhone service.
So, in sum, it doesn’t pay. You barely reach the data plan you need. Yes, you can pay $40 for a 10MB plan, but you’ll surely surpass that with ridiculous overage fees. So, yes, you can buy this SIM card for separating out your expenses, but you’ll be paying much more in the end. Go to AT&T, Verizon, or your cell carrier services to add the International plan I mentioned above. Upon returning, make sure to remove the services and you’ll be pro-rated for the time you’ve used them. Much cheaper and much more convenient.
