Using your phone abroad without a surprise bill
Sort it out before you leave. The expensive mistakes all happen in the first hour after landing.
What's usually going on
By default, a phone abroad connects to a foreign network and bills you at your carrier's roaming rates, which can be very high. There are sensible alternatives, and each takes a few minutes to arrange at home and a long time to arrange from an airport.
Worth trying first
Ask your carrier first.
Most carriers sell a daily or monthly travel pass, and some plans include international use. Check what yours offers for the countries you're visiting.
Consider a travel eSIM.
Recent phones can add a second, data-only plan for the country you're visiting, with no physical card to swap. Install it before you go, while you have reliable Wi-Fi.
Know where the roaming switch is.
Open Settings and search for "roaming". Turn data roaming off on your home plan if you want no surprises, and rely on Wi-Fi or the travel plan.
Sort out sign-in codes.
Banks and email often text a code to your home number. Make sure you can still receive texts abroad, or set up an authenticator app before you go.
Download before you fly.
Maps for offline use, boarding passes, and anything else you'd need without a connection.
When to hand it over
If you travel often and want it set up once so it simply works everywhere, or if several family members and devices are going. We'll get every phone ready before departure.
Your own technologist, on call.
Tell us a little about your setup. We'll take it from there.