These days, packing your suitcase and heading for the airport isn’t quite enough. Increasingly, people depend on their smartphones and these little gadgets can be very helpful on a trip away from your home country, but only if you take a few crucial steps before jetting off on your getaway.
Apart from juicing up your phone to a full charge, be sure to take these additional steps, too:
1. Get the details on your mobile plan. Whether your account is prepaid or postpaid, the major providers in Malaysia offer different plans specifically geared towards roaming. Mobile providers typically offer different rates and packages for different regions of the world. Voice rates are, of course, the most expensive option.
2. Consider an SMS text package, or pay-as-you-go. For Malaysian carriers, text messaging rates vary, but prices are typically different for sending texts within the country you’re visiting and sending texts back to Malaysia. Check those rates carefully.
3. Accessorize your phone! Favourites include a spare battery (if yours is removable) or a portable USB power bank (ensure it’s fully charged), microfiber screen cloths, and travelfriendly cases. For those pocketable power packs, check the number: the larger the mAh (milliamperehour) number, the better. Stick with 2200 mAh or higher to be able to get at least one full recharge of your smartphone.
4. Ensure you turn off your phone’s data roaming if you don’t plan to use it. Stick with data only when in a Wi-Fi zone, and avoid a shocking phone bill upon your return. Prepaid data plans tend to disallow data roaming by default, but it’s worth checking.
5. Download some entertainment. Whether it’s music, some episodes of your favourite TV shows, or even some online books, lining up your mobile entertainment options before you leave is a good plan, provided you have enough storage space in your smartphone!
6. Similarly, download those helpful travel apps before you go. Check your phone’s app store for any city-specific apps (most are free) and other travelrelated apps that can help you get the most out of your getaway.
7. Pack chargers, USB cables, and travel adapters in your carry-on bag rather than in your checked luggage. When you’re on the road or in the air, a smartphone with an exhausted battery is useless. If you’ve got a layover, use the time to recharge your gadgets, something possible only if you have the chargers and adapters with you!
8. Check out Internet calling/texting apps. Though you’ll mostly be limited to Wi-Fi hotspots when you’re travelling, when you have that signal, these apps can put you in easy contact with anyone worldwide – free of charge. WhatsApp, WeChat, Viber, Pinger, textPlus, and more are all popular apps worth downloading. Some apps require both parties to have the same app while others allow you to call or text any mobile number, so be aware of this.
9. If you’ll be overseas for a lengthy period of time, it may be worthwhile to buy a prepaid SIM card specific for that country or region. The advent of Internet-based calling and texting apps and the proliferation of Wi-Fi hotspots is making this option somewhat less palatable than it was a few years ago, however, as you’ll not have your usual phone number (unless you use a second phone or have a dual-SIM device). If you choose to purchase a local SIM card, use a small Ziploc bag to keep your primary SIM card safe and easy to find.
10. Finally, if you want to use those great gadgets during a long flight, it’s worth checking a site like seatguru.com to see if your particular plane has USB or AC power points available at your chosen seat.
Source: The Expat December 2013
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