This post is brought to you in part by Flexiroam.

If you travel overseas quite regularly then you know the struggles of staying connected to the internet. Wifi isn’t as widely available as we’d like it to be (and it’s not reliably fast), so the other option is to get mobile data instead. You can consider subscribing to roaming services with your own telecommunications company, but roaming charges have skyrocketed in recent years, so this isn’t exactly a better deal.

The other option is to get a local SIM card in the country you’re visiting. That’s a whole different can of worms because you’d have to find a store that sells local SIM cards, spend time and effort learning about their data charges, and if you run out of data, you’d have to hunt down for a place to top up. There’s also the hassle of constantly switching between SIM cards and the risk losing one or both of them.

Before now, those were the main options that were available to travellers who wanted to stay connected to the world as they explored it. However, Flexiroam is providing a fresh alternative to the current mobile roaming services, offering a quick and convenient solution. Here the key points to know about the service.

How Flexiroam works

Flexiroam works by attaching a microchip onto your current SIM card, then using your mobile screen to toggle between your main SIM card service and Flexiroam’s service.

Once you subscribe to a Flexiroam X membership, you can use the app to get mobile data and use it wherever and whenever you want. Flexiroam has partnered with network providers in many countries to give their users a better deal on mobile roaming services. Here, we breakdown how Flexiroam can help you stay connected to the world.

Affordable membership

The Flexiroam X membership is only USD9.90 (~RM40) per year, and it includes the X Starter pack that comes with the X microchip to attach to your SIM card. So USD9.90 per year, plus a one time shipping fee – that’s very affordable. Shipping cost varies across countries – for Malaysia it’s USD5 (~RM20). You can check out the shipping cost for each country on the Flexiroam website, under shipping.

Alternatively, to avoid shipping fees, you can collect the SIM card yourself. One option is to collect the SIM card their office in Damansara Perdana. A second option is to get the SIM card at their store in KLIA or KLIA2 right before you travel.

Great coverage and speed in over 100 countries

Flexiroam has over 100 network partners, including Vodafone, AT&T, Orange, Indosat, T-Mobile, and Telefonicain, in over 100 countries from United Kingdom, United States, Sweden, Indonesia, Colombia, Australia and many more. With so many partners all around the globe, you’re able to use Flexiroam easily in countries with coverage, even benefiting from 4G internet speeds in many places.

Unlock free data with simple in-app interactions

We all know data can be expensive, but the Flexiroam app allows you to earn free data via simple interactions within the app. You’re awarded 100MB off the bat when you register on the app. After that, you can earn data through referrals – get 100MB when you refer a friend who signs up – or via promo codes that Flexiroam posts on their social media accounts.

Over time, you can potentially accumulate a lot of data, up to 100GB max, to use on your trips. You can do this when you’re not travelling to build up a decent bank of data for when you need to use it. So technically, you can get up to 100GB of data for only the cost of a low yearly membership fee. That is a significantly better offer than any local network provider has come up with.

A convenient alternative to conventional roaming services

Another big plus for Flexiroam is how convenient it is to use. The microchip can be reused, so you only need to purchase it once. Since the microchip is placed onto your existing SIM card, you don’t have to switch between two SIM cards, eliminating the hassle of keeping track of which SIM you’re using. The microchip won’t affect your SIM card in any way, and you can easily toggle between Flexiroam and your regular mobile network on your phone.

Also, the one constant issue many people face when buying a local SIM is unused data going to waste. If you’ve spent a certain amount of money on a local SIM with data but you don’t use it all up, it ends up going to waste since you won’t be able to use the data once you leave that country. That doesn’t happen with Flexiroam, since the data you get is from Flexiroam, not individual providers. You can keep the data as long as you are a member, and it will be carried forward when you renew your membership.

The Flexiroam app also makes purchasing data a breeze. If you run out of data and urgently need to get more, you can immediately purchase a data pack via the app without having to locate a store. The data you use can also be monitored on the app, so you’ll know exactly how much you have left, and there’s no concern about running out of data or being wrongly charged.

You can do anything when you’re connected

One minor thing to remember when using Flexiroam is that when the service is turned on, you won’t be able to use your regular mobile network for standard calls and text messages. However, there’s nothing you can’t do when you’re connected to the internet. There are plenty of internet-based communication apps to substitute standard calls and text messages. And, as mentioned, with just a simple tap of a button, you can switch from Flexiroam’s roaming service back to your regular mobile network to enable calls and texts.

Download the Flexiroam X App and Get 100MB of free data

If you sign up, Flexiroam is offering 100MB of free data for every referral. Check out the Flexiroam website to learn more. You can also download the app on iOS here or Android here.