Keeping Connected Globally

US based nomads don't just stick to the US for their adventures.

Whether via RV, van, boat, or ditching your typical mode of nomadism and utilizing sticks and bricks accommodations, many of our mobile brethren will cross into international territory at some point - and want to maintain an internet connection.

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General International Tips

The hurdle with international internet is not that other countries don’t have plentiful options . It’s getting connected to them as nonresidents who are just passing through the country on a short-term basis.

The tips offered in this section apply to both Canada and Mexico – as well as any other international travel you might embark on.

WiFi

Public WiFi is plentiful abroad, just like most other basic necessities of life.

You will often be able to connect at campgrounds, coffee shops, cafes, libraries, hotels, airports, and more. You will be surprised just how plentiful basic WiFi can be, even in otherwise primitive countries.

When traveling outside the USA, WiFi is likely going to be your cheapest and easiest connectivity solution, especially if you’re only going to be in an area for a brief time when it may not be worthwhile tracking down other options.

If you’re planning to mix in international travels with your US-traveling lifestyle, it is important to assemble your technology arsenal to include gear that is easily be portable and can be taken WiFi hunting to find workable hotspots.

Getting a Better Wi-Fi Signal for RVs and Boats

As with all public WiFi, the usual caveats apply.

Expect intermittent speeds, needing to connect in crowded public places lacking in privacy and quiet, and you will need to take precautions to keep your connection secure.

Using a virtual private network (VPN) may be a smart way to protect yourself when regularly surfing on public international WiFi.

TIP: A lot of major global websites will automatically switch to the local language if you are connecting via a local WiFi ISP, though there is often a way to override the detected language - if you can navigate the menus to find it. Using a VPN to virtually appear to be back home in the United States however will almost always keep your web experience in English.

Mobile Internet Security, Privacy, and VPNs

Voice

There are several ways to keep your voice phone service working while traveling internationally.

Because nearly every modern cell phone supports basic GSM international roaming frequency bands, the simplest option to keep connected is to just activate international roaming with your home carrier – taking your current phone on the road. This way, your home number continues to work and will ring you wherever you go.

Your default roaming rates may be expensive, but you don’t have to answer every call. And many carriers are moving towards better options for international minutes - in a growing number of places, so check your plan.

Regardless, with your phone active, at least you’ll know someone is trying to reach you, and you will have the option to answer or call back as necessary. However, if you want to make or receive calls on a regular basis while you’re out of the country, you’ll probably want to avoid the default international rates your carrier is offering to keep costs better under control.

Most carriers have special international packages that offer discounted calling rates, and allow you to keep your home number active in most countries around the world for as little as $15/month.

If keeping your domestic number isn’t important, local SIM cards abound in many countries. These SIM cards will make it harder to manage incoming calls since your phone will have an international number, but many SIM cards available while traveling offer substantial discounts for calls back to the USA.

And finally, you can rely on services like Google Voice, Google Hangouts, FaceTime and Skype to handle your calls – avoiding traditional cellular calls entirely.

TIP: If you do get a local SIM card, look into ways that you can forward calls to your US number so that people back home can still easily reach you.

Cellular Data

The most important international data tip is to turn OFF data roaming on your devices when you are close to international borders - unless you are certain you have a plan with good international roaming coverage.

The default international data roaming fees from most carriers can be extremely high – and there are many horror stories about accidental astronomical bills from inadvertent roaming.

If you do need cellular data overseas, you may be able to avoid the default roaming rates by activating an international roaming plan with your US-based carrier – saving a substantial amount in the process.

Roaming with your home carrier may be ideal if you’re only planning a short trip, will primarily be relying on Wi-Fi, or won’t be needing much data to get by with. But for longer trips or heavier needs – it often makes sense to look into other options.

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Data Saving Tips for Capped Plans

As noted above, most US based plans that permit data roaming into other countries place data usage caps on the roaming portions of those plans. If you are purchasing a local SIM card to use in another country, you may also find yourself dealing with data caps. Satellite based plans also often have data caps.

So how can you make the most of your data limits?

We've got a complete guide - with tips to lowering data usage - in our guide:

Managing Bandwidth: Common Data Hogs

 

Additional Member Only Content:

The additional content found in the member section of this guide includes:

Additional Member Only Content

US Cellular Carrier International Roaming Policies

We go in-depth tracking the roaming allowances and policies of the major plans offered by the US cellular carriers.

Global SIMs

This section covers options for global SIMs - services where you purchase a device & SIM card that automatically works across the world. Options include SkyRoam, Roaming Man and more.

Obtaining local SIMs

For extended international travel, sometimes it just makes sense to source local options. This section will help you be better prepared for that.

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The Four Major Carriers (Plus One!) - International Options

For more detailed information regarding carrier policies in Mexico & Canada, please see our guides: Keeping Connected in Mexico & Keeping Connected in Canada

Verizon

• Verizon's International Page

Mexico and Canada:

• For customers with any current postpaid Unlimited plan or legacy plan that included Mexico/Canada roaming - Mexico and Canada includes 500MB/day of high-speed data per line (then 2G speed throttling), unlimited calling, and unlimited texting.
• Customers on (eligible) tiered data plans and prepaid smartphone plans have the ability to purchase a daily 'Travel Pass' which allows you to use some of your data plan internationally. In Mexico & Canada the cost is $5/day, and in other countries it is $10/day. Charges are only imposed on days you actually use the plan, and usage is limited to 500mb per day of data.
  • Verizon also offers a monthly Travel Pass option, with differing pricing schemes for Canada / Mexico travel vs. 140+ international countries. The 140+ countries pricing is pretty exorbitant.
  • TIP: Verizon travel passes are good for 24 hours, and work even if you change countries. Verizon will send you a text message with a warning before the pass renews, giving you notice to shut down your device before another fee is charged.
• If more than 50% of your talk, text or data usage in a 60-day period is in Canada or Mexico, use of those services in those countries may be removed or limited.

130+ International Countries:

• Travel Pass: allows you to use 500MB of your data plan per day internationally. The cost is $10/day, charges are only imposed on days you actually use the plan, and it includes unlimited calling and texting. This option is available on all postpaid Unlimited data plans and tiered data plans.
  • Above Unlimited lines are granted 5 Travel Passes per month - included in the plan.
  • Verizon also offers a monthly Travel Pass option, with differing pricing schemes for Canada / Mexico travel vs. 140+ international countries.
  • TIP: Verizon travel passes are good for 24 hours, and work even if you change countries. Verizon will send you a text message with a warning before the pass renews, giving you notice to shut down your device before another fee is charged.

Verizon Prepaid

• Verizon Prepaid: International roaming is available by activating a TravelPass (same pricing as above), and only on smartphone lines.
  • TravelPass cannot be added to Jetpack and Tablet data only prepaid lines however, including the Verizon Prepaid Unlimited Data Jetpack Plan (pUDP). The pUDP is not usable beyond US borders.

T-Mobile

• T-Mobile's International Page
• T-Mobile Prepaid, Pay-As-You-Go, or any plan that does not require a credit check are not eligible for any international features.
• T-Mobile Global Plus 15GB adds 15GB of high speed international use around the world (5GB in Canada/Mexica), 5GB of high speed international tethering and 1080 video streaming internationally. Additionally, while in the US, the plan includes unlimited high speed mobile hotspot use.
• T-Mobile offers Simple Global, with unlimited (2G/128kbps speed) data, unlimited texting, and 25cent/minute phone calls in over 210 countries. Simple Global is included without additional cost in some plans - but not all.  Simple Global is not for extended international use; you must reside in the U.S. and primary usage must occur on T-Mobile's U.S. network. Your device must register on T-Mobile's U.S. network before international use. Service may be terminated or restricted for excessive roaming.
  • Simple Global is included on T-Mobile Magenta plans, retired ONE plans, Simple Choice plans, New Classic plans and Select Choice plans.
• T-Mobile also offers International Passes, offering data buckets for use in 210+ countries over the span of 1, 10, or 20 days. These passes include buckets of high-speed data plus unlimited 2G speeds data, unlimited texting and unlimited calling while traveling internationally. These add-ons are not for extended international use; you must reside in the U.S. and primary usage must occur on T-Mobile's U.S. network. Device must register on T-Mobile's U.S. network before international use. Activating a new pass ends remaining benefits of prior pass
  • 5GB high-speed data package that lasts for up to 10 days and costs $35
  • 15GB high-speed data package that lasts for up to 30 days and costs $50
  • 512MB high-speed data package that lasts for up to 1 day and costs $5
• T-Mobile is attractive for international travelers. Being that T-Mobile has several different plans that are used by customers (many now grandfathered), we'll break them down in looking at what you can do internationally. And yes, it can get a bit confusing (but worth it!)
  • T-Mobile's ONE Plus International Plan (now retired) is excellent for basic international use if you are grandfathered in on the plan. In Canada & Mexico, you get full speed data and free talk and text. In 210 other countries your data will be delivered at 256kbps (3G) speeds, text messaging is free, and voice calls are 25cents/minute (Simple Global).
  • The T-Mobile ONE plan offers unlimited texting and 5GB/month of high speed data access from your current plan in Mexico & Canada only; after 5GB is used, speeds are throttled to 128kbps (2G). In 210 other countries, unlimited texting is paired with unlimited data use at 2G speeds, and calls are 25cents/minute (Simple Global).
  • All (now grandfathered) T-Mobile Simple Choice phone plans include free and unlimited international data (at 2G speeds) and text messaging in over 210 countries and T-Mobile voice plans offer a 25cent/minute flat rate for making and receiving calls (Simple Global). For Canada and Mexico, T-Mobile allows you to use your entire domestic plan on their roaming partners in a program called Mobile Without Borders. This means you get unlimited voice calls and text messaging, and access to all of your domestic high speed data allotment while traveling on these tiered plans.
  • Metro by T-Mobile, T-Mobile's prepaid brand, offers roaming in Canada and Mexico for $5/month extra, with a cap of 5GB.
  • To be sure that where you'll be traveling matches up with your plan (and needs): https://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/roaming.html

TIP: Most (except with Global Plus add-on) T-Mobile plans officially forbid tethering/hotspot usage while roaming internationally (other than Canada and Mexico) - but in our experience personal hotspot usage on tablets like an iPad works wonderfully and without limits.

TIP: T-Mobile TOS states that 50% usage of any plan must be in the U.S. We suggest 'binging' on data for a bit while in the U.S. before traveling abroad so as not to hit the 50% threshold.

AT&T

• AT&T International Page
• For info on Mexico & Canada roaming, please see our specific guides to each:
  • US Based Nomad's Guide to Mobile Internet in Canada

None of AT&T's plans include International roaming as a bundled feature, but most are eligible for add-on International features. These International roaming add-ons are restricted to no more than two-months of usage per outing.

• International Day Pass
  • With activation of the International Day Pass feature some AT&T customers can use their existing plans and all of their plan's features, including high-speed data - even on dedicated hotspot devices.
    • Cost: $10 for 24-hours
    • Data: According to your plan's data limits
    • Eligible Plans: Day Passes can be added to most current and most recently retired AT&T plans. You can check your plan's eligibility in your AT&T dashboard.
      • Prepaid plans are not eligible for International usage.
      • 'Mobley Plan' or any other Connected Car plan lines are not eligible.
      • Homebase / Wireless Internet plans are not eligible for international use.
      • Many Legacy AT&T Unlimited Plans did not include international roaming agreements - you will need to check your specific plan for the option to add a pass.
      • Phone lines on the retired Unlimited Plus are eligible for DayPasses. Data device lines are not eligible for DayPasses.

• • • Restrictions: Not available on cruise ships.
    • Getting the service: The option to add an International Day Pass is in the account area on your device. If the option isn't showing up for your device, you'll need to call AT&T's International department (314-925-6925) to add the International Day Pass feature manually.

• Monthly Passport Packages
  • Monthly Passport Package can also be activated on most AT&T plan accounts. Monthly Passport Packages are pricey.
  • Monthly Passport Packages do not apply on cruise ships.
  • 1GB or 3GB of data - depending on the package you purchase, will be provided at 4G, 3G, or 2G speeds - whatever the highest available speed is at your current Bahamian location.
  • The Monthly Passport Package is valid for 30 days from the day it is added on to your account - it does not bill or expire with the rest of your account's bill.
  • If you choose to use a Monthly Passport Package, be very wary of data overage charges. If you use all of your Monthly Passport Plan's data, you will automatically have more add more data added to your account - at $50 per GB.
  • Monthly recurring package data allowance must be used in bill period provided or will be forfeited.
    • Cost: $60/$120
    • Data: 1GB/3GB
    • Eligible Plans: Monthly Passes can be added to most current AT&T plans. You can check your plan's eligibility in your AT&T dashboard.
      • 'Mobley Plan' or any other Connected Car plan lines are not eligible.
      • Prepaid plans are not eligible for International usage.
      • Homebase / Wireless Internet plans are not eligible for international use.
      • Many Legacy AT&T Unlimited Plans did not include international roaming agreements - you will need to check your specific plan for the option to add a pass.
      • Both phone and data only lines on the retired Unlimited Plus are eligible for Monthly Passport.
      • Restrictions: Not available on cruise ships.
      • Getting the service: The option to add an International Monthly Passport is in the account area on your device. If the option isn't showing up for your device, you'll need to call AT&T's International department (314-925-6925) to add the International Monthly Passport feature manually.

Sprint

• Sprint's International Page
• Sprint's international plans are a bit confusing and vary by each plan:
  • Unlimited Smartphone Plans:
    • Unlimited Basic: Free voice and text plus 5GB of 4G LTE in Canada/Mexico. Other countries are pay-per-use or require an international add-on.
    • Unlimited Plus: Free voice and text plus 10GB of 4G LTE in Canada/Mexico. Other countries are pay-per-use or require an international add-on.
    • Unlimited Premium: Free voice and text plus unlimited 4G LTE in Canada/Mexico. Other countries are pay-per-use or require an international add-on.
  • Sprint Global Roaming All Sprint customers are eligible for this option. You get free unlimited data, text messaging, and voice calls for 20-cents a minute – but data speeds are limited to 2G (64kbps) speed.
  • Data Passes Available for purchase on qualified devices. These passes provide you with full speed data for $2 a day or $10 a week in Canada and Mexico - limited to the constraints (data limits) of your plan. In most other countries, you can activate a Data Pass to get high-speed data for $5/day or $25/week. In China, it is $10/day or $50/week.

Google Project Fi

• Google Fi's International Page
• Google's "Project Fi" cellular service utilizes T-Mobile and Sprint behind the scenes domestically, but also offers a very flexible data usage package while traveling. When in partnered countries (roughly the same 140+ that T-Mobile offers), you just pay the standard $10/GB rate that you pay in the US and speeds are up to the full speed the partner carrier offers. After you have paid for 6GB in a month, you get the next 9GB 'for free'. After 15GB you can opt into resuming paying $10/GB or having speeds reduced.

Configuring Your Device

Some devices, particularly mobile hotspots, may have settings to enable or disable roaming, to include international roaming.  These are designed to allow customers to turn off roaming and avoid inadvertent roaming charges.

If you plan to travel to Canada, check your devices to ensure that any international roaming options are enabled.  Usually these options can be accessed through the device's web-based configuration interface.

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Going Native - Getting a Local SIM

If you’re planning more extended time in a country, it may be worthwhile seeking out options with the local carriers to get a local prepaid or no-contract cellular plan.

Most of the rest of the world has standardized on GSM technology for their cellular networks – and if you have an unlocked phone, tablet, or hotspot that is GSM compatible (almost all are) you will be able to pick up a SIM card in many countries, and by putting it in your device you can make calls and surf the internet from your own tech at local rates. All LTE phones activated on Verizon plans are all sold unlocked, but devices purchased from other carriers may be SIM locked and will refuse to work with foreign SIM cards.

Before your trip you will want to request your device be unlocked, and assuming that your phone is fully paid for and a few other conditions are met, the carriers must abide. Be sure to handle unlocking before you leave the country, as it can be difficult to do from afar. Prepaid phones in particular can be difficult to get unlocked, especially for newer accounts.

It is also worthwhile to make sure your device can use the LTE frequency bands used by the cellular carriers where you are traveling. Many US devices are not compatible with the LTE bands used in much of the rest of the world, and will thus at best give you 3G speeds.

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Global Cloud SIMs

For those who don't plan to hang out in the Bahamas for extended periods of time - and will be popping into other countries as well, global hotspots can assist in getting data while traveling far and wide. This option is of particular interest if you will be hyper-mobile, bouncing from country to country over a short period of time.

Global SIMs provide easy global support, with no need to purchase SIM cards in each country.

Typically,  when you’re abroad, you will pay a single flat fee for a set number of hours of access, which will provide you with a set amount of data (often unlimited) for that period.

We have tested the Skyroam global hotspots, of which there are two, the Solis and the 'Original'. These hotspots can be paired with a very limited 'unlimited' plan, or can be paired with a 'pay by the GB' option. We also closely track the We.Stream global hotspot and service, although we have not formally tested it.

In addition, there are several other Global Hotspot options available; we track them here:

Additional Global Hotspot Options

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Summary

US based travelers looking to do some international exploration have a variety of options for staying connected. With some research, planning, and flexibility, many nomads exploring outside the confines of the US have been successful in maintaining some form of mobile internet.