Foreign Sim Cards

[rpsandiego]

My work provides an AT&T plan for myself. However, when I'm traveling internationally on a leisure trip, I almost always grab a local sim upon arriving at another country to get data coverage. I don't usually care for minutes since I hardly make any calls while abroad but I've found a few brands here I've used:

Western Europe:
Vodafone: available many countries in Western Europe, though they still charge roaming fees when going to another country

Mexico:
Telcel seems like a monopoly but that's the easiest one to find and there's an actual office in the airport

Hong Kong:
Power 3G is available at the arrival lounge but quite pricey at ~$30USD...

Singapore:
I can't recall what the brand is. I just see the "M" logo in my pocket.

Australia:
Optus - quite cheap at about $2 AUD a day for data but be prepared for long lines at the airport. Alternatives are pricey $40+.

New Zealand:
Spark - available at the airport. Cheapest is $19 but that only comes with 500 GB, go with the higher plan if you're using your phone for GPS. Reloadable at dairy stores!

Philippines:
Sun - great for unlimited domestic calls and texts but 4G connectivity is dismal
Globe & Smart - 4G connectivity is not great, but usable

 

[Mountain Trader]

Spark in NZ has, at least from time to time, a $49 ($35 US) tourist pack. Good for 30 days, 1 GB of data, 100 mins of voice, plus decent amount of text. Good coverage overall. Can top off for more data over the phone if you need some. Ten minutes to buy, install and go. Spark shops in many towns of any size.

A good deal in a country where the Internet is metered, not cheap and can be tough to get.

 

[NotYouTu]

I use KnowRoaming, as soon as I leave my home country my phone switches to a pre-paid phone (no swapping sims) with minutes/sms/data billed separately. Recharge online or via the phone app.