World traveller question?

[milesharrison]

Hi

I am going to the USA in a few weeks and am trying to decide between using my vodafone with an addon and getting a local sim card (which is what I normally do).

I am struggling to understand the world traveller and world traveller data addons. Why would anybody get the world traveller data addon instead of the standard world traveller one.

As far as I can see, my ENTIRE data allowance would be included in the standard world traveller option, however the world traveller data option would only give me 25mb for the same £5 a day? Surely the normal world traveller option is far better?

Also, I have used a similar bolt on when i was with o2 and the speeds were impossibly slow. Has anyone got any experience with the expected speeds using this abroad and ideally, in the USA. If it is going to be slow, then I might as well just get a local sim card with data.

Thanks,

miles

[jeffkinn]

World Traveller, like its cousin Euro Traveller, is by far the best option. You are quite right to say that for £5 a day you can use your phone in exactly the same way that you do here. 

There is no throttling of speeds when using World Traveller. You'll get a decent AT&T 4G signal. I was last in the US in December and it was an excellent service.

[milesharrison]

That's good. The data package seems like a pretty redundant option then. I worry because when I was with o2 my speeds were severly throttled. I am away for 8 days so it is just on the edge of making a local sim card (about $40) worth it.

Thanks for the info and be it on your head if it's slow:)

[jeffkinn]

As a humble London based accountant I will take full responsibility for the entire American cellular market - no problem :manlol:

What part of the US are you going to? Business or pleasure?

[Lisa_liverpool]

How long are you away for?

I went to Australia and New Zealand last year for a month, I bought local sims and got good deals through them rather than use my own sim and the world traveller.

I went to USA also and came back with quite a large bill due to the £5 per day.

I would say depending on the length of time for your travel and the amount you would use your phone would depend on the best option for you. 

WIFI is easy to find also so unless you need to have your phone on constant you may be better switching off your roaming and just connecting to WIFI when you wish to use your phone.

Hope this helps!

[milesharrison]

Hey Lisa,

I'm only away for around a week which means it will cost £35. The USA is nowhere as cheap as AU/NZ (I used to live in NZ), the cheapest sim I could find would have been about $40 which is getting on for £30-35, but the benefit is I can keep my number active. I am moving house the week after I get back so it would be beneficial to have my number going whilst I am over there in case I need to snag or arrange things.

I think this world traveller package could be the way to go. I must say though that if anyone reading this is off to Australia, get a local sim from Telstra or whoever when you arrive at the airport. Assuming you go to Sydney, there is a phone shop that has loads of great deals (you pass it just as you clear customs in SYD). From memory you can get 30 days of unlimited 4G for about $15 (Maybe with Optus but it was an airport only deal). I haven't been to oz for a few years now so deals will change, but it was incredibly cheap. Remember to unlock your phone first!

[Lisa_liverpool]

Hi Miles,

Yeah for a week and with a house move I would maybe suggest using the world traveller. I have also just stuck with the normal package whenever I have used it.

I used Vodafone in Australia, I paid about $30 for a sim and got 6gb of data, I'm on an IPhone so mainly used it to facetime home and the occasional facebook status update.

I also went to the USA for a week and switched my roaming on whenever I needed it out and about or was calling home but used WIFI over there a lot as I wasn't taking proper calls (I was using facetime or whatsapp calls)

[Jayhey]

25MB ? Best getting a All in One add on putting that in your mobile and forward your calls to it and put the V sim in a cheap (dual sim?) mobile so you can see incoming texts. Vodafone roaming is rediciously expensive option in the US for what they pay.

You can also get a month use for $30 a US sim with 100 mins, unlimited US texts and 5GB 4G (unlimited 2G after 5GB).

I'll post details if allowed, sure Voda prefer that over a default on a roaming bill.

[Jayhey]

As Miles^ Voda AU used to do a great deal on prepaid, $2 for a hour to call the UK. Data was also cheap.

[Jayhey]

Voda AU is even better now $50 but half price at $25 just now for loads! Even at $50 it's a great deal

http://www.vodafone.com.au/prepaid/plans/state/starter-pack/combo