Sim cards are so 2010. Having to find a cell phone shop in a foreign country, buying a dodgy pay as you go plan, Performing Iphone surgery to switch sim cards and then running out of data two days later.
Fuck. That. Noise.
Times have of course changed and there are better international phone plan options for global roamers and frequent travelers, but certainly not plenty. Many remote workers and digital nomads are still relying on local sim cards everytime they change countries, or paired up with over priced American phone plans that aren’t designed for long haul travel. In this article, I am going to unapologetically push for the T-Mobile Simple Global Plan, because it rocks absolute socks and kicks the competition to the curb.
Know the difference between phone plans that offer international roaming, and this plan: which is DESIGNED for international travelers. For example, when I was a Verizon Wireless customer, I would travel abroad and rack up enormous roaming fees in between WiFi connections, that made me call customer service outraged. With the T-Mobile Simple Global plan, the plan is designed for people who are traveling…all the time. It’s a fixed rate, flat fee, no bells and whistles plan that connects you all over the globe, in over 200-something countries to be exact.
Why the T-Mobile Simple Global plan is one of the best solutions for an international traveler:
1. No Sim card changes
I just love how when I land in a new country, I am automatically connected! No set up required! No need for me to switch sim cards. As soon as I land in a new country, my T-Mobile Simple Global Plan connects my USA number to a local provider and I am good to go.
2. I get to keep my USA number
Of course no sim card changes also means I get to keep my USA number, which is my business number. It was imperative for me that I keep my business line intact when I decided to become a nomad. I didn’t want clients to get the wrong impression when seeing a different country code or not be able to reach me as normal. Keeping my USA number while roaming globally means my digital life stays the exact same as before. No need to update anyone on phone number changes. Huge hassle lifted off my shoulders.
3. No surprises
I find that what I pay for, is what I get. My monthly bill rarely fluctuates and since I make all of my business and personal calls on what’s app vs regular cellular calls, I almost never pay extra for “international calls”. I also purchased the best possible international data pass as a top up and it’s a game changer. I don’t get annoying text messages warning me that I am over my limit and that I will be charged a hefty bill. It’s a consistent, honest phone plan which I find refreshing.
4. I have coverage in 215+ countries
When I am going somewhere new, I just pop over to https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/international-roaming-plans and type in the country I am going to, to see if there is coverage! Just scroll down a little and you will see a box where you can type in the destination to check coverage. The only country I didn’t have coverage was Ethiopia and I bet they are working on that! LOL.
5. It’s not an overpriced plan
Sometimes we want to save money and cut costs and I get that. Sim card switching is certainly a cheap and affordable option, however I find that time and hassle is money. I rather pay extra monthly and just land and connect then have to hunt a pay as you go sim card down every time I land somewhere new. My average phone bill with the T-Mobile Simple Global plan is $95USD per month. I get unlimited data, I can call anywhere in the world and I have fantastic coverage.
6. The Data actually works
Some international phone plans feel like a straight up scam, but with T-Mobile Simple Global, the data actually works. For situations like when I am not connected to wifi, my plan automatically roams using the local provider, at no extra charge. The data is fast and sometimes even faster than my local friends who are connected with their local providers. In fact, many times I have been the one to use my data for GPS / Directions in even the most remote locations, when my local friends are struggling to get a signal.
