Tips to use your mobile phone data when travelling

Published on : 09 March 20205 min reading time

To communicate with your loved ones or stay connected while travelling, a reminder of some good habits to use your mobile package on holiday.

Your mobile package will probably take you on a trip this summer, but how do you use it properly? To ensure you get the best quality of service, use your phone abroad and avoid using your mobile phone outside of your package, you need to take a few precautions. Here are 5 points to check on your mobile package before you go on holiday.

Travelling in France: test your holiday mobile network

Are you planning to spend your 2019 summer vacation in France ? No need to worry about any unforeseen events on the fare side, but will your operator be there at your holiday destination? To find out whether you’ll be able to enjoy 4G mobile Internet, or simply make calls and text messages, a quick tour through our mobile coverage test can be instructive. It will provide you with 2G, 3G and 4G coverage information in one click at the address where you will be spending your holidays, for Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free. As this tool is based on the theoretical data provided by the operators, it is nevertheless a good idea to check the reality of coverage in the field with the people who will be hosting you: family, friends, campsite manager or owner of your rental.

Your operator does not cover the area where you are going to spend your holiday well? Without going as far as the radical solution of changing providers, it may be worthwhile to take out a subscription for a month or two with another operator. Either by means of a prepaid card or a cheap mobile package with no commitment. Check https://www.simoptions.com for more about prepaid SIM cards in France. The investment will remain modest and will allow you to take advantage of the best network to call or stay connected to the Internet at your holiday resort.

Europe and DOM: free calls, SMS and Internet

If you are travelling this summer to a country of the European Union (+ Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein) or to the French overseas departments, it is very simple: you can use your package as you would in mainland France, without fear of any off-package. Since 15 June 2017, calls from Europe, but also SMS and MMS from these destinations are included free of charge. As is the use of mobile Internet, whose monthly roaming volume may be limited, depending on the price of your bundle.

Mobile in Europe: beware of out of bundle deals

Before you leave, check the roaming data allocation to which you are entitled, on your contract, in your customer area or with the customer service of your operator. Be wary, too, in certain situations: despite the new conditions of use in Europe, you can still find yourself out of the bundle when travelling in certain specific cases. In particular when crossing a country that is not part of the European Economic Area (EU + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). Or when travelling at sea, where you can pass through the ship’s satellite network without noticing it, invoiced at the full price.

Travelling outside Europe: which mobile package to choose?

If you are travelling to a non-European country, the conditions for using your mobile phone abroad are likely to be much less flexible than in Europe. From most destinations, calls, SMSes, MMSes and Internet connections will be billed out of bundle, unless you have a subscription that includes free roaming from certain countries. Certain promotional offers include, for example, free calls from the United States or Canada in particular, and even from other destinations. 19.99/month Free includes unlimited calls, SMS and MMS from certain countries and a selection of 65 destinations where you can count on 25 GB of mobile Internet each month at no extra charge.

Another possibility: take out an International option with your operator to have a volume of communications and mobile Internet around 20 to 30 euros per month. Finally, there is also the solution of a prepaid card purchased in the country visited: this will allow you to stay in contact with your family and friends and to connect to the Internet without going through your French operator, and to make significant savings.

Activate roaming to use your package abroad

To use your mobile package abroad, whatever the destination, there is sometimes a prerequisite: activation of the option allowing you to use your subscription abroad. This will notably be the case with Orange, Sosh, SFR, RED or Free (for the €2 plan). This is a free option, to be activated by calling customer service or from your personal space on the operator’s website. An operation not to be overlooked: without this activation, it will be impossible to connect to the networks of the operators in the country visited, and therefore to use your package from abroad!

As soon as you cross the border, your phone will automatically connect to the networks of the country you are visiting by roaming. But to connect to the Internet, there will be a manipulation to be carried out. You will need to activate data roaming. The operation is not very complicated: just go to the device settings, then to the networks section to perform it. You will then be able to use your mobile Internet connection abroad, but beware: depending on the country you are visiting, consumption may be billed outside the bundle, sometimes at a high price. In this case, make sure you deactivate roaming to avoid unpleasant surprises when you get home…

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