One of the easiest to forget but potentially most expensive tech-related travel costs can be roaming charges. If you’re someone who likes to tote your smartphone along while abroad for occasional browsing and checking email, then you know how problematic this can be when away from a Wi-Fi connection.
Thus, here is yet another potential option for overcoming expensive data roaming costs.
Cubic Telecom, which provides global data and voice roaming cards for coverage in more than 200 countries, has trotted out a new global data SIM card under its MaxRoam brand.
Coverage is priced at 65 cents per MB — no monthly subscriptions or contract required. Pat Phelan, MaxRoam’s director of innovation, pointed out in a statement that data roaming rates can be as high as $20 per MB.
To use the MaxRoam card, interested customers may order the SIM card from the MaxRoam web site. Upon arrival, the customer can replace the existing SIM card in an unlocked GSM phone, activate the card online, and it should be ready for use upon arrival at the international destination.
For occasional business travelers, an especially helpful feature is that the cards are good until the data limit has been reached — meaning there isn’t an expiration date for purchased coverage.
The new MaxRoam card supports U.S. phones in 44 countries across Europe, Southeast Asia, India, Australia, and South Africa. However, note that U.S. dollar rates will vary according to the Euro-to-Dollar conversion rates at the time of travel.
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