How to choose the package

Tips to choose the package for traveling abroad

First, you need to know your main purposes of using your mobile phone abroad, which generally are

1. To use internet on a mobile phone (internet/mobile data) including calls via applications such as LINE, Facetime,Skype, etc.

2. To call Thailand for both landlines and mobiles.

3. To call each other in a group (travelling together) 

4. To call other numbers in that country such as calling hotel, car rental agencies, friends or cousins, companies, etc.

The next step is considering about your usage volume of each service type in order to choose the package that best suits your needs and also checking the prices carefully.

Internet data

Many people prefer to purchase unlimited internet (Unlimited Data) packages, which are unavailable in some countries. However, most of the people who use internet from their mobile phones for 7-10 days have never used data more than 3 GB, except using on tablets or computers.(based on customers' experiences). Therefore, if you can estimate your data usage you need, it will help save your money.

Tips for estimating your data usage

1. Check your data usage on your mobile phone. Most smartphones now include a way of monitoring your data by going to "Settings" menu. To see how to do it, please click  here for iOS and click here for Android. This way can help you approximately calculate your data usage per day. For example, your average data use is 150 MB/ day and you will go abroad for 10 days, so the total data usage you need for your trip is 150 MB x 10 days = 1,500 MB or1.5 GB.

2. Check average data usages based on service types (source: Carphone Warehouse UK)

Calling Thailand

Most leading companies that own the complete telecom infrastructure or known as MNO (in Thailand such as AIS, Truemove H, Dtac andTOT) offer quite expensive rates for international calls. On the contrary, companies that provide services by renting other operators' networks or MVNO offer cheaper rates. Some companies offer lower rates than VoIP rates. For example, in USA Ultra Mobile offers unlimited calls to Thailand or Lebara UK offers calls to Thailand for £0.01/minute when purchasing in conjunction with some packages, while VoIP rate is around £0.02/minute. Besides, some MVNO's packages also include international minutes which are convenients for users such as Lebara in UK, Ortel in Germany and Ultramobile in USA.

Example of MNO and MVNO in foreign countries

Calling each other in a group

In some countries, mobile network operators offer unlimited free calls in a group, such as in UK or special discount rates.