Aside from the grueling amount of unpacking errands, expensive data roaming charges have rapidly become one of the most dreaded aftermaths of travelling abroad. With all the highs and lows of travelling, one can easily be overwhelmed and not be wary of the corresponding charges which may come with every click, intentional or otherwise.
But not to worry, everything does not end up a horror story. As long as you keep yourself in the know and remain diligent about your level of usage, sky-high data charges will remain to be a thing of foreign places. To guide you further, here are certain things you must know to avoid expensive and unnecessary data roaming charges:
Know the charging schemes and browsing rates of your service provider. Mobile service operator Sun Cellular has laid out international roaming destinations in its fold. Under a per-KB charging scheme, Sun and its International Roaming Partners work to give you seamless data access overseas. You can maximize this for quick searches, browsing of social media feeds, sending emails and posting text-based contents which are not heavy on data consumption. Actual rates, meanwhile, would depend on the country and the selected roaming network partner.
Know the dynamics of switching connections.Online life overseas is even more exciting with the prevalence of WiFi hotspot areas. This could be your chance to upload photos, download music, stream videos and perform all those high-volume data activities. But when the connection is unstable, your phone could automatically switch to the next available 3G/HSPA network for continued data access. This switch of connection from WiFi to that of a data roaming service provider is something you should watch out for, as you will still be billed for the extra per-KB charges you may unknowingly incur. To be safe, select manual settings on data roaming on your handset.
Know the connection settings of your applications. Some applications would need a constant dose of data sunlight and would automatically connect to the internet to keep functioning. Among these are weather applications, emails, RSS feeds, and even those of your favorite social networks. If you do not intend to receive regular updates or push notifications through these applications, make sure to deactivate their auto-connect settings.
Know when to turn-off the mobile data switch of your phone. The most important part in learning how to manage your usage is in knowing when to shut it all down. Like any other electronic appliance, it helps to turn off the data access of your mobile phone when there is no intention of using the internet. This spares you not only from incurring unnecessary data roaming charges but also saves you a lot on the battery consumption and memory usage of your mobile phone.
Whether for business or for leisure, we have thankfully reached the times where it has become vital to keep an online presence and constantly share new perspectives with the rest of the world. As we often get these through our travels overseas and through our interactions online, subscription to data roaming services have easily become inevitable. And when you finally decide to jump in, you have to embrace it all with full knowledge and responsible usage.
For more information on the best-value data roaming rates and promos of Sun Cellular, visit www.suncellular.com.ph or call 200 for free using a Sun-powered mobile phone.
Sun Cellular is a member of the PLDT Group.