Telecommunications

Pick the best network

One of the biggest burdens that any traveller faces is everincreasing roaming charges, so finding the best mobile network for your needs can help greatly. Truphone is a SIM-based mobile service that charges customers standard local rather than roaming rates in countries where the company has partnerships with local operators.

The service extends to calls, texts and data usage. Currently, Truphone offers “local rates” within the Australia, Hong Kong, the US, UK, the Netherlands and Poland. For those travelling to other countries outside of the six listed, Truphone provides discounted roaming in more than 220 countries.

Get a data bundle If you need to use the internet overseas, invest in a “bolt-on” – Smartone in Hong Kong has a daily data roaming package that covers 112 destinations (50MB for HK$168/US$22).

Similar packages are available for making international calls.

You should also set your emails to download text and not attachments, or costs will spiral.

“Turn off app pushes,” advises Nigel Turner, director of programme management & business development, UK and Ireland, for Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a company that delivers solutions for business travel. “We have ours set to only pick up emails when you go into the account.” Some phone brands, including Blackberry, don’t allow users to switch off the push function – in this case, turn off roaming completely and only connect using free wifi.

Find free hotspots

Whether you’re at home or abroad, change your smartphone settings from data roaming to wifi and get to know where free spots are. The Free Wi-Fi Finder app (available on iOS and Android) offers a list of more than 145,000 free wifi hotspots globally (see travel apps on page 40 for more details). The list can be downloaded ahead of time, so you don’t need to have an internet connection to access it. The app is even able to track your location and pinpoint free wifi hotspots located nearby.

Buy a local SIM card

If you travel to a country frequently, buy a local payas-you-go SIM and dongle. A 4G-enabled prepaid SIM from Singtel in Singapore costs SG$20 (US$16) and comes with SG$38 (US$31) worth of talk time and 1GB of local data.

Truphone sells SIMs for international calls. A pay-asyou-go SIM with a US number is US$29.99, can be used in 220 countries and comes with US$15 credit. It costs US$0.24 a minute to make a call in Hong Kong back to the US and US$1.28 per MB, while AT&T pre-pay charges US$2 a minute for calls and US$19.9 per MB.

Use a phonecard

Pre-paid phonecards are often the cheapest way to make international calls either to local landlines or even mobile phones. A card from Telstra in Australia costs A$20 (US$19) and calls are charged at the local rate.

Get VoIP

A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system enables you to make cheap calls over a computer network at home or work – you just need a landline and internet connection. Apps such as Bria (US$7.99 on iTunes) can be downloaded and synced with VoIP accounts to make cheap calls from mobiles via wifi.

Try call apps

The benefits of using Skype are well known, but video call apps are also worth a try. Apple fans can use Facetime to make free video calls. Fring (www.fring.com) is a free app that can set up group calls on Apple, Android and Symbian devices that Skype charges for.

Avoid the hotel phone

Unless your hotel offers VoIP, only use the phone for pick-up calls and arrange for people to ring you at a pre-determined time instead.

Compare the costs

Do your homework pre-trip to ensure that you get the best possible deal. Thailand, for instance, is home to six mobile operators: AIS, DTAC, Truemove, WEPCT, TOT3G and MY. By comparing their plans online, you could end up making savings.

Go for free hotel wifi

Hotel Indigo, Best Western, Radisson Blu and Four Points by Sheraton all offer free in-room wifi as standard. Some travel management companies negotiate this as part of the price. Turner says: “We’ve just launched our own value rates, which include things business travellers want – principally breakfast and wifi.”

Text, don’t call

Unlike calls, you will not pay to receive texts abroad. You can also try free web-based text services such as CBF SMS (www.cbfsms.com) or afreesms (www.afreesms.com).

However, understand the mobile culture of the destination you’re travelling to, especially if you’re considering taking up a plan from a local operator. For example, mobile tariffs in Singapore typically offer lower call limits but higher SMS allowances: a Smartsurf Lite package from Starhub (S$38/US$31) offers only 100 minutes of call time, but 800 SMS per month. Hong Kong plans typically offer the opposite: for HK$168 (US$22) a month, 3 customers can get 1,400 minutes of call time but only 15 SMS. Malaysia offers more balanced plans: a RM28 (US$9) mobile plan from Maxis gives you 200 minutes of call time and 100 SMS.

Join loyalty schemes

In the UK, Guoman and Thistle’s Signature programme offers members 30 minutes of free wifi every day and unlimited wifi after 11 nights. Gold-level Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) and Hilton HHonors gold members are entitled to unlimited free wifi.

Book early

If your plans are fixed, book a car as soon as possible, as many rental companies offer “early booker” promotions. Hertz, for instance, offers a prepaid online only programme called “Hertz Advance”. Available in selected countries throughout Europe, you can save up to 25 per cent if you book early enough.

Search for deals

Check comparison websites such as www.rentalcars.com, and follow the major car hire companies on Facebook and Twitter, which often promote deals and discounts on these sites.

For example, Avis currently has a “Pay Now and Save” promotion (valid in US & Canada) where you can enjoy up to 30 per cent off by paying for your reservation at the time of booking. In Asia, Hertz has an ongoing deal that allows you to get a free day for every three days of rental.

Join a car rental loyalty programme…

If you hire a car frequently, consider joining a loyalty scheme – all the main hire companies have one. The Avis Preferred programme offers a range of benefits including going straight to your rented car without filling in paperwork. In addition, your rental preferences are kept by the company, meaning that you enjoy the benefits of getting a more tailored service.

...or airline scheme

Many carriers have tie-ups with car hire firms. Avios partners with Avis, and BA Executive Club members earn three Avios points for every £1 (US$1.6) spent with the hire company, which can be redeemed on rentals.

Within Asia, members of Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club can earn Asia Miles at varying rates based on rental locations. For example, members earn 500 miles for every car rental outside of Asia and 250 miles for rentals within Asia (including China).