Without question, it is always worth it to buy an international sim card when travelling. Sure, you can try to use only hotel wifi to stay connected, and pre-download your Google maps to get around – but sometimes that isn’t enough.
The number of times I’ve had the blue dot on my Google maps stop working, or wanted to call an uber but couldn’t because of wifi/cell reception problems are countless.
In an emergency, you can always try to put your phone in roaming mode and risk paying hundreds of dollars, or you could protect yourself and spend a few bucks for a sim card.
For most countries in the world, you can affordably buy a sim card online off of stores like Amazon. As a Canadian, I sometimes have reception problems in the USA.
So I bought “MOST SIM – T-Mobile USA SIM” on Amazon. I couldn’t believe how cheap it was! One week of unlimited data is $28.99. That means you can upload all your photos, stream your music, and yes, call an uber wherever you are.
The sim card worked flawlessly. I bought the card when it arrived it directed me to activate my SIM card. To do this, you’ll need to visit a website and set the start date you want your service to work on.
The day you are departing for your trip, you’ll get an email to confirm when your SIM card is now active.
At the airport, you’ll be able to use the pin provided with the order to pull out your old SIM and replace it with the new one. You’ll want to make sure to store your old one somewhere safe, though, as you’ll need it when you return home.
The peace of mind of being able to use my phone as normal was priceless. I never had any problems with signal strength or the speed of the internet – if anything, it was better than I have at home!
Throughout my trip, I was uploading photos and videos to Instagram, video calling friends and family, using Google maps to find my way around town, and streaming music while I explored the city. For the low price, it was worth it.
I know I’ll be using MostSim again in the future. They sell SIM cards for Canada, USA or Mexico on Amazon.
Buy a SIM card for the USA now