Smartphones and laptops are essential tools in daily life. Whether you want to read the news, watch a movie, or simply chat with a friend, chances are you do so on your phone. Dependence can breed frustration, however, when you step across a border and find that your smartphone no longer works. Although international travel has never been easier, data plans have yet to catch up. There are few things worse than being in a foreign land, ready to sit for a spell, only to realize you can’t check your Facebook feed or favorite subreddit. Local Wi-Fi may not be up to snuff, and you don’t have an international data plan.
If buying an international data plan or a SIM card for whatever country you visit seems too expensive or annoying, consider renting a mobile hotspot. These devices function as a tether between your devices and the internet, allowing you to connect easily and without sharing the link with nearby users.
The RoamingMan mobile hotspot is an Android-powered Wi-Fi hotspot with “cloud SIM” technology. This means that it gives you data — at 4G, no less — no matter where you are in the world. You’ll have to pay for your data, and the device throttles you after a daily 500MB limit. But at just $10 a day for 4G data wherever you roam, the RoamingMan is useful.
You can rent a device from RoamingMan’s website, telling the company the range of dates you want to use it for, then mail it back to them using a label they include.
First, you should check with your mobile carrier to see if they offer affordable international plans. If not, you should definitely consider a Wi-Fi hotspot.
