A smartphone (mobile device) is something most of us carry everywhere we go nowadays, even when traveling abroad.
The convenience it brings in many situations is not to be underestimated, and a good smartphone can replace a variety of tools and accessories while making your communication simpler and more straightforward.
However, it’s important to be aware of the potential security risks that come with taking your mobile device abroad.
It’s also crucial to be prepared for some of the inconveniences that you may have to deal with. A little bit of preparation can go a long way toward ensuring that your trip will go through without any trouble.
1. Check Roaming Rates
Many people get a nasty surprise when they travel abroad for the first time without bothering to check the roaming rates of their current mobile plan.
This can hit you hard if you use a lot of data, and there are various cases of people who’ve had to pay hundreds of dollars in mobile charges simply because their devices kept drawing in data without stopping!
It’s as simple as ensuring that your plan allows roaming in the first place, and then verifying how much it’s going to cost you to talk according to your regular usage habits.
As said above, pay particular attention to data rates when doing these calculations, as that’s where you’ll usually notice the biggest hit.
2. Learn Local Emergency Numbers
You never know when you might run into a problematic situation abroad, and the feeling of being helpless in a foreign country can be overwhelming.
You can’t rely on any emergency numbers you know from your home country. The thing is that many countries have their own specific lines that must be called in different situations.
Sometimes, you may even need to memorize different phone numbers for the fire department, police, and medical services.
Your phone may be able to automatically place an emergency call with a dedicated button in case you need help fast, but you can’t count on that in every situation.
The best way to avoid any problems and know that you’ll be protected no matter what happens is to know all-important emergency numbers when traveling to a new place.
3. Lock Down the Device
There are many ways to lock down a smartphone to prevent unauthorized access these days. You can set up a PIN lock, encrypt the storage, lock the SIM card, and more – the methods you choose are up to you.
But if you’re traveling abroad, especially to a new place, it’s essential that there is at least something in place to keep nosy intruders out.
It only takes a few minutes to set up most types of protective measures anyway, so you don’t have anything to lose.
If you’re not sure what options to use, talk to someone more knowledgeable and have them guide you through the process.
4. Have a VPN Subscription Ready
A common annoyance experienced by travelers with digital devices these days is that they find themselves locked out of their favorite subscription services.
Things like Netflix, Steam, Origin, and more might become unavailable once you’ve logged in from a new location, as they often have restrictions on where their content can be accessed.
A trustful virtual private network application and an Android phone are all you need to get around that restriction though.
Thus, go online and compare some deals before going on your trip if you want to avoid this kind of problem. Just make sure that you get reliable service with a proven track record, as you might find yourself in trouble if you’re identified as a VPN user by certain services.
Securing smartphone or any mobile devices with a VPN will be very beneficial and it will protect you from the dangers of using public Wi-Fi.
5. Charger and Other Accessories
Depending on where you’re headed, you might also have to deal with the issue of finding a new charging adapter for your phone.
Some countries use different outlet styles or different voltages.
Therefore, you’ll need to make sure that you have the right kind of equipment beforehand.
A quick online search should be enough to figure out what types of outlets you’ll be dealing with, and it should be easy to find those before setting off.
Conclusion
Preparation can go a long way when traveling, and this also applies to how you use your smartphone and how safe it stays during your trips. Don’t underestimate the importance of verifying all details before traveling to another country. Otherwise, you might find yourself dealing with a large number of unexpected issues!