Being Human
Related Articles
Travelers looking to avoid roaming charges when using mobile data should ask their service provider about international packages or get a global SIM card like Google Fi before leaving home. Not only that, but whilst traveling, there are several things one can do to ensure you’re not blowing up your cell bill that month.
Turn off Wi-Fi Assist
Wi-Fi Assist uses cellular data to boost weak Wi-Fi connections, but if your plan limits mobile data use it can quickly be consumed. You can turn off Wi-Fi Assist through either iOS Settings or Android Settings on Android devices.
As well as turning off automatic backup and auto-update tools that use cellular data on your device (iCloud Photo Library, Google One etc.), it’s also smart to manually back up photos and videos periodically and utilize Wi-Fi whenever possible.
Apps such as Skype and WhatsApp might make Wi-Fi calling seem unnecessary; however, its use actually enhances performance of phones with weak cellular service and saves both data and battery life by bypassing it altogether. No app download, contacts addition or remembering login credentials required! Unlike most VoIP apps it comes pre-loaded onto your device.
To disable Wi-Fi calling on an Android device, navigate to its settings app and tap on the cog icon (sometimes also known as menu icon). Navigating through Connections or Cellular will reveal Wi-Fi Calling option with blue toggle switch; flip this off if necessary to temporarily stop Wi-Fi calling; you may always turn it back on later if required.
Turn off Location Services
Though you might think your cell phone provider is tracking your data usage while traveling, you can regain control of your privacy by disabling location services on your device and disabling apps that automatically update and use it.
On Android, navigate to Settings, App permissions and then the target app’s Permissions line that lists Location permission. To temporarily turn off location services, move the slider towards Off. A pop-up message might warn that doing so might interfere with certain features.
Social media allows many to easily share photos and other forms of content, but it is good to consider how much of their information they are giving out. While some may feel comfortable tagging locations (for instance when trying out a new restaurant or meeting friends at a park), others might worry that anyone following them on Instagram could easily see exactly where they live.
To stop tracking, it is best practice to disable Location Services on a device. This will limit how much data is collected while potentially saving battery life.
To turn off Location Services, open the Settings app and switch the switch off. Certain apps may still require access to your location; in order to control which ones have it, use Location Services and tap each individual app’s Location Settings – select Never, Ask Next Time or While Using App in their respective Location Settings pages to decide how you share it with each individual app.
Although certain apps require knowing where you are to work properly, it’s essential to carefully evaluate their risks versus benefits. Predators and others who may wish to harm you could use cell tower data that identifies your phone to track its movement and assess when you may be away on vacation or any changes in behavior patterns that could suggest whether you may have moved.
Android and iOS both allow you to select which applications need access to your location data, with Precise Location offering more precise insights within a shorter radius. You may wish to turn this off.
If you choose to keep Precise Location enabled, you can easily customize its access setting for each app by either choosing “Always” or “While Using This App.” In addition, be wary if your camera tags your location; this could give intruders an idea of your home address or when you may be away.
Turn off Auto-Sync & Updates
Auto-sync can use up data and drain battery power faster. When mobil på ferie, you can turn it off in your Account settings by clicking sync and turning it off. Use these simple tips to easily save mobile data while traveling and enjoy your trip without being concerned with data roaming charges – something that can pile up rather quickly when you’re on the road.
International roaming charges can be prohibitively expensive. When traveling overseas for an extended period, it may be beneficial to turn off apps set to automatically refresh or update over cellular networks, and switch them back on when connected to Wi-Fi instead.
Reducing data usage while vacationing by disabling streaming and updating apps is simple on iOS devices, while slightly more involved on Android phones – for further guidance see this helpful article for details on this approach.
Turn off Video Calling
Avoiding video calls (especially work-related) on vacation requires plenty of discipline, but setting up some tech tricks may provide much-needed assistance.
By changing the settings on your phone, you can restrict automatic app updates when using cellular data. Emails and other apps will then have to request download or updates via Wi-Fi instead – leaving you free to vacation without the stress of incoming video calls from the boss.
To prevent you from checking email and Slack while traveling, remove all work-related apps and switch them for something more enjoyable. It is acceptable to check in from time to time during your vacation trip; just don’t make it an obsession.
Avoid Data Roaming & Boosting
Smart phones provide tremendous value when traveling abroad; acting as your map, translator, currency converter, guidebook and camera all-in-one! However, too much time spent online may put too much strain on your wallet when you’re abroad.
Start planning for an easier travel experience and avoid bill shock by turning off data roaming before departing and shopping around for international data plans when you arrive at your destination. Some carriers provide special offers that cover certain countries or include free texts and calls!
Another great solution is downloading apps that let you text and chat as though you were on your home network, such as WhatsApp and Kik with unlimited texting; FaceTime, Skype, KakaoTalk for voice calling; on iOS turn off Background App Refresh (found under Settings) so your apps do not consume expensive cellular data (re-enabling this can help if needed for viewing weather forecasts or listening to favorite tunes during happy hour).
Your best way of managing data usage is checking your phone’s usage counters frequently. An hour of browsing may use up 2-300MB, 30 minutes of YouTube can consume 100MB in 30 minutes and video calling apps may consume large amounts of data when left running unattended.
If you own an iPhone, check your phone settings to disable any apps’ ability to use cellular data for automatic updating or refreshing – as this could run up significant data charges!
Turn off Push Notifications
Push notifications can be useful for alerting you of updates in your favorite apps, but they can also be distracting and intrusive. Some apps take advantage of push notifications by flooding your Notification Shade with spammy offers and promotional messages.
Even when notifications arrive, you may not feel an immediate desire to check them immediately; but this constant temptation could lead to “phubbing,” whereby someone glances at their phone during a conversation or checks social media while out and about.
There are a few effective strategies available to reduce distracting push notifications on an iPhone. First, if you don’t want to shut off all notifications at once, consider configuring certain app alerts – for instance if Google Search only shows shipping notifications from Amazon when used as part of Amazon shopping experience – notifying. Alternatively, set your iPhone so only certain alerts appear (for instance only notifications related to certain products from specific stores will show).
Turn off Bluetooth
Modern smartphones have become important tools, offering GPS location services, translator apps, entertainment options and cameras in one. Unfortunately, each year thousands of phones go missing or get stolen while traveling abroad for vacation.
As soon as you’re no longer using Bluetooth, it is vital that you switch it off in order to prevent criminals from using scanners to locate and steal your devices – this is particularly important if your vehicle is parked near another and your phone, laptop, or iPad are visible through its windows.
Disconnect any devices currently paired to your phone or tablet, as some older apps can interfere with Bluetooth operation and it can help to clear their cache (iOS: Settings > General > Storage & USB > Clean Up). If problems still remain, try connecting to new devices.
