Traveling to Jordan? Here’s a tip. After landing at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, find the booth of a local mobile network operator – Orange Jordan has one at the airport – and buy a local SIM card to use with your phone.
It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling to Jordan or somewhere else. When traveling overseas, find a local mobile network operator that sells visitor SIM cards and offers visitor lines and get yourself a local SIM.
The eSIM Alternative
If you have an Apple eSIM-only iPhone or any eSIM-capable device, you can get a prepaid eSIM plan. In fact, you should do this before you depart for your great big adventure (i.e., before you fly out of your home country) so you won’t have to pay for mobile data charges.
Buy one from your preferred local carrier (local to your target destination, that is) online. Once you arrive at your destination, activate your pre-purchased plan and be on your merry way.
Why Not Roam?
Another option when traveling is switching on international roaming or purchasing a roaming plan from your current carrier. This may be how people have always done it, but it’s not the best way to ensure mobile connectivity when abroad.
1. High Costs
International roaming fees can be exorbitant. Even short calls, minimal data usage or receiving texts can lead to surprisingly high charges.
Even if you purchase an international roaming plan for bundled service savings, it’s still not the most economical option. If you get a $10 global day pass from one of the major carriers, for instance, you may get unlimited local calls, texts, and high-speed data, but the costs will add up. Stay for five days, pay $50; stay for 10, pay $100.
2. Unexpected Charges
Even on an “unlimited” plan, you might come home from a spectacular vacation to a shockingly large phone bill. There could be unexpected charges due to unintentional data usage or calls made while on international roaming.
Why a Local SIM or a Prepaid eSIM Plan?
Opting for a local SIM card or a prepaid eSIM plan is better than international roaming. They have the following advantages.
1. Cost-Effectiveness
Local SIM cards offer access to the host country’s network at lower prices, making calls, texts, and data usage more affordable than international roaming rates. For instance, a local Orange Jordan SIM card with a short-visit 10-day line inclusive of 15 GB of data, 60 local minutes and 10 international minutes costs just a little over $14.
That should be more than enough mobile data for a few days, but you can upgrade to the 30-day line for $7 more. That will give you 20 GB of internet, unlimited local calls and text messages, 20 international minutes and even 10 international texts.
If you have an eSIM device, you’ll enjoy even greater value. For approximately the price (tax-inclusive) of a 30-day local SIM card plan, one of the prepaid Orange offers will give you 40GB of mobile data, unlimited local calls and texts and even some free minutes for international calls to Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
2. Local Contact Convenience
Having a local phone number facilitates easier communication with residents and businesses. Order food, hail a ride or call business contacts with ease — all without racking up astronomical mobile charges.
3. Availability and Accessibility
Local SIM card booths are ubiquitous at airports, and purchasing a prepaid eSIM plan is easy and convenient. Go online, find your plan, buy it, download your profile to your eSIM-capable device, and activate the plan once you arrive. Nothing could be easier.
Travel Wisely
Is saving a few dollars here and there on mobile phone charges really worth it? Yes, it is, especially if you are always out and about on international trips.
Those few dollars add up to make colossal phone bills. Therefore, when traveling, get a local mobile phone number at your destination through a local SIM card or a prepaid eSIM plan.
