Keeping in Contact Abroad

Modern travellers rely on their mobile phones not just for games and apps, but as a means of communication. However, just bringing your mobile phone along for your travels does not necessarily mean you will be able to stay in touch, or contact anyone in an emergency.

Here are our tops tips to make sure you stay in contact abroad;

• Make sure your phone can receive calls, and make outgoing calls abroad – it may sound obvious, but many people do not realise that their phone contract or SIM card has not been set up for use abroad. You can change this with a quick call to your phone provider, who can update your details.
• Make sure you have enough credit – if you don’t have a phone contract, make sure you have enough credit on your phone to make and accept calls at all times. You should also make sure you can top up your phone wherever you are.
• Skype is not great for emergencies – many travellers rely on Skype to stay in touch with people at home during their trip, and although Skype is a great way of staying in contact, the line can be unstable, so it is not a great medium for contacting people in an emergency.
• Always charge your phone before you leave your accommodation each day – again it may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how quickly your phone’s power starts to drain during an emergency situation. Make sure it is fully charged each day.
• Turn off any apps or games that you are not using – lately there has been a lot of media coverage about escalating mobile phone bills because of apps running in the background. Avoid draining your credit and battery by turning these apps off.
• Make sure you know important phone numbers – before you leave for your trip, save important contact information into your phone book (as well as noting them down in a separate place in case your phone dies). You should make sure you know what number to call in an emergency, (for example 112 is the international number to contact the Police or an Ambulance), as well as your travel insurance provider’s emergency medical helpline. You should contact both as soon as possible in a medical emergency.

Some of these points may seem over cautious, however if you do face an emergency abroad, you will soon realise how much you need to rely on your phone. Your travel insurer will always endeavour to help you if you face a medical emergency, however communication can easily break down if they cannot contact you.

Safe travels!