Study abroad

jonomwood

I am just looking into best mobiles etc for my daughter who is about to embark on a study abroad term (probably just over 4 months). She will need her phone whilst out there (unlocked Iphone 5S) and has some access to wifi at her accommodation but is likely to need a phone while out there and some roaming access when away from base.


I have been reading the Three sim terms and it looks like this would only work for up to 2 months. Any other good tips or is she probably better picking up a US PAYG sim for calls etc when out and about and stick to Whatsapp to stay in touch with home when she has wifi access.


Also will she need a different type of travel insurance or would annual trip/backpacker type insurance be OK.


Thanks

Gloomendoom

Her university should be able to recommend the most appropriate insurance.

eDicky

Her Three SIM will continue to work but the 'Feel at Home' provision is likely to end after two months or so.

For a four month stay it's likely that she will need a local number, in the form of a PAYG SIM, to be contactable and to be able to make local calls (which is not included in Feel at Home).

Voyager2002

It would really help if you told us which country...


Getting hold of a SIM in India is a major headache, but everywhere else I have been it is very easy. The facility to make and receive calls locally is enormously valuable, and there may well be local services that are linked to your telephone -- for example, the most convenient way to buy train tickets in India is a telephone app that requires an Indian SIM card.


On insurance: be sure to tell the insurer what she will be doing. For example, on my last foreign trip my travel insurance would have been invalidated had I given a presentation in a purpose-built lecture theatre!

knightstyle

We are in France and our Giffgaff sim is about to end the two month free roaming. So we have another old mobile with a local sim, cheap PAYG from supermarket, and will use the Giffgaff one sparingly, Charges are not too bad after roaming ends and we will just get short calls to arrange time for a free call on messenger or Skype. Internet here is intermittent!

Placitasgirl

The OP did ask if her daughter would "probably better picking up a US PAYG sim for calls etc when out and about", so it appears she's off the the United States!

jonomwood

Thanks. She is traveling to the USA hence reference to US PAYG sim

jonomwood

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Her university should be able to recommend the most appropriate insurance.

Not been too impressed with the study abroad co-ordinator or the US institution as the accommodation ahs been a bit of a farce to arrange. The US university does not seem to have any accommodation that is only available for the overseas students for a single semester.