preacherman
Explorer
It seems like everyone wants to stay connected these days while traveling to far off and distant places. With the connectivity of our modern age it should not be too much of a hassle to stay connected while traveling overseas without having to spend a lot of money. Satellite internet systems are cool, but very pricy. Is there a way to use affordable systems you already have, while traveling in other countries? This was the question I have set out to answer many times. The following is what I have learned about staying connected while traveling in Africa.
Ok, first off let me say I have been waiting to write this until I had confirmation that the ipad info would work. We had a team just get back from Africa and it worked flawlessly. The following should give you an idea of some easy, affordable ways to stay connected overseas. I will note that all of my testing was done in East Africa (Kenya, Tanz etc)
How to use and iphone overseas (3g or 3gs)
The first and most obvious way is to buy the ATT international plan. Be careful!!!! Buying the international plan only buys you the right to use it overseas. They still charge you over $5 per minute in some countries!!!!! They also charge you for every megabyte used for email. If you have your phone set up to push updates this adds up fast. One person I spent a week with in Kenya ended up paying almost $1,000 to use his iphone for ONE WEEK!
The easiest way to use it is to unlock it. There are several easy programs that will unlock your iphone and it can be “relocked” simply by restoring your factory settings when you get home. Because your iphone creates a back up every time you sync it to your computer no data or stored info will be lost if you unlock or “relock”. Once the phone is unlocked you may use a sim card from any carrier and many countries have 3g service. This will allow you to make calls (even on Skype to other countries), check email, send twitter, or update face book. You can also send MMS in many countries and texts in all countries. Most cell carries have a pay as you go feature that will allow you to top off with more minutes when you are low.
You may also use your iphone as a WiFi hotspot buy getting the app MiFi. This app is only available if your phone is jail broken but will allow you to use your iphone as a mobile hotspot for a net book, computer, or Wifi Ipad.
How to use an iphone 4G overseas
The options are the exact same with the 4G but with one important step. The 4G iphone takes a smaller sim card called a micro sim card. Many countries do not have this card yet. You may make a micro sim card from a regular size sim card however with something called a “sim card trimmer”. Like this one http://www.mydalle.com/micro-sim-card-cutter-for-iphone-4g-ipad_p579.html. This small trimmer allows you to trim any sim card to be used in an iphone 4G. Trimming the card does not harm it (although it can no longer be used in a regular phone without a small adapter). Since most cell carriers allow you to “top up by text” you can add minutes when needed without removing the trimmed sim.
How to use and Ipad 3G overseas
Once again you have several options here.
1. Pay ATT
2. Use the wifi in any hotspots you find
3. Use an unlocked iphone as a hotspot
4. Trim a phone sim card with a sim trimmer (see above) and use it anywhere you have cell service.
So how do I use and I pad with an overseas sim? Like the iphone 4g the ipad 3G uses a micro sim card. By trimming a sim for a cell phone (with data service activated) you may use any sim in an Ipad. The only problem you will have is how to get more minutes when you minutes are depleted. You have two options. First you may remove the sim and insert it into a phone to top up or you may text minutes to the number of your sim card. All sim cards have a cell phone number attached to them. Most cell phone carriers have an option to text more minutes to a cell number. In east Africa most shops will text you more minutes. If you write down the sim card number you are using for your ipad you will be able to text yourself more minutes.
Are there any other small devices you can use for email?
This one is for all of you cheap skates who want email but do not want to but an ipad, iphone, or cell service. The kindle (international version) allows you to get email through the kindle for free! Go to the homepage then click menu then experiential, and then you will see an option to go to a web browser. You may view websites like Gmail and others. All kindles also have an email attached to them that will allow you to email documents to yourself (a handy way to carry important info). Be aware however that the kindle processer is slow and that the screen is not in color. This is limited but does work for just email and web browsing (no uploading pics).
What about traveling with important docs
“Everyone says to carry copies of all visas, passports, credit cards, vacations with you at all times. Is there a way to carry this electronically and safely? “
Yes, it’s called iron key. https://www.ironkey.comThis little jump drive is the safest way to carry sensitive info with you at all times. Since computers can be found in almost every country I carry this little guy with me at all times with copies and scans of every important document I may need. Last year in Africa I carried copies of my whole teams passports (36 people) as well as copies of bank statement transfers, vaccination records, plane tickets, bank account numbers, medical history, contacts, everything. How did I keep it safe? The Iron Key uses several ways to keep people out if it. First it is encrypted with a special password. If you type the password in incorrectly 8 times it erases itself to the point the device can never be used again. The device also has military grade encryption that will detect someone trying to hack in and will shut itself down and destroy itself. Second, the jump drive hard drive is incased in military grade epoxy so if someone tries to crack the device open to get at the info the whole hard drive will be destroyed. The unit also lets you load programs to it like Skype and Firefox. As an added bonus the unit has software on it that renders you invisible while using any program loaded on the iron key. You can even safely check bank accounts and pay bills from any computer in the world without worry. This feature is very handy when traveling for long periods of time. It also has a remote disable feature if it gets lost or stolen.
I hope this is helpful to some of you guys. These are just a few of the tricks I have picked up the past few years while traveling in Africa. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
Ok, first off let me say I have been waiting to write this until I had confirmation that the ipad info would work. We had a team just get back from Africa and it worked flawlessly. The following should give you an idea of some easy, affordable ways to stay connected overseas. I will note that all of my testing was done in East Africa (Kenya, Tanz etc)
How to use and iphone overseas (3g or 3gs)
The first and most obvious way is to buy the ATT international plan. Be careful!!!! Buying the international plan only buys you the right to use it overseas. They still charge you over $5 per minute in some countries!!!!! They also charge you for every megabyte used for email. If you have your phone set up to push updates this adds up fast. One person I spent a week with in Kenya ended up paying almost $1,000 to use his iphone for ONE WEEK!
The easiest way to use it is to unlock it. There are several easy programs that will unlock your iphone and it can be “relocked” simply by restoring your factory settings when you get home. Because your iphone creates a back up every time you sync it to your computer no data or stored info will be lost if you unlock or “relock”. Once the phone is unlocked you may use a sim card from any carrier and many countries have 3g service. This will allow you to make calls (even on Skype to other countries), check email, send twitter, or update face book. You can also send MMS in many countries and texts in all countries. Most cell carries have a pay as you go feature that will allow you to top off with more minutes when you are low.
You may also use your iphone as a WiFi hotspot buy getting the app MiFi. This app is only available if your phone is jail broken but will allow you to use your iphone as a mobile hotspot for a net book, computer, or Wifi Ipad.
How to use an iphone 4G overseas
The options are the exact same with the 4G but with one important step. The 4G iphone takes a smaller sim card called a micro sim card. Many countries do not have this card yet. You may make a micro sim card from a regular size sim card however with something called a “sim card trimmer”. Like this one http://www.mydalle.com/micro-sim-card-cutter-for-iphone-4g-ipad_p579.html. This small trimmer allows you to trim any sim card to be used in an iphone 4G. Trimming the card does not harm it (although it can no longer be used in a regular phone without a small adapter). Since most cell carriers allow you to “top up by text” you can add minutes when needed without removing the trimmed sim.
How to use and Ipad 3G overseas
Once again you have several options here.
1. Pay ATT
2. Use the wifi in any hotspots you find
3. Use an unlocked iphone as a hotspot
4. Trim a phone sim card with a sim trimmer (see above) and use it anywhere you have cell service.
So how do I use and I pad with an overseas sim? Like the iphone 4g the ipad 3G uses a micro sim card. By trimming a sim for a cell phone (with data service activated) you may use any sim in an Ipad. The only problem you will have is how to get more minutes when you minutes are depleted. You have two options. First you may remove the sim and insert it into a phone to top up or you may text minutes to the number of your sim card. All sim cards have a cell phone number attached to them. Most cell phone carriers have an option to text more minutes to a cell number. In east Africa most shops will text you more minutes. If you write down the sim card number you are using for your ipad you will be able to text yourself more minutes.
Are there any other small devices you can use for email?
This one is for all of you cheap skates who want email but do not want to but an ipad, iphone, or cell service. The kindle (international version) allows you to get email through the kindle for free! Go to the homepage then click menu then experiential, and then you will see an option to go to a web browser. You may view websites like Gmail and others. All kindles also have an email attached to them that will allow you to email documents to yourself (a handy way to carry important info). Be aware however that the kindle processer is slow and that the screen is not in color. This is limited but does work for just email and web browsing (no uploading pics).
What about traveling with important docs
“Everyone says to carry copies of all visas, passports, credit cards, vacations with you at all times. Is there a way to carry this electronically and safely? “
Yes, it’s called iron key. https://www.ironkey.comThis little jump drive is the safest way to carry sensitive info with you at all times. Since computers can be found in almost every country I carry this little guy with me at all times with copies and scans of every important document I may need. Last year in Africa I carried copies of my whole teams passports (36 people) as well as copies of bank statement transfers, vaccination records, plane tickets, bank account numbers, medical history, contacts, everything. How did I keep it safe? The Iron Key uses several ways to keep people out if it. First it is encrypted with a special password. If you type the password in incorrectly 8 times it erases itself to the point the device can never be used again. The device also has military grade encryption that will detect someone trying to hack in and will shut itself down and destroy itself. Second, the jump drive hard drive is incased in military grade epoxy so if someone tries to crack the device open to get at the info the whole hard drive will be destroyed. The unit also lets you load programs to it like Skype and Firefox. As an added bonus the unit has software on it that renders you invisible while using any program loaded on the iron key. You can even safely check bank accounts and pay bills from any computer in the world without worry. This feature is very handy when traveling for long periods of time. It also has a remote disable feature if it gets lost or stolen.
I hope this is helpful to some of you guys. These are just a few of the tricks I have picked up the past few years while traveling in Africa. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
