Travel SIM/internet

SaberX on 23/01/2014 - 16:13

Hi guys, heading to Thailand and M'sia (K.L) soon. Just wondering, there's alot of news and talk about travel sims you can buy here, or travel usb wifi devices that are meant to be 'cheap'.

Just wondering how much, and which brands are recommended. Any that don't lock you into a contract? I think it'd be easier on a sim plan as I can stick the sim into my samsung galaxy s3 phone OR my acer iconia a501 tablet, but i recently read a travel article recommending a "globalgig" wifi hotspot device available from dicksmith, with sim costing $2, and international roaming $19 a month.

Is this a good deal , or what else is available out there??? Or are the globalgig's 'roaming internet charges' outrageously high? It comes with 1 GB data…

Otherwise I can try to hunt down a local sim, malaysia is easier as family originate there and i always buy from there, but places like Thailand etc where I'm not local are harder/more of an inconvenience.

Woudl the globalgig or any recommended travel sims, travel wifi hotspot devices, or travel usb internet dongles work in countries like thailand, malaysia etC?

Travel

Comments

  • tonester on 23/01/2014 - 16:15

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/116481 might help :)

    • SaberX on 23/01/2014 - 17:12

      Thanks. Will have a look. clicked on the globalgig link on that page and it appears per it's main page it doesn't even cover Thailand or Malaysia, so there goes that idea.

  • battler on 23/01/2014 - 16:49

    jump off the plane in Bangkok and head to the DTAC counter - grab a local sim. It's about $20 for a bucketload of allowance for a month or so.
    7-11's sell SIMs too, but can be harder to get the correct amount of calls/data allowance sorted and activated as you need to make phone calls.
    Other option is look up where the DTAC (or AIS or Truemove) counters/shops are in the location you are visiting and go to one of them.

    • SaberX on 23/01/2014 - 17:14

      DTAC stands for? I arrive at the DMK airport though as I'm going air asia, not the other main airport. is that available? Any names to suggest of local sims that can make emergency calls when I need to (won't be calling otherwise - unless like malaysia its a few cents per minute to call overseas, don't know why malayis'a overseas call rate is so cheap). Below user suggested truemove?

      Oh wait reading into your last few lines, is DTAC an actual mobile provider's name? I would prefer liek you said having a counter who can speak at least decent enough english to understand I want to buy, setup and reload credit on a sim to be able to access internet on the go.

      • battler on 23/01/2014 - 17:29

        DTAC is the phone company.
        From what i understand there is no DTAC (or other) booth at Don Muang. You may need to find a shop closer to your accommodation.

        fyi, emergency phone calls can be made on any phone, anywhere in the world, with or without a SIM card, by dialing 112.

  • unicorn888 on 23/01/2014 - 16:57

    use DiGi in Malaysia and Truemove in Thailand.. Very easy to buy and very cheap

    • SaberX on 23/01/2014 - 17:11

      Think I always pick up digi in the LCCT (budget) terminals on the way arriving. How is tune talk (air asia's offering) in terms of internet speed/reliability?

      Is it just as fast to buy one sim for my mobile phone, hot spot it to my tablet? Or is it alot faster having a sim in the tablet direct? Just saves me from buying two sims on a 1 week holiday… which is pretty short.

      Truemove in Thailand.. where can I obtain this? So is it easy to just buy, setup for internet (does it come with ability to make calls?) etc? I arrive in the DMK airport.. flying air asia in.

  • SaberX on 23/01/2014 - 17:16

    Was thinking as an alternative to buying a sim each for my phone , and another for the tablet: can you just buy an usb wireless hotspot device? if so do I just need to look for a Huawei brand? or is there another device that does a great job of inserting a sim, microsim etc and being able to wifi transmit internet between devices at a very good speed?

    Something that preferably works on the MHZ frequency (i think that's the word?) in australia, as well as these overseas locations, as it'd be good to be able to use it back in australia when needed.

    • unicorn888 on 23/01/2014 - 17:20

      You can buy a mifi router in KL downtown..search this place Plaza Lowyat (http://plazalowyat.com/); it's a lot cheaper there..please Pm me if you need some help

      • SaberX on 23/01/2014 - 18:03

        what is mifi? Referring to a wireless hotspot device?

        What sort of usb modem would you recommend as opposed to a wifi hotspot device? Huawei? Just

  • unicorn888 on 23/01/2014 - 17:17

    Don't use tunetalk..it's suck..I've been in KL for the last 3 years..always use Digi..or you can use Maxis but a bit expensive..like Telstra here..
    DiGi http://new.digi.com.my/Page/plan/default/prepaid_internet_ta…
    cost around AUD 8.5 for 1 Gb
    Maxis http://new.maxis.com.my/en/personal/internet.html

    • SaberX on 23/01/2014 - 17:28

      think i've always used digi too. 8.50 sounds right, about $24 for the sim setup, can't remember if it's 1 gb data for a month, but the recharge etc is fairly easy to get. the only issue is i think you buy a data pack each time ,do you know what is available? i faintly remember you can get a daily one for unlimited use, or like a certain amount of data e.g. 1 gb for a week at a timE? I found however it was going over really quick, not sure if they include upload data into the quota becuase I would do my usual surfing, fb etc but was using insane amounts of the 1gb data up quickly, whereas over here in aus my 1gb amaysim never gets used up.

      is the maxis network more exp, but faster like telstra? and more reliable?

  • carpecrash on 23/01/2014 - 23:01

    Truphone is epic. Most places in eastern europe and asia allowed me to use data for 50c per mb. Plus you can port your number to the sim.

    • SaberX on 24/01/2014 - 12:30

      $0.50 a mb seems quite expensive? or you mean GB?

  • ssmith3104 on 13/05/2014 - 02:30

    I had intended that for my upcoming excursion to China that I would activate on my Vodafone, their well vaunted $5 per day overseas roaming facility that was supposed to give (I don't remember exactly) either unlimited or a generous daily limit. Well, it looks like I've missed the boat; Vodafone have ripped the guts out of it during April. Firstly, my existing "plan" no longer "qualifies" to buy this add-on. Only the high-end "old" plans, plus new plans, can now buy the $5 per day add-on. Secondly, even if I still was permitted to buy this service, the overseas data and telephony that I would be entitled to each day is no longer generous. It is only the daily pro-rata equivalent of my domestic Oz limits that would apply. That is useless. When not travelling, most of my phone & data use are done via home & office phones & computers, or via WiFi. When travelling this all changes and nearly ALL my daily telephony + data needs have to go thru my iPhone. Merely getting 1/30th per day of my monthly Australian allowances will not come close to what I need! Hopeless.

    Buying local cards over there is not joyful. They ban "tethering" including being able to use my iPhone to make my own "hotspot" so that I can share data with my laptop and iPad! Why? If I purchase a 1GB card, why can't I use it up any way I see fit to do so? Outrageous, but one of my family members here has the same issue here in Australia with Amaysim on the Optus network.

    Some of my data use will be down. I'm told that my access to social media such as my Facebook is BANNED in China. Can anybody tell me if I'll be able to use Viber and/or Skype while there?

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