Have you returned from a trip overseas to find your mobile phone bill hit with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars of data coverage and roaming fees? This has become a common occurrence with the prolific use of smartphones and the other portable technology we need to take care of business on the road.
Within each country, we have found ways to offer internet access in a relatively affordable way. However, the international community does little to accommodate those who travel outside their country. Carriers apply fees to those who roam outside their network – and at the rate we now consume data, those fees add up quickly.
XCom Global offers a simple solution that can potentially save you thousands of dollars each year: a wireless data
rental service
Rent and roam
XCom Global offers a simple solution that can potentially save you thousands of dollars each year: a wireless data rental service. You rent equipment and unlimited data access without any long-term contracts. Travellers can take advantage of XCom Global’s pre-negotiated rates and arrange for data connectivity at a fixed rate before they set out on their trip – saving time and money.
Renting is easy. Travellers fill out the online order form, providing their itinerary. XCom Global recommends the best plan for their trip. The rental device is shipped out, arriving the day before the traveller’s departure. A FedEx return slip is included in the package. When the traveller returns home, they pop the rental device in an envelope and ship it back to XCom Global.
The best solution
Although there are other solutions that travellers have explored, each has its limitations and is typically more expensive once you’ve factored in realistic data usage and productivity. Flat-fee international plans, available from most carriers, cap data usage at a few hundred megabytes per day. So, even if you remember to sign up for an international plan before you leave, you may still return to hefty overage charges. You are forced to monitor your usage and many are shocked at how soon they use their allotment. Read the fine print on plans such as T-Mobile’s that include free international data – this is only for 2G connections. You could be waiting a whole day for an email to load.
Hotel wi-fi is often more expensive than an XCom Global rental. Since you are sharing your connection with other hotel guests, speeds are unimpressive at peak times. You are also tethered to your hotel room for data access. Free hotspots (in coffee shops, hotels, airports, etc) should be accessed with caution. Hackers target these connections. XCom Global’s hotspots are secured with WPA2 and VPN pass-through via IPsec.
Purchasing a local SIM for your phone can be trickier than it sounds. Your phone may not be compatible with the foreign network and may operate on slower legacy networks. XCom Global’s equipment is certified to operate on the in-country network, and takes advantage of the latest technologies, such as LTE in select countries.
For those who want fixed-price, high-speed, secure connections for all of their wi-fi-enabled devices (you can connect up to 10 on one XCom Global Mobile Hotspot rental), XCom Global is the best solution. The company offers worldwide coverage (in over 175 countries) and access to 24-hour customer support no matter where you are in the world. And for convenience, it can’t be beaten. XCom Global Mobile Hotspots are portable, easy to use, and are ready to go as soon as you arrive at your destination. Be a hero – add an XCom Global rental to every international itinerary.
