Promoting your Blog while on the road?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jane on January 31, 2010 at 4:24pm

You would be better getting a phone that also a wifi option. I have a Nokia N85 which has the option of using the normal mobile internet that your network would provide, or using the wifi option which allows you to use a local providers interent like you would with a laptop. Any Nokia N series phone has this option. I don't know of any others although I am sure there are more that have this facility, especially with any of the latest handsets that have come out recently. :)

Permalink Reply by Adam on January 31, 2010 at 5:55pm

That's definitely something that would work. Someone else recommended an iPod Touch for that sole reason - you get the chance to use free wifi when it's available, and I don't necessarily need the phone feature... (though using SIM cards from individual countries does seem to be recommended). thanks!

Permalink Reply by Lara Dunston on January 31, 2010 at 4:36pm

My travel blog isn't my 'business', rather I'm a professional travel writer who also blogs, but my circumstances are the same. I've been on the road four years, starting my fifth now, so good communication is key.

To be honest I mainly use email due time zones and trickiness of always finding a good time to speak.

However, I have my Dubai phone (Dubai is my base) as my main number, which people can call me on, and then will buy local pre-paid SIM cards to make calls. In my experience, local SIMs are dirt cheap, and the calls are *always* the cheapest (Australia aside where calls from pre-paid phones are far more expensive than complicated plans) and arrangements in places like Thailand, Italy, Argentina, Syria, etc, don't seem to be anywhere near as complicated as Australia, USA, UK, etc. Having a local SIM card makes it far more likely that local contacts I am dealing with on stories/books will call me back. I have quite a collection of SIMs now so it's easy to pop one in and be ready to work as soon as I arrive.

Permalink Reply by Adam on January 31, 2010 at 5:56pm

I've done that before. I had an unlocked Motorola RAZR when I last traveled extensively internationally and traded out the SIM cards when needed. I'll look into it for more advanced phones that allow Internet access.

Permalink Reply by Brian Peters on January 31, 2010 at 5:30pm

You may be talking about two different things, voice and data:

If you're talking about voice get Skype. You can get it on your smartphone (Win, Google, Symbian, iPhone) and/or your laptop and connect via WiFi or network connection.

You can also get an unlocked GSM cell phone and get a SIM for each country. This sounds like a big deal but it is not. The US in pretty behind in letting consumers choose their phone and the norm here is to lock people into a contract. Rest of the world is on GSM and SIMs are readily available to pop into your phone.

The SIM card will give you a new phone number so you can get a Google Voice account and have calls go to the Google Voice number first, which then could ring to the phone. If the cell phone number changes, you just change the number Google Voice forwards to.

If you talking about data for your laptop or phone, Wi-Fi is most everywhere in the world. Hotels/hostels/coffeeshops/libraries - I think McDonald's is wiring most of it restaurants in the US for Wi-Fi. I know I saw that in Hong Kong's Mickey D's too. Internet access won't be a problem. Get Skype on your laptop/notebook and you've killed two birds with one stone.

International data plans via the US carriers would also be much more expensive than setting up yourself for the road. Don't even bother with that. I don't know anyone who uses a US based roaming voice or data plan unless they are super wealthy or have a company business account paying for it.

Permalink Reply by Adam on January 31, 2010 at 5:59pm

Thanks Brian!

A lot of the US carriers charge per kilo/megabyte on their data plans but Verizon offers one that's unlimited Internet access for $100/mo. I'd have to sign a 2-year contract though which I desperately do NOT want to do.

Maybe getting a smartphone (unlocked GSM like you mention) is the best idea and then use SIM cards per country when needed but I'd be worried that data transfer (ie, internet usage) would still be expensive. Any idea how much countries charge to use data/internet, though? I imagine some places are more expensive than others, but I suppose if the phone can access wifi as well, that would cut down on costs. Thoughts?

Permalink Reply by Brian Peters on January 31, 2010 at 7:42pm

Does Verizon show you exactly where and what countries the coverage will work? Is that WiFi? Do you need a Verizon phone for that or extra equipment you need to buy and take with you? I'm very wary of US carriers overseas. Their promises never live up to actuality, at least for me.

The SIM cards are fine because you put a prepaid amount on them. When that money runs out your connection is over so you can't go over budget. You can refill the SIM or get a new one. I did that in London and used the cell phone all over Europe. I used O2 or T-Mobile in the UK I don't remember. When my time was up I could 'top off' the account. Same concept all over the world.

Permalink Reply by Andy Graham on February 1, 2010 at 5:54am

I highly recommend using the Verizon Data Plan, it worked for me in Haiti, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and all the other countries. I think it cost about 100 dollars. Do not call anyone, they will caller ID you can call you back, BIG money.

Smartphones, BlackBerry, HTC, it is the plan that is imporant.

ATT has about 80 countries, Verizon has about 180

I blog over it, upload photos, Facebook and Twitter, and read Wikipedia.org. I write the blog post offline and can reply quickly. If an advertiser writre you, you write back faster than finding an internet connection in Haiti.
Andy in Dominican Republic, got of Haiti five days before the Earthquake.

Permalink Reply by Brian Peters on February 1, 2010 at 9:36am

If that works as well as Adam says, that could be a great deal.

Only question now then is do you want to sign the 2 year contract?

Permalink Reply by Adam on February 1, 2010 at 1:00pm

Yeah, I'm going to research the fine print.

Signing a 2-year contract pretty much sucks but I've heard Verizon allows you to switch plans without having to resign an additional contract. So if I ever don't need the 100/mo plan I can switch to a cheaper one as needed.

Permalink Reply by Scott Kimber on February 2, 2010 at 1:09pm

That plan includes international roaming? Isn't the international data roaming expensive?

Permalink Reply by G and Ray on February 8, 2010 at 11:05am

Hey Adam! I can at least answer the first part...at least here in Asia (the Indian subcontinent anyway), we're finding that YES you need a cell with internet if you want to do anything to move your site forward while not detracting from the trip. We haven't been able to do both successfully without it (notice how it's been ages since we talked?), and we're actually taking a trip to Singapore to go get one.

If you get any feedback on phones and plans in the next few days, please please pass it along! Otherwise I guess I'll be letting you know what we end up doing!

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