Travel Smart This Season: Staying Connected, Secure and in Control
As the travel season approaches, it’s worth taking a moment to prepare your mobile setup before you leave. While staying connected has never been easier, unexpected charges, poor signal, or device loss can quickly disrupt a trip if you’re not prepared.
One of the most common challenges travellers face is roaming costs, particularly outside of Europe. Charges can vary significantly depending on destination, but there are often alternative options available that can help reduce these costs. These may include solutions that provide access to local data networks without the need for a physical SIM, or options that allow multiple users to connect through a single device.
If you are travelling to a higher-cost destination, we recommend getting in touch before you go so we can talk you through the most suitable and cost-effective options for your trip.
Before travelling, it’s important to check that your plan is set up correctly. This includes:
Ensuring the correct roaming or international bolt-ons are active
Checking your spend caps are set appropriately
Confirming your service will work in your destination
This can help avoid unexpected charges and ensure your service works as intended abroad.
Going on a Cruise? Here’s What You Need to Know
If you’re travelling on a cruise or ferry, it’s important to be aware that your phone may connect to a maritime network.
These networks operate via satellite and sit outside standard roaming agreements, meaning charges can be significantly higher than expected—even for minimal or background usage.
To avoid unexpected costs:
Switch your device to airplane mode before boarding
Only enable WiFi when needed (for example, when using the ship’s onboard WiFi)
Even small amounts of data usage on these networks can lead to high charges, so it’s always best to stay in control of your connection.
A similar situation can occur in remote or rural areas, where your device may connect to satellite-based networks. These connections are typically slower and more costly, so it’s advisable to monitor usage or disable mobile data if signal appears unexpectedly.
Keep Your Device Safe While Travelling
Security is an important consideration when travelling. Recent updates from the Metropolitan Police Service highlight the growing issue of phone theft, particularly in busy areas.
Before you travel, make sure you:
Enable tracking features such as Find My or Find My Device
Use a strong passcode or biometric security
Ensure your device is backed up
Most modern plans also offer tools to help you stay in control while abroad, including usage tracking, alerts, and spend caps.
If you need help reviewing your settings or understanding what’s available, we’re happy to assist.
No Signal Whilst Travelling? Try This
If you’re having trouble connecting while abroad, try the following:
iPhone
Toggle airplane mode on for 20 seconds, then off again
Go to Settings > Mobile Service/Cellular > Mobile Data Options and check Data Roaming is enabled
Ensure 4G/LTE (or 5G) is selected by going into
Try manual network selection via Settings > Mobile Service/Cellular > Network Selection > Toggle automatic off > Wait for networks to appear > Pick a different network
Android
Toggle airplane mode on briefly, then off again
Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks and enable Data Roaming
Ensure 4G/LTE (or higher) is selected
Try manual network selection via Network Operators > Toggle automatic off > Wait for networks to appear > Pick a different network
If the issue continues, allow a few minutes between attempts as networks can take time to register.
👉 Still having issues or need support? Contact us on 03300 240223 or email customer.support@can-solutions.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.