The Best Way To Get In Touch With Someone If You Don't Have Internet When Traveling

When we are at home, we usually have a lot more control over our lives. We've taken the time and effort to ensure that anything we consider essential is on hand and easy to access. But when we travel outside of this comfort zone, all of this is subject to change. You're likely unfamiliar with the area, the people, the culture, etc., and, as a result, have to figure out many things that used to be a no-brainer. One necessity that becomes especially precarious once you're traveling is an internet connection.

You might be on an outdoorsy adventure, far from civilization, or just simply in an area that your phone service doesn't cover. Wherever you are, there are a handful of reasons why your internet connection could go MIA. For a lot of us who use Wi-Fi-based messaging apps, this can cause some serious roadblocks. But, don't worry — you have some options so that you can contact other people even when you don't have an internet connection. The app Rebtel makes it possible to avoid long-distance fees and still reach people across the world.

It's crazy to think that for the majority of history, people used to travel without a hand-sized computer everywhere they went. Being without Google Translate, navigation, and/or contactless pay sounds terrifying for most modern travelers. Not being able to contact people from home while you're away is even more unheard of in this day and age. In the past, expensive long-distance fees deterred travelers from making calls back home. But today, many people will use internet-based applications to avoid charges from their phone service. 

But, if you get in a situation where you don't have Wi-Fi, this is not an option. Luckily, the Rebtel app will swap the contact of whoever you're trying to reach with a local number by linking to nearby phone lines. As a result, your phone call will show up and be charged like a regular, local call. Although this is great for calls back home, we still recommend you acquire temporary cell service for your specific location so that you can contact officials in the case of an emergency. While this will be an additional cost, you shouldn't hesitate to splurge on safety while traveling.

At this point, most of us send electronic written messages way more frequently than we give people a phone call. In addition, sending a message for friends and family to get to later can be the easier route when you're traveling across multiple time zones and don't want to wake someone up. However, a lot of us will use apps like WhatsApp or Messages to send our texts. Unfortunately, these rely on an internet connection to function. Instead of choosing these Wi-Fi-dependent apps, you should opt to download apps with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth mesh networks.

It's a somewhat confusing, techy concept. But in short, mesh networks transfer information directly from device to device without depending on Wi-Fi. Instead, the app contains programming that transfers messages to any other user with the same network downloaded onto their phone. Two popular apps that use this technology are Briar and Bridgefy. If you're worried about losing contact with people back home, this is an awesome way to ensure you don't run into any problems. 

But once again, we recommend getting a short-term data supply with a local phone service. It's one thing you can do with your phone before leaving for vacation to decrease any chance that you end up without an internet connection. Between that, Rebtel, and a mesh network application, you can guarantee your paths of communication are secure.