Guide

Internet on your vacation: use a data package from home or buy it when you arrive?

14.7.2023

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

Vacations can serve as a digital detox – or you can just stay online. Find out what options are available for mobile internet abroad right here.

Plenty of Swiss users are probably looking at the EU jealously these days. Since the EU Roaming Regulation came into force in 2012, there have been clear rules on how much mobile operators can charge customers when they travel to another EU country. You can either click here to read a lengthy document, or just believe me when I say it’s pretty cheap. As an EU citizen, you can go on vacation within member countries of the European Union without a care in the world. No roaming trap and rip-off tariffs.

As is well known, Switzerland isn’t part of the EU. That’s why it’s a popular game in this country to find out about the cost of calling and surfing before travelling abroad. I’ve compiled the most important options for you if you want to remain reachable and stop the data stream to your smartphone drying up.

Roaming via your mobile operator

If you have a subscription with a mobile operator, you should check before your trip whether a data package for abroad is already included in your contract. And if so, how big it is. There are also mobile subscriptions that include unlimited calls and surfing abroad – or at least in certain countries. Sometimes there are additional conditions in the small print for «unlimited» data usage. For example, your speeds could be throttled after a certain limit has been reached. If you want to watch your favourite series during the holidays or check out Luca’s latest streaming tips, such restrictions are relevant for you.

If your mobile subscription doesn’t include a fixed monthly volume for surfing abroad, you can usually buy extra data packages. It’s definitely worth taking a look at your provider’s homepage. The prices for packages vary greatly according to size and country here – as an analysis by Moneyland also recently showed. Speaking of which, in this study, Galaxus Mobile, our very own mobile plan, got pretty good marks. Here’s our article on that:

Behind the scenes
Galaxus Mobile is the lowest-priced provider for 30 days of data roaming in Europe and one year worldwide
by Stephan Kurmann

Surfing and calls with a local SIM

Does your mobile phone subscription not include a data package for abroad or are the extra data packages too expensive? Then SIM cards from providers in your vacation destination are a possible solution.

You can get one by going to a store that sells prepaid SIM cards. These can be mobile phone stores, kiosks or discount stores. The comparison service Comparis has compiled helpful tips for Germany, Austria, Italy and France. It’s worthwhile to read about this beforehand. For example, in Italy you have to register before buying a SIM card, using a local address. Some providers for certain SIM cards even require an Italian tax number.

You then physically insert the purchased local SIM card into your smartphone. If you have a model with two slots, you can even leave your home SIM card in the device. In our store you can find such smartphones, just choose Dual-SIM filter.

Alternatively, if you want to save yourself the trouble of buying and inserting a physical SIM card, you can also get cheap surfing and mobile rates with an eSIM. Here, however, I strongly recommend you do some research. The prices here can vary greatly. On dschungekompass.ch there’s an overview of prices for different eSIM providers.

And of course, your smartphone should be eSIM-enabled. In addition, your home mobile provider should allow eSim activation; in Switzerland, this is usually no problem with Swisscom and Sunrise. As an iPhone user, you can find comprehensive information on how an eSIM works on separate pages (here and here).

Bring your own router

You could use a local SIM or eSIM in your smartphone. Alternatively, you can think one size bigger and plug it into a mobile Wi-Fi router. With such a device, you can set up your own network in a vacation flat, in the hotel, at the beach or at the pool. Depending on the model, any device and those of other family members can then join.

In principle, you could of course also provide a hotspot with your smartphone, but connections are much more stable with your own router. And you put much less strain on your phone’s battery.

Here are some models from our shop with good reviews and specifications. TP Link’s M7650 allows up to 32 users, and has enough throughput with 50 Mbps upload and up to 600 Mbps download rate. Huawei’s E5576-320 isn’t quite as powerful, but it is a useful little marathon runner. Its battery lasts up to six hours in use. Netgear’s Nighthawk devices are in the top class of mobile routers. Here you get a data transfer rate of up to 2 Gbit/s (download) and up to 150 MBit/s upload. In addition, there are many connectivity options, features, and a small display that shows you what’s currently running.

Routers

CHF118.–

TP-Link M7650

Huawei E5576-320 Mobile wireless network equipment

Routers

CHF49.70

Huawei E5576-320 Mobile wireless network equipment

Routers

−52%

Used

CHF220.– currently CHF457.– new

Netgear Hotspot Nighthawk M2

Routers

CHF118.–

TP-Link M7650

Routers

CHF49.70

Huawei E5576-320 Mobile wireless network equipment

−52%

Routers

CHF220.– currently CHF457.– new

Netgear Hotspot Nighthawk M2

Use local Wi-Fi offers

Certainly the cheapest option is to use the internet offered by your hotel or public hotspots. As a rule, this should come with no extra fees nowadays. However, the stability of your connection as well as security can be a problem.

Holidays without internet?

How do you get connected during the holidays?

I use free local offers such as hotspots or Wi-Fi in the hotel.
19%
Thanks to the super-duper-all-over-the-world flat rate of my mobile plan, I always surf worry-free.
27%
I buy extra roaming packages from my mobile supplier.
21%
I get a local SIM card – it's cheaper.
29%
Digital detox is the order of the day during the holidays. My smartphone stays off.
4%

The competition has ended.

*How do you surf abroad? What methods and providers can you recommend? Let me and the Community know in the comments.

Header image: Bicanski/Pixnio

32 people like this article

Martin Jungfer

Head of Content

Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.ch

Journalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.

Network

Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest

Guide

Practical solutions for everyday problems with technology, household hacks and much more.

Show all

These articles might also interest you

Guide
Three travel routers compared: always have your WLAN with you
by Lorenz Keller
Guide
How to protect your smart home from digital attacks
by Raphael Knecht
Guide
Network solutions for your business
by Andreas Mielke