Our phones have become so pervasive that it’s hard to do without them when traveling. I would say especially when traveling where you may be constantly looking for information, where you may need to book a car, check the status of a flight etc. Unfortunately, consuming data abroad is charged at such a prohibitive price and sometimes in such transparent conditions that before launching Google Maps one must first ask oneself which organ one is willing to sell on the black market to finance a few minutes of connection.
Roaming or how to get fleeced by your carrier
As far as the European Union is concerned, the problem has recently been solved and nobody will complain about it. But travel outside the E.U. remains problematic: apart from a few packages that offer data in the U.S. in particular, we are reduced to switching everything off or falling back on solutions that are not necessarily ideal.
Because solutions exist:
1°) Take a “local” SIM. Not always ideal because unless you have a “dual SIM” device it means temporarily losing your usual number.
2°) Subscribe to an option with your carrier. Their price is often prohibitive for a ridiculous amount of data and they do not allow the same uses as “at home”.
In short, nothing satisfactory. That’s why we considered the Skyroam Solis that I bought for my latest vacation.
Skyroam Solis : what is it ?
The Skyroam Solis is a portable wifi hotspot. You can also find it on Amazon.
Concretely speaking, the terminal connects to the local telephone network in 4G and you connect to the terminal in Wifi. You can therefore deactivate data abroad and surf as if you were in France. You can connect up to 5 devices simultaneously to the terminal, which is certainly very practical when traveling with friends, couples or family.
Skyroam Solis: how much does it cost?
The offer is tempting but you will want it to be profitable for you.
There are two things to consider: the price of the terminal and the price of the connections.
The Skyroam Solis hotspot costs 149 €.
Then there is the price of the connections. On this point the offers have multiplied recently to offer a range of plans to meet all the needs of users.
1°) The daily pass at 8€.
For 8€ per day you have an unlimited connection for 24 hours.
2°) The monthly package at 80€.
For 80€ you get unlimited data for a month. Subscription without engagement that can be taken in “one shot”.
By opting for the 8 € passes, a 15 day trip to Asia was more than enough to make it all worthwhile compared to the roaming options offered by my favorite carrier. And I was alone…knowing that up to 5 devices can share the connection you can imagine the savings when you are in a group. I’ve even seen customers use it as an alternative to hotel wifis either because of price or simply because 4G was faster and more reliable than Wifi. Or because the connection is more secure than a public Wifi.
The Skyroam Solis : promise kept ?
The set up is very simple.
The packaging is of high quality and rather flattering. It’s almost like Apple.
You open the box…
There are instructions for use and the hotspot itself accompanied by its USB cable to recharge it.
A very simple setup
To connect for the first time, simply turn on the hotspot, create an account online, connect to the hotspot and pair it with your account. From this moment you can buy packs and subscriptions.
Daily use is just as simple.
You connect to the terminal’s Wifi and ask it to activate a pass or a subscription either from the browser or from an application.
The hotspot searches for the best network and connects to it. Then you just have to decide to activate your connection and that’s it.
Don’t lose the wifi code that came with the device, that would be a problem.
In use the connection is very good, as good as if you were directly in 4G. I have experienced some untimely disconnections but nothing serious: just restart it in the application.
The only problem may be to transport the device. It fits easily in a jacket pocket but is much less discreet and pleasant to carry in a pants pocket. Having always a bag on me it found its place most naturally in it but it is a point to be taken into account.
Conclusion: the Skyroam Solis has definitely found its place in my travel pack whenever I travel outside Europe. A small investment that pays off quickly for a great experience. Finally the end of roaming charges.
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