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Depending on the county, that IM app could WhatsApp , WeChat , telegram, Douyin or something else. You don’t know what the other person uses if any at all. SMS

Depending on the county, that IM app could WhatsApp , WeChat , telegram, Douyin or something else. You don’t know what the other person uses if any at all. SMS and phone just works out of the box everywhere and given a phone number the both likely will always work. If you were traveling abroad you would put a mobile roaming plan in the first place. It is not that expensive. I am not that big traveller perhaps do 5-6 international trips a year to few countries on my standard T-Mobile roaming plan I get 5GB data unlimited calls and texts on roaming almost in every country I visit out of the box no extra cost. It is just $10 extra per month, It is only expensive if you travel without doing that small change WhatsApp would need internet to work, WiFi is not ubiquitous everywhere or easy to use, many public ones have some captive app that needs something or other like local phone number - I have seen in some airports(!). To get reliable internet on your phone abroad you need data roaming in the first place, if you have that then there is no benefits of WhatsApp over call/sms. I don’t have a problem if there is extra communication or features in their IM workflow versus sms or voice , but places just assume you have what they use although you are not from there even in tourist friendly places, that is just rude.

ValentineC 2y ago
> WhatsApp would need internet to work, WiFi is not ubiquitous everywhere or easy to use, many public ones have some captive app that needs something or other like local phone number - I have seen in some airports(!). > To get reliable internet on your phone abroad you need data roaming in the first place, if you have that then there is no benefits of WhatsApp over call/sms. I buy eSIMs, which often don't come with a local number. But I get data. I don't need to receive normal calls apart from the rare hotel call. Receiving SMSes while roaming tends to be free, while calls aren't.
epolanski 2y ago
Places do not assume you have Whatsapp, but they can contact you there if you have it which is a win/win to me. > To get reliable internet on your phone abroad you need data roaming in the first place, if you have that then there is no benefits of WhatsApp over call/sms. Not true at all, those are two separate concerns. You may have data roaming plans for few euros per week and yet, a single phone call may costs you as much.
homebrewer 2y ago
> I am not that big traveller perhaps do 5-6 international trips a year Jesus, it's more than the vast majority of the world's population does in a decade (and more than I have done in my entire life). You're very well traveled by global standards.
- manquer 2y ago
  It is all relative perhaps. My travels are a function of distributed family and work and being a first gen immigrant. In comparison to digital nomads and leisure travelers who travel a lot for the sake of traveling and experiencing new things and so on, my knowledge of travel do's and don't are more amateur and limited is what I meant to convey.
ornornor 2y ago
> not that expensive. From my carrier: Frais de roaming en Tha?lande CHF Appel local 2.20/min Vers la CH 4.75/min Entrant 3.00/min SMS 0.50 Data 15.60/MB Désactiver SMS info *135# They offer “packs”: it’s a mere 39.90 CHF for 100 MB and an extra 49.90 CHF for 60 min of airtime. So as much as I hate Facebook, WhatsApp, and closed standards… I don’t see a very good alternative here.

ValentineC 2y ago

> WhatsApp would need internet to work, WiFi is not ubiquitous everywhere or easy to use, many public ones have some captive app that needs something or other like local phone number - I have seen in some airports(!). > To get reliable internet on your phone abroad you need data roaming in the first place, if you have that then there is no benefits of WhatsApp over call/sms. I buy eSIMs, which often don't come with a local number. But I get data. I don't need to receive normal calls apart from the rare hotel call. Receiving SMSes while roaming tends to be free, while calls aren't.

epolanski 2y ago

Places do not assume you have Whatsapp, but they can contact you there if you have it which is a win/win to me. > To get reliable internet on your phone abroad you need data roaming in the first place, if you have that then there is no benefits of WhatsApp over call/sms. Not true at all, those are two separate concerns. You may have data roaming plans for few euros per week and yet, a single phone call may costs you as much.

homebrewer 2y ago

> I am not that big traveller perhaps do 5-6 international trips a year Jesus, it's more than the vast majority of the world's population does in a decade (and more than I have done in my entire life). You're very well traveled by global standards.

manquer 2y ago
It is all relative perhaps. My travels are a function of distributed family and work and being a first gen immigrant. In comparison to digital nomads and leisure travelers who travel a lot for the sake of traveling and experiencing new things and so on, my knowledge of travel do's and don't are more amateur and limited is what I meant to convey.

ornornor 2y ago

> not that expensive. From my carrier: Frais de roaming en Tha?lande CHF Appel local 2.20/min Vers la CH 4.75/min Entrant 3.00/min SMS 0.50 Data 15.60/MB Désactiver SMS info *135# They offer “packs”: it’s a mere 39.90 CHF for 100 MB and an extra 49.90 CHF for 60 min of airtime. So as much as I hate Facebook, WhatsApp, and closed standards… I don’t see a very good alternative here.