When you pack your bags, make sure your mobile phone is ready for travel
Before travelling abroad, always check the roaming zone of your destination and the number of roaming calls and amount of data included in your subscription. In the EU and countries in tariff zone 1, you can usually use your phone under the same conditions as in Hungary. However, Switzerland and Serbia are in tariff zone 2, where Yettel recommends buying a data ticket for better rates. Just as you would take out travel and accident insurance for winter sports, you should also consider taking out insurance for your mobile phone, as the risk of damage to your phone increases during such adventures. Such insurance is available on Yettel’s website or in its mobile app.
To make the most of your roaming data allowance, download the apps you need, such as offline maps or ski passes, before you go. There are many apps designed to enhance your snowboarding or skiing experience offering features such as weather forecasts, slope conditions, distance elevation and speed tracking. Preinstall these apps to avoid problems if you lose network access or want to minimise your data usage abroad.
Once your phone is ready, head for the snow and sub-zero temperatures. Here’s what you need to know
It is not just your body that needs protecting from the cold. Low temperatures can drain your phone’s battery faster, potentially leaving you without access to essential apps (e.g. maps, ski passes, translators). To prolong battery life, use apps in offline mode whenever possible.
Instead of putting your phone in your trouser pocket, put it in the inside pocket of your jacket, where it is less likely to fall out and can be kept at a slightly warmer temperature. Most gloves are not touchscreen compatible, making it easier to accidentally drop your phone in the snow, for example. If your phone is not waterproof, invest in a waterproof case and screen protector to protect from moisture, shocks and scratches. Look after your accessories too. Keep your cables and plugs in a dry, lockable place and do not charge your phone in a wet environment to avoid short circuits.
If you are travelling to a border area (for example, an Austrian ski resort near the Swiss border), set your phone’s network selection to “manual” instead of “automatic” to prevent it from connecting to a network in a higher tariff zone (in this case, Switzerland).
If you only want to use your roaming allowance for the essentials, turn off automatic app updates over mobile networks in your settings, as they can generate a lot of traffic, and set your phone to only upload photos or videos when connected to Wi-Fi. You can also turn off data roaming or all mobile data traffic on your phone to avoid unwanted data traffic.
Transition gradually from cold to warm places
Sudden exposure to a warm environment after a long period in the cold can cause condensation on the case and inside the phone, which can damage its electrical components. If the temperature changes suddenly, allow the phone to warm up gradually for a few minutes before switching it on. If your phone gets wet, move it immediately to a dry place, preferably in an upright position. Avoid charging it, as charging a wet handset can cause a short circuit. For extra peace of mind, you can take out separate mobile phone insurance for as little as HUF 490 to cover accidental damage.