Stories by Olabisi Olaleye with Agency reports 

Ever imagine that the phone in your hand would suddenly cease to bring signals at the port of entry into another country?

It could just happen. As hundreds of people have experienced it, especially Nigerians who travel outside the country.

According to ine such traveller, Imade Aderinokun, the two mobiles that she had were only meant for Nigeria and not of international standard.

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“You can imagine my discomfort. All my local SIMS are not working and I am forced to get a US line and phone. Are we not in trouble?” she said.

However, there are simple tips to verify if that phone of yours is of international standard before that trip.

Do a little research on your smartphone model. Does it feature GSM Band technology, specifically, which frequencies? If it does, you can use WorldTimeZone.com’s GSM Band map to determine where in the world your phone will function.

For the ability to send, receive calls and texts, and 3G data in other parts of the world, look for the word ‘quad band’ or specific bands like 850/900/1800/1900 MHZ; if your phone has all these, you may not have problems while on a trip.

However, if your current phone won’t work in the country you are visiting, a simple “call and text” brick device can be purchased for your travels online or a local retail store for around $25. From there, it’s simply a question of acquiring a local SIM card and a prepaid service plan.