One year on, Globalgig becomes a travel-pack essential
With SIM-only packages and now covering dozens of countries, every data-hungry traveller should have a Globalgig SIM ready to roll when they need to hit the road.
With SIM-only packages and now covering dozens of countries, every data-hungry traveller should have a Globalgig SIM ready to roll when they need to hit the road.
Globalgig launched around this time one year ago as an impressive idea but was limited by a number of factors. It launched attached to a serviceable but uninspiring Wi-Fi hotspot device and delivered unheard of prices for anyone who needed a data deal that crossed the Australian, UK and USA borders. It was perfect for anyone with regular travel that matched the footprint, but there were many looking on from the sideline wishing it covered their needs too.
At the time, Globalgig executives were frank about their ambitions to expand that footprint to more territories, and over the past 12 months, they've done so in earnest. Now, the service covers 40 countries, with 11 covered under the same highly-competitive month-to-month pricing. Countries outside the main pricing plan deliver data at 20 cents per megabyte.
Locating local internet providers
Core included countries are Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA. The wider PAYG coverage extends the service to many more European nations, as well as New Zealand. Notable absences at this time are more countries across Asia, particularly Singapore.
Having also dropped the need to buy via Globalgig's own Wi-Fi hotspot device, the utility shifts away from being yet another device you need to remember to being something you stick in your passport wallet ready to go into your iPad or spare phone to act as extra data on your own terms.
Locating local internet providers
At AU$2 for a SIM (in either dual-standard/micro-SIM form or a nano SIM), owning a Globalgig SIM becomes a no-brainer. Even as telcos have started to introduce improved global roaming data prices, the Globalgig offer of AU$19 per month for 1GB, AU$35 per month for 3GB or AU$49 per month for 5GB is unsurpassed given the international footprint. You can now also use a Globalgig SIM for purely local usage, at AU$9 per month for 1GB, AU$19 per month for 3GB or AU$29 per month for 5GB.
Globalgig remains on the Optus 3G-only network in Australia, so some users will still want to use other services if they're able to take advantage of the ever-increasing local 4G network.
Globalgig can be ordered online or purchased through Dick Smith stores.
As a special deal until the end of January 2014, Dick Smith is also offering an AU$30 Globalgig intro package for free with the purchase of any SIM-enabled tablet.