Why Travel Insiders Are Ditching Wi-Fi Routers for Ahamo Mobile Carriers

The Internet situation for international travel has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 crisis

Using the internet overseas has become almost essential. Similar to the sensation in Japan, it’s no longer uncommon to be connected to the internet anytime, anywhere while abroad.

Many travel industry insiders who frequently travel abroad choose ahamo as their mobile carrier. Some even say, “If you travel abroad often, ahamo is the only choice.”

In fact, the author is one of them. Having used ahamo multiple times overseas, the author has consistently experienced its user-friendliness. Although some minor drawbacks have been found during the past two years of continuous use, there are currently no plans to switch from ahamo.

Other companies are following suit in overseas roaming, but ahamo is still ahead of the pack

Trouble with overseas roaming has been a hot topic of conversation for many years, such as “I received a hefty bill after returning home from an overseas trip. Other companies besides ahamo are now offering their own services.

Perhaps due to the influence of ahamo, other companies also seem to have lowered the cost of overseas roaming considerably compared to the past. The number of plans that do not require advance application has increased.

However, inexpensive plans still require advance application. Moreover, the cost is added to your regular cell phone bill. The more days you stay, the more you have to pay. On the other hand, with ahamo, there is no need to apply in advance, you can make do within the 20GB domestic allowance, and no additional charges.

 

Why ahamo is so convenient overseas, and why it is so easy to use

ahamo is a budget version pricing plan for mobile phones introduced by NTT Docomo in March 2021. It costs 2,970 yen per month (tax included) and includes up to 20GB of data usage.

As a matter of fact, if it were only a low-cost rate plan, it would compete with other companies. However, in terms of overseas roaming, AHAMO is just as convenient. It is easy to use. Simply switch your smartphone to “Airplane Mode” when flying from Japan, deactivate Airplane Mode when arriving at your destination, set your smartphone’s data roaming to On, and your phone will automatically connect to the local telecommunications carrier’s Internet connection.

According to the official ahamo website, it covers approximately 98% of the areas where Japanese people travel. Since the service began in 2021, the author has traveled to destinations such as the United States, Hawaii, Europe, and Asia, consistently using ahamo. Every time they connect locally, they receive guidance via SMS, including warnings, but so far, there have been no major issues.