We're in Portugal for several weeks, and for months I have been concerned about how to live without wifi and data and navigation for the whole time we're here - since we rely very heavily on google navigation with our smart phones, as well as secure wifi for business every day. I don't trust those open networks at timeshares and hotels etc. and some places only have enough signal strength in lobbies etc.
First we checked with Verizon, but to have enough data for GPS was $10/day - too much. I looked into purchasing or renting a Garmin or some other device - too expensive and you have to download maps, etc. No solution was great. So we arrived without a specific plan.
When we went to pick up our rental car from Europcar (booked thru AutoEurope), they first asked whether we wanted GPS for the month - but it was expensive, so we declined.
But when we mentioned we have smart phones and wished we could use data for navigation, they offered us a portable unlimited secure wifi, for 75 Euros for a whole month. It's tiny, goes in my pocket everywhere. We can connect unlimited # of devices, it's fast, and is a pure miracle. I never knew about this! We are using google navigation every day (the same google lady lives here!) and would be so lost without it. I have no idea how we did our previous European trips with paper maps and nothing else. I can take care of email from the road, work and play, post pictures, day and evening.
I'm not sure whether this has ever been mentioned on TUG, but wanted to make sure others know about this option.
First we checked with Verizon, but to have enough data for GPS was $10/day - too much. I looked into purchasing or renting a Garmin or some other device - too expensive and you have to download maps, etc. No solution was great. So we arrived without a specific plan.
When we went to pick up our rental car from Europcar (booked thru AutoEurope), they first asked whether we wanted GPS for the month - but it was expensive, so we declined.
But when we mentioned we have smart phones and wished we could use data for navigation, they offered us a portable unlimited secure wifi, for 75 Euros for a whole month. It's tiny, goes in my pocket everywhere. We can connect unlimited # of devices, it's fast, and is a pure miracle. I never knew about this! We are using google navigation every day (the same google lady lives here!) and would be so lost without it. I have no idea how we did our previous European trips with paper maps and nothing else. I can take care of email from the road, work and play, post pictures, day and evening.
I'm not sure whether this has ever been mentioned on TUG, but wanted to make sure others know about this option.
