In the beginning of the last year we created a post on the Best Apps for Travelers in 2021. With travel picking up and borders re-opening, we selected a few best applications that can ease your travels and help you find the best accommodations!

Apps for planning trips

Aviasales is a convenient flight search engine. The app will find the cheapest flights based on the dates and other conditions you select. Aviasales can also help you find the perfect hotel accommodations anywhere in the world!

Kayak application is a universal assistant that can help you plan your trip from start to finish. With Kayak you can book flights and hotel accommodations, and rent cars. In addition, with the app’s ticket forecasting feature, you can even get a better idea of how to budget for your trip.

Apps with travel guides

Tripster can help you find travel guides from locals including historians, art historians, architects, journalists, and even organize an individual tour.

Sygic Travel Trip Planner is another traveler’s assistant. With the app, you can create a detailed route of your upcoming trip and get access to travel guides for cities you’re interested in. You can even get acquainted with the local history and culture. Not to mention that you can find tips on how to get to travel hotspots, calculate the walking time and check the weather forecast!

With Azbo you can go on an excursion whenever you want. You can choose a ready-made tour or create your own tour using the app’s tour constructor. As a result with this unique feature, you can build a personalized tour filled only with places you’re interested in checking out.

Redigo is a guide to a vast number of countries from Australia to Japan – containing plenty of photos, attraction information, and a basic phrasebook in several languages. In this application you’ll also find route options, and information on restaurants and entertainment.

AroundMe will become a reliable guide for you in any city in the world–providing accurate information about objects located near you. All objects are divided into categories: bars, theaters, restaurants, museums, hospitals, etc. Important objects can be added into the Favorites category to make them easily accessible.

For finding something particular, you can just enter a name or postal code in the search system. Then, using the AroundMe map, you can build a walking route or a route by car.

App for creating your own map of places

Pin Drop is an application where you can create your own catalog of interesting places, share them with friends, view their marks, and find something new for yourself. It’s also convenient to use when you’re organizing a meeting in some new and unusual place. You can even add a photo and an audio comment to any place mark to make it easier to find.

App for European bus tour

Busradar will help you travel around Europe by bus. All you need to do is enter the name of the city you’re currently in and the name of the destination city. Once you’ve done that, you will get information about bus companies you can use on that route, how many changes will be required, how long the trip will take, how much it will cost and when the next bus is scheduled.

How Can POND mobile Help During Your Travels?

POND mobile is an international mobile operator that provides customers with roaming in over 210 countries around the world. Our World Phone and Global Data rate plans are designed to provide reliable communication and a high-speed Internet connection in any country you choose for remote work or your travels.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS, and GB of high-speed Internet, so everyone can choose exactly what they need. The pricing is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. Taxes and fees are already included so there are no hidden charges or additional roaming fees.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending time researching various carriers. When you need to use the Internet, you can simply use it. You don’t have to worry about roaming and looking for free Wi-Fi any more. The ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world and the US number that you get with our SIM will allow your family, friends, and colleagues to call you at their local rates. POND mobile ensures that you stay connected, no matter what country you’re in!

While many of us use Telegram, there are some features and that even the most avid Telegram users may not know of. Here are 14 of the most interesting and useful features of Telegram:

You can set a time for message delivery

Audio messages can be listened to through a conversational speaker

Automatic audio message recording

Accelerated audio messages listening

Clear your app storage

You can hide your mobile phone number

In the top section, you can select who can see your phone number.

You can use multiple accounts on one application

This feature can help you easily distinguish between personal conversations and work conversations.

You can assign automatic folders for different chats

Protect Telegram with a passcode

Copy only the necessary pieces of messages

Forwarding messages

Here you can configure who can link to your account when forwarding messages. If you select “My Contacts” then people outside of your contacts will only see the name from whom the message was forwarded, but they will not be able to open the profile.

Important conversations can be held through secret chats

Pinning messages

On iOS, just swipe the dialog/chat to the right and the corresponding “Pin” icon will appear. On Android, you need to hold down the message, and a submenu with a pin icon will appear on top.

Disappearing photos

To send self-deleting content, first, add it with a help of the paper clip button. Then hold down the send button and in the additional menu that appears, select “Set Timer” and set the time. The countdown will start from the moment the recipient views the message.

There’s an abundance of reasons why someone might travel alone. But even during those solo journeys, you might want to spend some time with like-minded people. There are plenty of great opportunities to meet other travelers and locals in any country you’re visiting with recent developments in technology. There are now apps specifically designed to help you meet people while traveling (or even before)!

Best Apps for Finding Travel Companions

This app allows you to make new friends during your trip by connecting you with other solo travelers in real-time. It also helps you save money by connecting you to other travelers through things like joint taxi rides or various excursions. You can even take advantage of the app’s filters like age, gender, and interests when looking for a travel companion.

This app will help you connect with locals in over 130 countries. The application has a variety of culinary events ranging from dinner parties to gastronomic tours and ending with culinary masterclasses. You’ll have the ability to drink wine and have dinner with local hosts during your travels. In the application, you can filter food based on various dietary restrictions, as well as choose vegetarian, vegan, kosher dishes.

Meetup is another great tool for communicating with locals while traveling. This popular app brings together like-minded people in thousands of cities around the world. It can be used to find people at your travel destinations with similar interests like jogging groups, dance troupes, animal lovers, etc.

This is a social network for travelers. It gathers data on your interests to select people with similar interests for you to communicate with. The great thing about Travello is that it’s designed for a wide range of travelers.

This app is created exclusively for women. It helps women find traveling companions. Enter your destination and travel dates, and the app will show you potential traveling companions, who you can reach out to if you want to plan a joint trip.

This app will help you plan your vacation, meet other travelers, develop some of your skills, or even learn a new language. The global WorldPackers community is also a great source for tips and recommendations on your next trip.

Another travel app that will help you to meet and chat with the locals in the place you’re traveling to, learn about interesting places, and plan unique trips is TravelBuddy. To find a traveling companion, you just need to enter your destination, select the preferences for your traveling companion and add the dates of your trip.

How Can POND mobile Help During Your Travels?

POND mobile is an international mobile service operator that provides its customers with international roaming in 210+ countries and destinations around the world. Our World Phone and Global Data plans are designed to provide reliable communication and high-speed Internet in any country you choose for travel.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS, and GB of high-speed Internet, so you can pick the plan that meets your specific needs. Our pricing is transparent– you pay the fixed monthly subscription fee specified in your rate plan. There are no hidden costs or additional roaming charges, and taxes and fees are already included.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local or international SIM card and spending hours researching the various local carriers in each country. When you need to use the Internet, you can use it freely without worrying about roaming charges or looking for free Wi-Fi. Thanks to this, you can always use the above applications and find a fellow traveler on your trips, contact them, or get the necessary information from locals in real time about the place you’re traveling to.

By having the ability to add local numbers for 90+ countries, in addition to the US number you receive, your family, friends and colleagues will be able to call you at their local rates with no extra charges in their phone bills.

POND mobile has made sure that you always stay connected no matter what country you’re in!

While major Apple updates are always well-known, there are also numerous iPhone features that go hidden under the radar. Here are 15 lesser-known iPhone features and how to access them! Each of these has various benefits whether it’s improving accessibility or just making tasks easier to complete.

1. Quick access to the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth list in the Control Center

Open the Control Center to access the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings by expanding the toggle widget, and then holding down either the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth button to get access to the list.

2. Quick removal of numbers in the Calculator app

Did you know you could easily backspace a number if you make a mistake, instead of deleting the whole number and starting over? To do this, just swipe your finger to the left and it will erase the number at the end. If you want to erase more than one number, just repeat this process until you get the desired result.

3. Quick selection of elements using two fingers

For apps that have list sections, such as your list of notes, email inbox, or your iMessages, you can swipe down with two fingers to enter selection mode and select several items at once. This makes it easier to delete multiple items or complete other tasks.

4. Quick video recording using the volume buttons

When you’re on the Camera app, you can record a quick video by simply pressing and holding one of the volume buttons while in “Photo” mode. You can also press and hold the white circle while in “Photo” mode to record a video.

5. Open a recently closed tab in Safari

To do this, go to Safari and select the icon with two squares at the bottom right of the screen. This will show you all your open tabs. Next, hold down the “+” button and it will show you your recently closed tabs.

6. Find a song by typing its lyrics in the Music app

You can find a song in the Music app by typing some of the lyrics into the search bar. The Music app will then find and display any songs matching that lyric description.

7. Take screenshots of a full web page

Did you know you could take a screenshot of a full web page in Safari? Open up any web page in Safari and take a screenshot by pressing the power and volume buttons simultaneously. After taking a screenshot, select the “Whole Page” tab in the pop-up that appears. Here, you can adjust the screenshot as needed. When you’re done, select the Share button at the top right of the screen and you can choose to save the screenshot as a PDF.

8. Remove location data from photos

You can delete location data from your photos by opening the photo in the Photos app, clicking the Share button, and then clicking the Options button on top. On the next screen, toggle off the Location option.

9. Instant currency conversion

To convert an amount in one currency to another, you can type this request in the Spotlight search, which opens by swiping down the main screen. For example, to find out the current Euro exchange rate, just enter “€1” in the search bar and you should see the current Euro exchange rate. You can do the same with units of measurements by typing, for example, “1 inch in cm”.

10. Complete actions by tapping the back of your iPhone

Another new feature for Apple iPhones is the Back Tap feature. It’s only available for those using the iPhone 8 and later models. If you tap on the back of your iPhone 2-3 times, you can take a screenshot, lock the screen, turn off the sound, and much more. In order to enable this feature: Open Settings > “Universal Access” > “Touch” > “Back Panel Touch” > “Double/ Triple Touch”. After that, select which action you want to take when activating this feature.

11. Accelerated typing of symbols and numbers

If you want to type something that contains mostly letters and only a few numbers or symbols, then there’s a trick that will make it faster. You don’t need to waste time and switch to a layout with symbols every time. In order to quickly type the desired symbol or number, just hold down the “123” button and, without taking your finger off the screen, select the symbol you want to insert. Then, remove your finger from the “123” button and the layout will return to normal.

12. Return to the top in any application

If you’re scrolling for a long time through any application like Safari, for example, you don’t need to manually scroll all the way up again. Just touch the top of your device where it displays the time, battery, and network settings, and you will automatically return to the top of the application.

13. Search for photos by subject

In the search bar in the Photo application, you can enter the name of an item, and the application will select and display all photos that have this item. For example, enter the word “bicycle”, and you will see all the photos from your gallery that have a bicycle.

14. Precise volume control

You can adjust the volume on your iPhone with more precision by clicking the volume button once and then selecting the desired volume level by swiping your finger along the volume bar on the screen.

15. Add frequently visited websites to your Home Screen

If you have certain sites that you visit often, you can just save them to your Home Screen instead of bookmarking them. To do so, open Safari, go to the desired site, click the Share button and select “Add to Home Screen”.

How Does POND mobile Protect Your Data?

A SIM card, also known as a subscriber identification module, stores information about your device, the device owner (you), and your phone carrier. The most important aspect is the phone number.

Recently SIM card fraud, such as SIM hijacking and swapping, has become widespread. With this type of fraud, the hacker, having stolen the victim’s personal data, contacts the mobile carrier with a request to port the victim’s number to their phone. With inefficient data protection, many hackers get away with this because the customer service representatives may not verify the information effectively or they’ll accept a bribe from the hacker. Once the hacker gets the phone number at their disposal, they have access to bank accounts and other resources associated with the phone number. They’re then able to login to any service using two-factor authentication (2FA) by SMS.

POND mobile pays great attention to the protection of its subscribers’ data. Each customer is assigned a dedicated, personal account manager that knows them and is familiar with their account.

Any porting request is passed through multiple departments for multiple verifications. Once all the verifications are complete, the customer’s account manager will reach out to the number on file once more to confirm the request. Only then will the phone number be released and the porting process will begin.

POND mobile works hard to ensure that customer data is protected so they can avoid SIM Swap attacks.

Advantages of Using POND Mobile

You may find Internet services or applications blocked or only partially working during your travels when visiting certain countries.

For example, in the UAE, many websites do not work, and popular messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber only work with text and voice messages. It’s not possible to make audio or video calls when using these VoIP applications over there. The government has somewhat of a monopoly on VoIP communications. There are only two legal services which local mobile carriers provide access to for an additional subscription fee.

China is another location where the Internet is under strict state control and many popular Internet services and applications are blocked. You won’t be able to use Facebook, Instagram and many other popular social networks there. Messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber are also blocked as well as Google services. You can try using VPN services, but they have certain restrictions. Some VPN services have stopped working entirely or their performance has suffered, but there are a few that continue to work.

One downside of using VPN services, however, is data security issues. Some of these services won’t hide your information, and they may even sell your personal data including your phone number, name, and email address.

When using POND mobile, regardless of which country you find yourself in, you won’t need to worry about blocked Internet services or applications. Our customers have access to all Internet content, as well as all communication web services around the world. And you won’t need to use VPN services and put your data at risk.

How Can POND mobile Help in Your Travels?

POND mobile is an international mobile carrier that provides customers with international roaming in over 210 countries and destinations around the world! Our World Phone and Global Data plans are designed to provide reliable communication and a high-speed Internet connection in any country you choose.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so everyone can choose exactly what they need. The pricing is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. Taxes and fees are already included so there’s no hidden charges or additional roaming fees.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending time researching various carriers. When you need to use the Internet, you can simply use it, without worrying about roaming and looking for free Wi-Fi. The ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world and the US number that you get with our SIM will allow your family, friends and colleagues to call you at their local rates. POND mobile ensures that you stay connected, no matter what country you’re in!

With the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries have fully closed their borders while others have imposed heavy entry restrictions. Traveling freely is no longer possible as it was prior to 2020. Even with these difficulties, another type of traveler has emerged. Digital nomads are people who simultaneously travel and work remotely. They take longer trips, and usually spend several months in one country before moving onto another. With the growth of this type of travel, resort countries that have suffered losses due to the pandemic have begun to fight for remote workers. Visa and specialized programs for digital nomads have become weapons in this fight.

So, Which Countries Are Offering Digital Nomad Visas?

Before we get into the specific countries and locations offering these digital nomads visas, there are certain criteria that interested digital nomads must meet:

• – Has a valid contract, and the employer company is registered in another country, does business with a company registered in another country, or is a partner in a company registered in another country
• – Has confirmation of where they’ll be residing during their stay
• – Has medical insurance that covers COVID-19 any treatment and testing costs
• – Has no criminal record

1. Anguilla
Visa name: Work from Anguilla
Period of visa validity: 12 months
2. Antigua and Barbuda
Visa name: Antigua Nomad Digital Residence Visa (NDR)
Period of visa validity: within 2 years of arrival to Antigua and Barbuda
3. Barbados
Visa Name: Barbados Welcome Stamp
Period of visa validity: within 2 years of arrival to Barbados
4. Bahamas
Visa name: Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay (BEATS)
Period of visa validity: 12 months
5. Bermuda
Visa name:Work from Bermuda Certificate
Period of visa validity: 12 months
6. Dominica
Visa name: Work in Nature (WIN) Extended Stay Visa
Period of visa validity: 18 months
7. Costa Rica
Visa name: Rentista Visa
Period of visa validity: up to 2 years

In August of this year, Costa Rica introduced a Digital Nomad Visa with a validity period of 1 year. However, the visa is still under development.

8. Mexico
Visa name: Temporary Resident Visa
Period of visa validity: 12 months
9. Montserrat
Visa name: The Montserrat Remote Work Stamp
Period of visa validity: 12 months
10. Curaçao
Visa name: @HOME in Curaçao
Period of visa validity: 6 months
11. Cayman Islands
Program name: Global Citizen Concierge Program
Period of visa validity: within 2 years of approval
12. Mauritius
Visa name: Premium Visa
Period of visa validity: 12 months
13. Seychelles
Program name: Seychelles Workation Program
Period of visa validity: 12 months
14. Cabo Verde
Program name: Remote Working Cabo Verde
Period of visa validity: 6 months
15. Dubai (UAE)
Program name: Work remotely from Dubai
Period of visa validity: 12 months
16. Iceland
Visa name: Long-term visa for remote work
Period of visa validity: 6 months
17. Croatia
Visa name: Digital Nomad Visa
Period of visa validity: 12 months
18. Estonia
Visa name: Digital Nomad Visa
Period of visa validity: 12 months
19. Malta
Visa name: Nomad Residence Permit
Period of visa validity: 12 months
20. Germany
Visa name: Residence permit for the purpose of self-employment
Period of visa validity: up to 3 years
21. Norway
Visa name: Independent Contractor Visa
Period of visa validity: up to 2 years
22. Portugal
While there is no special visa for digital nomads, there are special programs for remote workers and digital nomads, (specifically in Madeira). There is a visa for independent workers and entrepreneurs, issued for 1 year with the possibility of extension.
23. Czech Republic
There is a Zivno visa for freelancers available; however, the process of obtaining it isn’t easy because a trade license is necessary for many professions. The validity period of this visa is up to one year with possibility of further extension.
24. Georgia
A visa is not required for the citizens of these countries. Citizens coming to Georgia from these locations can stay for up to 1 year without a visa. However, if you want to work remotely while in Georgia, you need to submit a special request and wait for permission from state authorities.

What Countries Are Working on Developing Visas for Digital Nomads?

In the near future, several more countries will join the list of countries that issue visas to digital nomads:

1. Colombia is developing a visa for digital nomads.
2. Belize is working on developing the “Work where you Vacation” program.
3. Thailand – the existing Smart Visa program is not popular due to some restrictions. Amendments to this program are in the works. They will allow freelancers to work there for up to 4 years.
4. Indonesia is developing a visa for digital nomads going to Bali, which will allow them to stay in there for up to 5 years.
5. Sri Lanka is developing an annual visa for digital nomads.
6. The government of South Korea has also announced plans to create a digital nomad visa.
7. Spain is preparing to pass a law, Ley de Startups (Start-Up Law), regarding visas for digital nomads. According to this law, remote workers will be able to get a visa for the period of 12 months.
8. North Macedonia, following Croatia, started to work on developing a digital nomad visa.
9. Greece started developing a visa for digital nomads.
10. Romania has also announced its intention to join the countries that issue visas to digital nomads.
11. South Africa is in the process of developing a Remote Working Visa for digital nomads.

What Can POND Mobile Offer to Digital Nomads?

Digital nomads travel around the world, changing locations several times a year. In each country, they have to worry about communication and getting SIM-cards from local carriers. Thus, they’re again required to change phone numbers and select rate plans.

POND mobile offers international roaming services in 210+ countries and destinations. Our “World Phone” and “Global Data” rate plans provide reliable communication and high-speed Internet in any country that you choose for remote work. Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so everyone can choose exactly what they need. The pricing policy is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. All taxes and fees are already included with no hidden or additional roaming costs!

With our POND mobile SIM card, you don’t have to worry about buying a local SIM card. Whenever you need to use the Internet, you can use it freely without worrying about roaming fees and looking for free Wi-Fi. You also have the ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world onto your SIM, in addition to the US number that you get with a POND mobile SIM card. This will allow your family, friends and colleagues to call you at their local rates with no extra costs.

With POND, regardless of what country you’re traveling to, your phone number, rate plan, and subscription fee will remain constant!

Did you know Croatia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe? With a mild year-round climate, picturesque coastlines, a fascinating history and culture, incredible national parks, and great food and wine, a large number of tourists visit Croatia every year.

Not to mention, the country has a well-developed infrastructure. Modern high-quality highways provide convenient movement around the country and, although there’s a railway connection in limited directions, the bus service between cities is well developed. Croatia also offers a variety of accommodation options, ranging from hotels to villas. And, since most Croatians speak English and other foreign languages, communication is simple.

And finally, there is good telecommunication and Internet infrastructure, which is one of the main reasons the country is so attractive to remote workers.

So, What Does Croatia Have to Offer Remote Workers?

Croatia is one of the first countries to introduce special visas for digital nomads. Visa or temporary residence is granted for up to one year. Family members of these remote workers can also obtain a temporary residence permit in Croatia. During the entire period of visa validity, children can study at one of the Croatian schools and parents will have the opportunity to choose between state and private schools. Free Croatian language lessons will be held for children there.

While the visa cannot be extended, remote workers can apply for a new annual visa with a temporary residence permit 6 months after the expiration of their previous visa.

Croatia has even created tax incentives for interested digital nomads and freelancers. These workers will be free from paying taxes in Croatia while their digital nomad visa is still valid.

Keep in mind that Croatia is not a member of the Schengen Union, therefore a Croatian visa does not give the right to travel to Schengen countries.

Digital Nomads in Croatia

This new long-term tourist trend is just beginning to develop in Croatia. There are currently no special state programs for digital nomads there; however, on Facebook you can find a page of the Croatian digital nomads community. On this page, you can find other digital nomads living in Croatia and exchange information, get advice, and organize meet-ups. There is also a website for expats living in Croatia where a lot of useful information can be found.

At the end of September, the digital nomads community announced the creation of Digital Nomad Valley Zadar, a village of digital nomads in Zadar. The program begins October 10th and everyone who joins it will receive:

• – Premium mobile homes
• – Exclusive coworking office
• – Community manager
• – Exclusive events
• – #discord community channel
• – Partner discounts

How Can POND mobile Help You During Your Stay in Croatia?

POND mobile is an international mobile service operator that provides its customers with international roaming in 210+ countries around the world. Our “World Phone” and “Global Data” plans are designed to provide reliable communication and high-speed Internet in any country you choose for remote work, including Croatia.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so you can pick the plan that meets your specific needs. Our pricing is transparent– you pay the fixed monthly subscription fee specified in your rate plan. There are no hidden costs or additional roaming charges, and taxes and fees are already included.

With our service, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending hours researching the various local carriers in each country. When you need to use the Internet, you can use the Internet without worrying about roaming charges. This also protects you from the risk of scammers stealing your data when using public Wi-Fi!

By having the ability to add local numbers for 90+ countries, in addition to the US number you receive, your family, friends and colleagues will be able to call you at their local rates with no extra charges in their phone bills. POND mobile has made sure that you always stay connected wherever you are whether it’s on a beach, in the mountains, on land, or out at sea!

The COVID-19 pandemic has vastly increased the number of remote workers around the world. Remote work is quickly becoming the norm, and transitioning into a permanent mode of work. In fact, the growth of remote work has convinced many countries to revise their visa policies to acknowledge digital nomads, who are remote workers that travel regularly and for long periods of time. Some of these countries like Portugal, Georgia, Croatia, the UAE, and Iceland have been working to develop residence permit programs for these digital nomads. Malta is another company that has recently hopped aboard the digital nomad visa train, announcing the launch of its program in June.

So, What Does Malta Have to Offer?

This island state attracts visitors from all over with its comfortable Mediterranean climate, interesting history, rich culture, delicious cuisine, and security. English is the official language here, which removes any language barrier issues. The locals are also hospitable and friendly towards foreigners. Malta has a good telecommunications infrastructure that provides a stable Internet connection, and it’s one of the few countries with 5G nationwide coverage. Combined with the growing number of coworking spaces, all of these factors make Malta a formidable player in the race for digital nomads.

As of today, about a thousand freelancers from the EU live and work in Malta. The new residence permit program for digital nomads (Nomad Residence Permit), launched by the Maltese government, is estimated to attract digital nomads from other non-EU countries. It will allow approved applicants to live in Malta for up to one year, working remotely, without needing special visas or additional work permits. As a bonus, income received from abroad is not subject to taxation.

How Can POND mobile Help?

POND mobile is an international mobile carrier that provides customers with international roaming in 210+ countries and destinations around the world. Our World Phone and Global Data rate plans are designed to provide reliable communication and a high-speed Internet connection in any country you choose for your travels.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so you can choose exactly what you need. The pricing is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. Taxes and fees are already included so there’s no hidden charges or additional roaming fees.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending time researching various carriers. When you need to use the Internet, you can simply use it, without worrying about roaming and looking for free Wi-Fi. The ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world and the US number that you get with our SIM will allow your family, friends and colleagues to call you at their local rates. POND mobile ensures that you stay connected, no matter what country you’re in!

There are many messenger and VoIP apps on the market right now, but not all of them make security a priority. The secure messaging app Signal prides itself on its data protection and high security. The platform has even been praised by the likes of Elon Musk, Edward Snowden, and Brian Acton (who was the co-founder of WhatsApp).

So, What is Signal?

Signal is a messenger application, much like Telegram and WhatsApp. You can use it to communicate easily with your peers/colleagues who may be in different countries or who may have different phones.

Signal uses end-to-end encryption. What does this mean? That means messages are encrypted on one device and can only be decrypted by the device the message is sent to–keeping your communications safe. For this reason, it has become popular by individuals requiring higher levels of privacy like activists. The app is also a nonprofit organization that’s run by a foundation, rather than a large tech company.

Signal is free-to-use and can be used on both your Apple and Android devices, as well as on your desktop. You just need a phone number to join and, once you’ve signed up, you can text and make voice/video calls both to individual people and groups. Group chats can be created on Signal, but they’re limited to 150 members.

What Other Privacy Features Does Signal Offer?

Signal has a disappearing message feature, meaning that users can select a timeframe for messages to disappear from 5 seconds to one week. The app also doesn’t collect data from its users. The only piece of information the company has of yours is the phone number given during signup, and they’re trying to find a way to eliminate the need for that as well.

Since Signal is a non-profit organization, it doesn’t have advertisements, so it has no reason to collect user data.

How Does Signal Compare to WhatsApp?

Signal and WhatsApp use the same end-to-end encryption technology. However, WhatsApp is owned by Facebook which collects plenty of user data. WhatsApp recently updated its privacy policy to include information on its data-sharing policies with the popular social media platform.

Another difference between Signal and WhatsApp, is that people who are sent an invitation to group chats must accept the invitation to join the group. On WhatsApp, anyone with your contact information can add you straight into a group. Users on Signal can’t see when you’re online either, unlike the Status feature on WhatsApp.

You also can’t backup your Signal chats to Google Drive or iCloud. You can only transfer data if you have the original device with all your Signal messages, pictures, and files. Otherwise, you’ll lose all your previous chats. You’ll also lose your Signal chat data if you previously cleared the data on your phone or changed your phone number.

Therefore, while WhatsApp has more customization features on its application, Signal has much better privacy.

How Can POND mobile Help?

Stay connected to all your messenger applications without Wi-Fi with POND mobile. POND mobile offers International Voice, SMS, and Data services in 210+ countries worldwide! Messenger apps like Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram aren’t available in certain countries because of strict laws. With POND, you can bypass these restrictions without having to rely on an unstable and unsafe VPN, or public Wi-Fi which carries its own safety risks.

We’re also upfront about all costs and fees included in our plans. Information on both daily and monthly costs, data, and high-speed allowance are all listed, and taxes/VAT and fees are already included in our pricing. We also have some of the least restricted unlimited options available for those of you who live a fast-paced lifestyle and need access to high-speed internet at all times. With travel opening back up, it’s important for you to be able to stay connected to your work life and colleagues while you’re abroad.

POND mobile doesn’t collect or sell your personal data much like Signal, so your phone number will always be secure with us!

Using a tablet is easy enough when you’re near a reliable Wi-Fi connection, like when you’re at home or in your workplace. But what about when you’re away from the Internet and need to find a way to stay connected to access applications on your tablet? You could use public Wi-Fi, but that carries its own security risks.

A solution is getting a tablet with LTE capabilities, either built-in or enabled with an external accessory.

Why Get 4G LTE Access for Your Tablet?

Using a tablet for work has many benefits. It has a wider screen so you can see your documents clearly, and it’s easier to carry around than a laptop. For those who create digital artwork or graphics, using a tablet can make your job a lot easier. During your commute, it’s hard to stay connected on your tablet because you may not be near a hotspot or reliable Wi-Fi connection. You could use offline features on your tablet or you could secure a SIM card for your tablet. If you get a tablet with LTE capabilities, you can simply insert the SIM card into your device and get high-speed Internet for your tablet.

POND mobile provides solutions for both mobile and tablet users. Upon request, a SIM card can be provided for your tablet and easily added onto your plan.

Get International Voice and Internet Services

Data roaming is another issue. When you’re traveling internationally, using data can result in astronomical fees on your bill if you’re using your domestic carrier. If you’re a frequent traveler that needs constant access to the Internet, social networking apps, and digital media, you may be better off using an international service provider. Doing so will allow you to get Internet through roaming on your tablet, without the hassle of roaming fees.

POND mobile provides Voice, SMS, and Data services in 210+ countries around the world! With our service, you can select the plan that best fits your needs and pay a fixed monthly fee (so there’s no need to consider hidden costs). This price will remain the same across all countries, so you’ll have one less thing to worry about in your travels. For those of you who are heavy data users, we have specific Global Data Plans. You can learn how much data it takes to surf the Internet here, and determine the amount of data you’ll need. If you can’t find a plan that matches your specific needs, reach out to us and we’ll come up with a customized plan, specially made for you.