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International travel can be exciting.
But for business travelers, it often comes with hidden costs. One of the biggest is roaming charges.
Business trips typically involve ongoing coordination. Flight changes. Client updates. Last-minute meetings and local arrangements, to mention but a few.
In fact, according to Statista, international roaming fees cost U.S. travelers more than $7 billion each year. For consultants, sales executives, and other frequent flyers, those charges add up fast.
However, a significant number of business travelers depend on their primary carrier when abroad, only to return home to inflated phone bills.
The case study below breaks down how one global consultant used iPlum to manage communication efficiently, reduce roaming expenses, and stay reachable to clients and colleagues, regardless of where work took him.
Table of Contents
1.Meet Tom, a global consultant
6.iPlum — The phone system built for frequent international travelers
Meet Tom, a global consultant
Tom works as an independent business consultant who travels regularly between the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
His work involves frequent coordination with clients, suppliers, and local partners, sometimes spanning multiple time zones in a single day.
However, every time he returned from abroad, he was met with hundreds of dollars in roaming charges from quick calls, text replies, and data usage during transit.
Tom tried several fixes. He used Wi-Fi calling, switched SIM cards, and even kept his phone on airplane mode during parts of his trip. None of it worked well enough.
In his own words, Tom said:
“The advice to put your phone in airplane mode and rely on email sounds practical,” Tom said. “But waiting for email responses across time zones delays important business decisions.”
The challenge
As a global consultant, communication was as essential to Tom as travel itself.
On one hand, his nature of work required him to coordinate flights, client meetings, and on-site schedules across different countries. On the other hand, the cost of staying reachable was quickly unsustainable.
A single week abroad, for instance, could add $300–$500 to his phone plan, primarily due to short calls, quick follow-ups, and background data syncing.
Sure, Tom had the option to turn off data, which helped temporarily. While it worked, the strategy came with trade-offs, including missed updates, delayed messages, and unreturned client calls.
The situation created a frustrating cycle—pay high roaming fees or risk losing touch with clients during critical business moments.
The solution
Tom scoured the market for an affordable business phone that would allow him to communicate globally without incurring costly carrier roaming fees.
After considering a few options, he chose iPlum for its affordable international rates, simple setup, and on-the-go reliability.
Here’s how iPlum solved his problem:
1. Low-cost global communication
International calls and texts were the biggest contributors to Tom’s roaming costs. With iPlum, those fees dropped drastically. The app allowed him to call and text numbers in over 200 countries at rates up to 90% lower than those of his carrier.
Plus, costs were transparent, billed in-app, and easy to monitor. More importantly, the predictable pricing helped him plan his travel budget better and avoid the shock of post-trip billing.
2. Dual-mode calling reliability
Tom traveled between cities with inconsistent network coverage. iPlum’s dual-mode feature—which operated on Wi-Fi and carrier voice—ensured strong connections wherever he went.
When Wi-Fi was available, he made calls and sent texts through data networks. In areas where Wi-Fi was weak, he switched to cellular voice.
iPlum’s hybrid setup gave Tom uninterrupted communication during critical moments, such as coordinating meetings from airports or responding to client queries in transit.
Furthermore, using iPlum over Wi-Fi in hotels and meeting venues meant he avoided costly roaming data plans, saving hundreds of dollars per trip.
3. Call forwarding for reliable reachability
Tom needs to be reachable on the same U.S. number his clients were familiar with. With iPlum’s call forwarding, all calls to his main U.S. line were redirected to his iPlum number.
That way, clients could reach him through a “usual” contact, unaware he was halfway around the world.
The feature also simplified communication across time zones. He could forward calls during specific hours and use voicemail transcriptions for missed ones, ensuring he never missed a crucial update.
4. Business number on one device
Carrying two phones or swapping SIM cards across countries was inconvenient.
iPlum provided Tom with a dedicated business line on his existing smartphone, enabling him to separate his work and personal communications. This made his travel lighter and communication more organized.
Moreover, work-related calls, texts, and voicemails appeared under his iPlum number, while his personal phone remained private.
5. Easy call management and organization
The iPlum app simplified how Tom managed communication during travel. He could view call logs, listen to voicemails, and respond to texts from one dashboard.
In addition, automated voicemail transcription enabled him to review messages quickly between meetings.
Plus, the organized structure helped him maintain a record of client exchanges for easy reference, which was an advantage during follow-ups and project coordination.
6. Secure, travel-friendly communication
Tom’s calls and messages through iPlum were encrypted, which gave him peace of mind when connecting over public Wi-Fi networks.
And, as a consultant handling sensitive business discussions, this level of security came in handy. He no longer worried about data breaches or unauthorized access during travel.
7. Instant setup and global scalability
The setup took minutes. Tom downloaded the iPlum app, selected a business number, and activated call forwarding before his next trip.
He didn’t need technical assistance or new hardware. And, as his consulting network expanded internationally, iPlum scaled effortlessly.
He could add new regional numbers in seconds, creating a “local” presence in new markets quickly.
The results
The impact of iPlum on Tom’s travel routine was immediate. Within the first month, he saw a major reduction in communication costs and improved reliability during trips.
Here’s a breakdown of the outcomes:
Tom described the difference this way:
“Before iPlum, I’d come home dreading my phone bill. Now I travel freely, make as many calls as I need, and never worry about roaming fees. iPlum pays for itself after just one trip.”
The shift also changed how Tom approached international projects. With iPlum, communication no longer dictated where or when he could work.
He coordinated meetings faster, was reachable in any country, and managed business through a single app on his phone.
Why it worked
Tom’s success with iPlum was primarily due to the phone system’s ability to accommodate the realities of business travel.
Here’s why it worked:
- Plum provided Tom with reliable global coverage, allowing him to stop relying on carrier plans.
- The dual-mode reliability allowed Tom to use Wi-Fi in hotels or mobile data abroad.
- Tom no longer had to swap SIM cards or worry about losing service mid-conversation.
- iPlum made Tom’s communication costs more predictable.
- Clients always reached Tom through the same familiar number, even when he was abroad.
- The all-in-one app simplified organization.
- iPlum’s encrypted calls and messages protected sensitive client conversations on public networks.
Together, these factors made iPlum an indispensable travel companion for Tom and his business.
iPlum — The phone system built for frequent international travelers
Frequent international traveling doesn’t have to result in expensive phone bills or unreliable communication. iPlum gave Tom the freedom to work from any country while keeping costs predictable and connections secure.
With iPlum, you can manage calls, texts, and voicemails from a single app, use your existing number anywhere, and avoid the shock of roaming fees.
And you can get started in a few steps.
