#1: My Wifi Router.
I'm writing this post to talk about Ready to Travel, a travel router option that I came across while facing some mishaps with Changi Recommends, another travel router option.
以往出国前，都是向 Changi Recommends 订购所需的 Wi-Fi 路由器。不过就在去年，对于他们的服务与路由器品质开始感到十分失望。在网上中与各使用者的怨言里，大家都推荐 Ready to Travel。
#2: Ready to Travel App on App Store.
First of all, I started solo travelling in 2015 and my first trip was to Melbourne. They do SIM card at $2/day for 500MB data usage, so that wasn't a problem. My 2nd trip was to Seoul and their SIM card options were really expensive, like $35 for 1GB? So that is when I researched on overseas WIFI router and at that point, Changi Recommends was the best option, affordable and convenient - collection and return at the airport. There are different rates for different locations, so for example for Seoul, it goes at $5/day for unlimited data usage. Everything was great till last year (2018)...
首先，为什么当初会选择 Changi Recommends？
我在2015年时，开始独自旅游。第一目的地是墨尔本。在墨尔本，他们的 data 预付卡非常便宜，每日$2就有500MB 的 data 可使用。第二目的地是首尔。在首尔，他们的 data 预付卡就非常贵，1GB 就要$35。所以就在当下上网查询 Wi-Fi 路由器，而当时，最好的选择就是 Changi Recommends，划算，方便 - 领取和退还都在机场。不同地区，不同价格。列入首尔，是每日$5，无限 data 可使用。用了好多年，都没有想过试其它品牌。不过，就在去年，2018年时。。。
It has been about 2-3 years since I started using Changi Recommends. The first mishap happened during my trip to Seoul in March 2018. There were lost of connection every now and then and the problem was kind of solved after I restart the router. In June 2018, I went to Bangkok, the connection was slower than usual, and it stopped working temporarily from time to time. It didn't really bother me much as Bangkok was really easy to navigate around, so I could still survive without internet for a short period of time.
开始用 Changi Recommends 后， 也用了大约2-3年。第一次发生故障是在2018年3月到首尔时。旅途中，无线网一直断断续续。不过重启后，问题就解决了。6月时，到了曼谷。发现无线网比往常来的慢些，时不时就会停止操作。在曼谷，到处走没怎么容易走失，所以也没收到太多影响。
The WORST was my trip to Hong Kong in November 2018. As you can see if you read till this far, the situation just gets worst but never solved, so it isn't just a coincidence. It didn't really worked on the first day because the connection was EXTREMELY slow that I just couldn't be bothered and used my mobile data instead. For the next few days, it kind of work? Like it's working but connection is slow, not as slow as the first day though. The speed, I will say if you are navigating your way on Google Maps, the directions will load after you have walked for 100m or so. It was working, just that it's really slow. The worst nightmare was on my last day, the router just totally didn't work at all. I contacted their tech support and for 4hrs, I was asked to try all sorts of methods and it still didn't worked out. At last, I replied, "Forget it, this is taking too much of my time. Anyway, I've already started using my mobile data, so it's still gonna be charged to my phone bill even if the router works now." And guess what? Another technician replied with the same introduction format to ask how he could assist me. So this entire trying-to-fix-the-problem is going to start all over again? I was so annoyed! I couldn't be bothered and just continue my plans for the day, as it's already the last day.
最糟的遭遇就是在11月到香港时。如果你读到这里为止，就会发现故障不是意外，已成为服务问题。抵达的第一天，无线网几乎无法运作，信号是超级无敌非常的慢。我只好用自己手机的 data。手机 data 在外国使用价格都非常贵！我可能走个100米后，Google Maps 都还无法显示行走方向。最糟的是在旅程的最后一天，简直就是噩梦，路由器完全收不到信号，无法运作。和技术人员通话了4小时后，还是无法解决问题，实在是感到无敌的烦。最后我直接回复 - “算了，这花费我太多时间了。我既然都开始用起手机 data，就算路由器现在开始运作，我的电话费也得而外付费”。然后，没道歉就算了，既然换另一个技术人员向我通话，同一个自我介绍格式。所以整个解决故障的通话内容，必须重新开始？真的很烦！当下我果断放弃，方正都到了旅程的最后一天。
After I arrived in Singapore and returned the router, I was surprised that I had to make full payment and there wasn't any questions asked about the faulty router. This clearly slows that the issue was not being brought forward and there is no customer value.
抵达新加坡退换 Wi-Fi 路由器时，服务人员既然收我全额。遇到这种故障，不怪谁，不过至少给个折扣或赠品表示歉意。就算是个简单的道歉，我也 okay。不过对于路由器时误，不耗不问。很明显向技术人员发出的问题并没有传到服务部门，也不重视自己的顾客。
I wrote in an email addressing the issue and resent it again and again after a few days as no one replied me, till I added this:
"I wrote this email in on the 15th of November and there has not been any reply to this. Is this the kind of after service for paying $45 for renting a router that has extremely bad connection during the trip, and does not work at all on the last day? Had to resort to using my mobile data, which is going to be additional cost incurred to my phone bill, and now I am not getting any response? Who is Changi Recommends under? Changi Airport? This is such bad service. You guys do not deserve to be awarded as the world's best airport."
对于这件时误，向他们发了张电邮，却没得到回复。连续发了好多次，都没人回复。最后发了以下电邮内容 [翻译版本] 才得到了回复：
“我在11月15日时，发了张电邮。过后也连续发了几张，却迟迟没人回复。这就是你对待顾客的方式吗？花费了$45，却得到了几乎无法运作的路由器。整个旅程中，无线网都非常慢。最糟的是，到了最后一天，却沦落到完全无法运作，最后只好用手机的 data。国外用 data 的而外电话费，还要自掏腰包，现在却没人肯回应我所发出的疑问吗？Changi Recommends 是属于那间公司？是樟宜机场吗？服务水准怎么那么差？你们不配得到全国最好机场的奖项。“
Finally, after 2 weeks, someone replied me to address the issue and is doing a full refund for me, with a refund process of 7 - 14 working days. This entire process of a simple problem took a month to resolve. Like a month?
终于，在两周后，得到了回复。对于时误向我作出赔偿。不过，退款过程会花上7-14天。简简单单的问题，结果花了将近一个月的时间才解决。
The next thing that happened was Changi Recommends had a 2 days free WIFI advert that appeared on Instagram, and received much backlash. I realised many other users faced the same issue as well. After a few exchanges with other users online, one of them recommended Ready to Travel by SATS. I have never heard of them before and apparently they actually started in 2017. You can read the review written by The Smart Local.
两天后，在 IG 上看到了 Changi Recommends 的优惠广告 - Wi-Fi 路由器免费试用两天。不意外，得到了许多使用者的怨言。从中得知了 Ready to Travel by SATS，我从来没听过。上网查询后，原来在2017年开始运作。读一下 The Smart Local 给的评论。
Ready to Travel is actually an app that helps you to organise your trip. You can log in your flight details, your itinerary, and even share them with your friends. This is really convenient! It has flight reminders and other alerts like weather, travel notices, etc. You can also purchase your WIFI router, travel insurance and attraction tickets from the app. Upon purchasing the router, it will be delivered and collected FREE OF CHARGE! This is one level up over Changi Recommends! I hate it when my flight gets delayed or arrived after midnight, so upon returning the router, I get charged an additional day, even if it's like 1min past midnight!
Ready to Travel 其实是一个旅游 app。你可以收入个人的航班资料，行程表，通过 app 和朋友们分享。超方便！输入资料后，从中也会显示航班以及其他有关警报。从 app 当中，也能购买到 Wi-Fi 路由器，陆游保险和景点如门票。购买 Wi-Fi 路由器后，他们会免费送到你家。回国后，也会派人到你家领回。只是 Changi Recommends 没有提供的服务。我很讨厌航班在12点后才抵达新加坡。退还路由器时，他们就会收费使用多一天的价格，就算是超过1分钟也一样。
#3: Services available for purchase. Most recent promotion - 28% off for WIFI routers.
#4: Add your flight details (I'm transiting at Hong Kong airport) to receive helpful information, and relevant alerts and updates.
#5: Have your planned itinerary on hand, and easily share it amongst friends through the app.
For my recent trip to Seoul (and yes again, I love Korea!), I tried out Ready to Travel. They charge at the same rate as Changi Recommends (not sure for other countries). Best of all, they were doing a 25% off when I purchased it. So it came up to be $37.50 for a 10-day trip, unlimited data usage. Connection was great, extremely fast! My return flight was an overnight flight and I don't even have to worry that I have to pay extra!
这次到首尔（对，又是首尔。我超爱韩国！），决定试试 Ready to Travel。他们路由器的价格和 Changi Recommends 一样（其他国家我就不太清楚）。而且在我购买时，还有扣25%。十天的 Wi-Fi 路由器只需$37.50，无限 data 使用，超值的。信号超强，无线网超快！回国航班隔夜才回到新加坡，也不需要当心又要而外付费！