Using your cell phone overseas

With so many questions from clients about the cheapest way to make calls while overseas (whether in Europe, the Caribbean or Mexico), I thought this article might be of interest. Of course, always call your cell phone provider to make sure that your phone will be compatible with the cell phone service available at your destination and make sure you understand the charges and fees.


Call of the World: Phone From Abroad
By AMANDA C. KOOSER, AOL SMALL BUSINESS
Posted: 2009-12-10 16:09:45


Mobile phone plans aren't known for their clarity of terms. Many a road warrior has returned from a triumphant business trip abroad only to find a monster of a cell phone bill loaded to the gills with international roaming and data charges. Before you step on the plane, make sure you have your mobile ducks in a row.

World Warrior
Frequent travelers abroad aren't going to want to mess with rental phones, separate phone numbers or other workarounds. It's all about putting your U.S. cell phone to work internationally so you don't have to worry about anything except packing your phone and remembering your charger (with international adapters).
If you are already on a GSM carrier, you're likely good to go to most countries with your current phone. Just drop by the Web site or call customer service to add on an international package. Be mindful that rates can add up. For example, placing and receiving calls in the United Kingdom will generally cost 99 cents to $1.29 per minute. Data plans are extra, but an absolute must if you plan on giving your smartphone a workout overseas.

Carriers like Verizon run on CDMA networks. Your existing phone should work in places like Mexico, Vietnam and Thailand. Most of Europe is hooked up with GSM, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck. You can get around this by choosing a world phone that includes GSM. The Blackberry Storm2 9550 and the HTC Touch Pro2 are a couple of Verizon options. After getting your phone squared away, you pay a monthly fee with per-minute rates that vary by destination.

Infrequent FlyerIf international travel is just an occasional feature of your business life, you can still choose to activate and deactivate a world calling plan as needed. Or you can opt for another approach. International cell phone rentals have been around for awhile, but you can pick up a permanent international phone through Mobal (http://www.mobal.com). $49 gets you a basic GSM phone that works in 150 countries. You keep your assigned phone number and the phone for use whenever you travel. Going back to the UK example, incoming calls from the UK are free, calls out to the UK cost $1.50 per minute and calls back to the U.S. cost $1.95 per minute. There are no monthly fees.

Budget Buster
If you are really looking to squeeze by on the cheap with international calling and don't mind dealing with some potential drawbacks, you might want to heed the siren call of internet calling. Skype is the big player in this field for quick and easy access. As usual, Skype to Skype calls are free, but you're not tied into only calling other Skype users. Pay in advance for Skype credit, and calls to many destinations squeak in at the low rate of $0.021 per minute regardless of where you are in the world. You'll need to have Skype loaded up on your laptop or smartphone and access to a strong wireless internet signal. If you want your colleagues and clients to be able to reach you back without having Skype themselves, you'll need to invest in a SkypeIn number at the rate of $60 per year.