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Inexpensive
Cell Phone Service for Europe
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Affordable Cell Phone Communication in Europe In general, cellular coverage in Europe is exceptional. You will find that throughout Europe, even in remote Swiss villages, the Greek Isles or along the Italian or French Rivieras, there is usually cell phone coverage. Not only is the coverage exceptional, but so is the quality. Recently, there other options besides traditional cell phone rentals or roaming with your current provider have been made available. Not only do these options take advantage of the country's local network but the local low prices as well, making overseas cellular service available and more important, affordable to any traveler going overseas and not just businessmen or well-off tourists. In order to fully understand your choices as well as the pros and cons of each solution, please read the following information.
In Europe, as in most parts in the world, the cell phone standard used is called GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). With the exception of Japan and the United States and Canada, overseas countries have virtually exclusively adopted the GSM system in order to provide seamless cell phone service from country to country. The GSM standard has been the standard of choice due to its high digital quality and ability to add different platforms to it, such as GPRS and 3GSM. In fact, only recently have cell phone service providers in the US begun to seriously adopt the GSM standard. Does this mean that you can use your American or Canadian cell phone overseas? Most likely, the answer is no. While the majority of overseas providers use either the 900 and/or the 1800 Mhz GSM network for cellular communication, North American providers use the 1900 Mhz network. However, those providers who do happen to use GSM, including T-Mobile, Cingular and AT&T also offer cellular phones that will work on all of the networks. In fact, these cell phones, known as tri-band cell phones, are becoming more and more prevalent. If your current cell phone is not a tri-band, you will need to either rent or purchase a cellphone that will work on the overseas networks. Your current cellular provider can give you what is known as a SIM card, which is the brain of the phone, that you can easily slip into the GSM phone. The SIM card, which is actually a chip, is what gives you your service while the handset enables you to use it. An analogy would be the relationship between a car and gasoline. Even if you have the newest Bentley on the market, without gas, you won't be going anywhere.
The advantage of roaming with your current provider's service is that you will be able to retain your current US phone number even while overseas. This can be advantageous to businessmen who absolutely need to be able to be reached at a specific number. The disadvantage is that you will also be receiving, and paying dearly for, non-important calls. Rates are usually a $1.50 to $5.00 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls, which basically renders this approach acceptable beyond the means of most travelers. Another disadvantage is that, for example, if you are in Ireland, your local Irish contacts will need to make an international call to contact you, even if you are next door.
If you don't currently use a cell phone here, you can also rent one either at the airport prior to your departure or once you land in the country of your final destination. You will need to rent the handset plus pay for per minute usage. There is usually a minimum per day or per week usage fee that you must pay whether you use the phone or not. Renting can be a convenient alternative if someone doesn't have a domestic carrier or needs a phone at the last minute. The disadvantages are, besides the expensive rates, that you have to sign binding contracts with the cell phone rental agency plus you usually are assigned a United Kingdom phone number, which may be OK if you are traveling to England or Wales but not anywhere else, at least in terms of convenience for people calling you. Inevitably, people who rent a phone receive higher than expected bills for the airtime consumed and more often than, the entire experience is not satisfactory.
While both of these options are readily available, they are definitely not the least expensive approach to having cell phone communication overseas. By far, the least expensive solution is to obtain a prepaid SIM card for the country or countries to where you will be travelling and to either rent or purchase a compatible GSM cell phone. Having a local SIM card will give you a local number allow you to take advantage of the local rates which, not only are a fraction of those found through traditional channels as explained above but, in almost all countries, will also allow you to receive unlimited free incoming calls from anywhere in the world! (tip: have people call you back). On average and depending on the country, per minute rates are usually about $0.50 or $0.60 cents to call back to the US or Canada and local calls are generally about $0.25. Some countries will have rates that are phenomenally lower such as Australia where per minute calls back to the US are about $0.16. GSM phones are not expensive and a SIM card plus a phone will run you about $200. You can order SIM cards and phones from Cellularabroad.com. If you travel occasionally, it makes sense to purchase rather than rent the handset - that way the next time you go to a new country, you only need to purchase the SIM chip for the country to where you will be travelling. Keep in mind that since you will have an overseas number, unless you leave your new phone number on your domestic number's answering service outgoing message or tell everyone your new phone number, people will not be able to get in contact with you unless you call them.
In sum, there are 3 options for
attaining cell phone service overseas, the first, roaming with your current
provider, may be suitable for some businessmen as you retain your domestic phone
number. The second solution, may be viewed mostly as a last minute resort since
the primary advantage is that there are cell phone rental agencies conveniently
located in most international airports. The third option, allowing you to pay
the rates that the locals pay, usually including unlimited free incoming calls,
is suitable and affordable to anyone wanting overseas cellular communication.
Now, to go along with the exceptional GSM service, there are also exceptional
savings - and you don't even have to drive a Bentley in order to afford this
luxury.
For further information Click here
to visit Cellular Abroad.
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