Earlier this year, travel agent Deb Krebs stood atop the Swiss Alps and checked in with her office. “I still don’t get good cell phone service at home,” says Krebs, who lives in rural Pennsylvania. “But there I was at 15,000 feet, reading my email and using my BlackBerry. I was extremely surprised.”
The days when global travelers had to rely on hotel phones or hunt for an Internet café to check email are largely gone. Modern cell phones and mobile networks reliably support calling, email and data services in many remote locations that would have been unreachable just a few years ago.
“The overall wireless landscape has changed greatly over the years, and not just for international use,” says Jenny Bridges, a spokesperson for AT&T. “Ten years ago, a wireless phone was still considered a luxury item for many people, and smartphones were strictly marketed to business professionals. Today, everyone is armed with a wireless device.”
Travelers now use their phones for voice calls, instant messaging, web browsing, social media updates and even streaming video, all while abroad.
For independent film producer John Love, president of New Vision Communications, reliable voice and email access is essential. “For us, it’s mission critical,” says Love, whose work takes him to Europe, the Middle East, western Siberia and South America. “We can’t not be in touch, either locally or with our office and family in the United States.”
Staying connected has not always been easy. While filming in Siberia a few years ago, Love rented a phone from a local carrier and endured poor service despite high fees. Today he uses a BlackBerry Storm on Verizon and emphasizes voice quality, reliable email and responsive carrier support. “Even in a place like France, where service is good, if there’s some kind of issue in terms of configuring email with the carrier, you make one call and the issue is resolved,” he says.
Options for international travelers now include a wide range of data-enabled phones, international calling cards, roaming plans, rental phones and local devices. That variety can be confusing, so planning in advance helps you choose the best option for your trip.
Freelance writer Sonja Bjelland, who currently lives in India, learned that lesson the hard way. She traveled with a recent-model phone but didn’t contact her U.S. provider before departure. Her phone was locked on arrival and service was suspended, leaving her with a reduced monthly charge for a phone she couldn’t use for calls. Still, she can use apps and Skype over Wi-Fi to reach local numbers.
Bjelland relies on hotel and ashram hotspots for internet access and found that buying a local phone in New Delhi for about $46 was the most practical solution for daily needs like arranging transport and checking hotel availability.
Phone technologies, plans and pricing vary across carriers. Before traveling internationally, check what your provider offers. Some providers offer short-term international plans that can be prorated for a few days, avoiding the cost of a full month’s higher-rate plan when the trip is brief.
Travelers with GSM phones should verify they have tri-band or quad-band devices, which operate across the frequencies used in most countries. Some regions, notably Japan and South Korea, use different frequencies and may require specific device compatibility or rented phones. Confirm coverage and device compatibility with your carrier before you travel.
If your phone does not support international roaming or you travel infrequently, alternatives still let you stay connected. One common option is using a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card from a local or international provider. International SIM cards let you use local networks and avoid expensive roaming fees.
For example, the Telestial Passport International SIM Card includes a small starting credit, a U.S. and a U.K. phone number and service across many countries, with different per-minute rates for international calls. Frequent travelers can choose higher-tier SIM cards for lower airtime rates and added data service.
“Our network is up and running perfectly 99.9 percent and typically provides a superior roaming experience to that of roaming with ‘home’ service,” says Ken Grunski, Telestial president. “The Passport SIM now offers data which three to four years ago would’ve been unheard of.”
Renting a phone is another practical choice for occasional travelers who don’t want to invest in a new handset or change their plan. Rent-a-phone services can be a convenient, short-term solution when your device is not compatible with local networks.
Choosing the best approach depends on the nature and duration of your trip. For short visits, adding an international plan to your existing account and using apps like Skype over Wi‑Fi may be enough. For extended stays, purchasing a local phone or using a local SIM card often provides better value and simpler local calling.
Dial-up Access
AT&T
AT&T customers can add the World Traveler package to their plans for a modest monthly fee. This enables voice service in more than 220 countries and discounted roaming in about 100 countries. Smartphones, BlackBerries and iPhones require the AT&T Global add-on for email, browsing and social networking abroad; data add-on pricing varies by usage, with smaller and larger data bundles available.
“We offer the largest portfolio of quad-band devices capable of operating on all four of the GSM frequencies,” spokesperson Bridges says. “Our customers can make and receive calls and send text messages in more than 200 countries, including 3G in more than 125 of those countries.”
T-Mobile
T-Mobile customers can enable international roaming by contacting the carrier before travel; there is no fee to turn the service on. With tri-band and quad-band phones, T-Mobile’s roaming works in more than 200 countries while retaining your U.S. number. For Japan and South Korea, where networks differ, customers may need to rent compatible phones.
Roaming rates vary by country. Texting and multimedia messages while abroad can incur separate charges, and data roaming is available in many countries with varying levels of high-speed coverage. T-Mobile also offers an unlimited international data option for certain devices.
Verizon
Verizon offers multiple international plans and device options. CDMA models work in a number of countries, while global-capable devices operate in many more. Verizon provides a loaner program for global-capable phones with qualifying international plans and several business-oriented access packages for frequent travelers.
Monthly access plans and add-on services vary by data allowance and country coverage. Verizon’s GlobalAccess options enable high-speed mobile broadband in many destinations, with substantial 3G coverage across numerous countries.
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AT&T
MAXroam
Roam4Less
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T-Mobile
Telestial