Getting cell service abroad
Staying connected as simply and affordably as possible
Last reviewed: July 2009
Using your cell phone on vacation in the U.S. or Canada is generally as simple as using it at home (though, if you're crossing the border, it's still worth checking for plans that discount the cost of roaming).
But travel anywhere else, though, and things become more complicated. Foreign countries generally use only one of the two major cell-phone technologies used in Canada and the U.S. either GSM or CDMA. GSM is used in most areas of Europe, while CDMA is used in much of Asia and parts of Latin America. In the U.S., Verizon and Sprint Nextel use CDMA networks, while AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM.
If your phone doesn't match the country's network, you'll need to either rent or buy a "world phone," that is a GSM phone with the ability to interface with foreign and U.S. networks. And even if your phone uses the technology of the country you're visiting, you still might need to contact your carrier before you leave to ensure that you can use it abroad, or to sign up for discount international rate plans.
Failure to plan your mobile phone use before you leave the country can cause cell shock upon your return, especially when you open phone bill. With per-minute costs of between $1 and $2.50, even in less-expensive regions such as Western Europe, and $5 and up in pricier destinations such as Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia, it's all too easy to spend hundreds of dollars on cell-phone service, even on a relatively short trip.
So, before you go, here are three points to consider for traveling abroad with your U.S.-based cell phone.
Start planning at least two weeks in advance
You'll need that time if you have to rent another phone or obtain phone accessories.
Check compatibility for your existing phone
Because your familiar with its functions, it has your stored numbers, etc., the phone you already own is usually best to use
abroad—if it works, of course.
Contact your cell provider to find out whether your phone can in fact make the trip. The distribution of cellular network technology is only a rough guide. For example, for a GSM phone to work in Europe, it generally needs to be a so-called "tri-band" or "quad-band" model that can operate on one or two of the European frequency bands, and on both U.S. bands.
Consider how much you'll use your phone
The short answer is: probably more than you think. Since much of the world uses cell phones even more than Americans do, alternatives
such as pay phones and even hotel phones might be harder to find than they are at home. Consider not only your expected volume
of calls, but their type—within the country vs. back home, incoming vs. outgoing, voice vs. text. That calling mix might affect
what the least-expensive options are and what's best suited for you.
You might find your hopes for phone use abroad collide with the reality of what it can cost. To begin gauging how much you'll actually pay, determine international service availability, equipment options, and airtime charges, use these links to check with the major carriers' rate plans:
Once that is settled, you face two paths. If your phone will work in the country you're visiting, read "If your cell phone's a globetrotter" for the appropriate advice. If your phone won't work, then read, "If your cell phone's a homeboby."
Posted: June 2007
