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| Note: The phone
reviewed below is for international travel. It is
able to use pre-paid cards from a variety of
countries, allowing one to call at domestic rates
and, in the case of Spain, have free incoming
calls.
Since 2003 there has been a few advancement in cell phones, so the model shown here is not currently available, never the less I believe the review still accurately reflects the benefits of having a cell phone for Europe.
Standing at the top of an
ancient Moorish tower overlooking the Mediterranean, I think about
my wife who was unable to come with me on this
trip. My watch indicates it is 2:10 P.M. Counting
back by 6 hours, I realize my wife should have
arrived to work by now, and I can test out how
well the cell phone works in Tarragona. Dialing 001
before the area code, the phone barely rings and
I am hearing her voice.
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Cellular Abroad - International Cell Phone Solutions Click Here
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Approached by Cellular
Abroad to promote their international cell
phones on this website, I agreed, somewhat
reluctantly, to test out a phone on my Oct. 2003
visit to Spain. It was my travel companion who
convinced me to check out the phone. He pointed
out to me that a phone usable around the world,
using domestic rates of the countries visited,
was an excellent tool for the international
business traveler. After using the phone for
three weeks, I came to appreciate its usefulness
for the vacation traveler as well.
How it works:
The phone arrived with a SIM card (several
minutes of call time included) and a phone number
for Spain.
Punching the SIM (red rectangle in
photo) out of its holder, I then insert it
into the back of the phone.
Photo
to right: battery removed from back of
phone showing SIM card placement |
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In Spain I turned on the cell phone, entered
the PIN number, and easily made my first call
home.
Unlike most cellphones, the cellphone I received from
Cellular Abroad come unlocked and is
able to handle the celluar frequencies found
through much of the world. |
When it came time
to buy additional minutes, I had no problems
finding retailers able to recharge my phone.
Every time I wanted to make a call in
Spain, I found a strong cellular signal.
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Advantages for the traveler:
- Make emergency calls easily.
- You don't have to coordinate your
touring plans around access to a
phone. This is particularly
important when you are dealing
with several hours of time
difference between you and the
person you are calling.
- Much easier for family members/business
associates to contact you.
- International SIM cards mean you
can travel through approximately
115 different countries, sometimes
retaining the same phone number
and cellular plan.
- Save money. Using the cellphone, (in 2003) I
paid around .60 euros (60¢) per
minute for a call back to the USA.
From the USA, my wife used a
local prepaid phone card and
reached me via the cell phone in
Spain for about 35¢ (USD) per
minute. Even after you use up
your cell phone's pre-paid
minutes, incoming calls can be
received with no cellular fees. Note - costs now are about 30% more now due to changes in exchange rates.
- Voice mail and text messaging
will ensure you get important
messages.
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| One of the drawbacks (or assets,
depending on how you are looking at it) of the
Cellular Abroad cell phone is that you are
not signing up for a local U.S. cell phone
carrier; this means you must buy or rent
the phone. Normally one signs up for a phone plan
and the cost of the phone is absorbed by the
monthly fees. The R50m Ericsson phone I tested
accepted T-mobile SIM cards that
worked with a monthly or a prepaid phone service.
So, in addition to being used overseas, the phone
can be used in the U.S. with a local U.S. phone
number. (Note: Not all T-mobile
offices can provide you with a SIM card. To find
the closest office, I had to call their national
customer assistance number.) A Cellular
Abroad representative told me Cingular
and AT&T (in some places) also
can provide service for their phones.
When
considering the purchase of a cell phone for
international travel, consider the recharge
requirements. For Spain, if I don't purchase
phone minutes at least every 9 months, I lose my
pre-paid minutes; twelve months after my last
recharge of minutes, the phone number expires.
Each country and cellular service has different
recharge and expiration requirements.
For the casual traveler, a cell phone rental
maybe the best option. I recommend purchase of
this phone for business people and travelers who go
overseas at least twice each year and will
clock a number of minutes in phone calls during
their travels. The cost savings I obtained by
using a local Spain cell phone carrier were
comparable to a pre-paid phone card. Compared to
regular phone cards and U.S. cellular services
that provide phones usable overseas, the Cellular
Abroad cell phone offers substantial
savings on a per minute cost basis.
Cellular Abroad - International Cell Phone Solutions Click Here , use this link to locate a phone for use in one country or multiple countries.
New in 2007 - National Geographic Talk Abroad Travel Phone Click Here |
| Note
to Husbands: Calling your wife to share your
fantastic day on the Mediterranean coast, just as
she is starting her long day at work, may not be
the best way to let her know you are missing her. |
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