Phones Abroad
We have cell phones for you to use while traveling, just ask
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If you are traveling to Europe or elsewhere and have GSM service from T-Mobile or AT&T and a tri or quad band phone you are in luck. While GSM is not the standard in the US, it is the standard for the rest of the world except for Japan and Korea. Phone types and frequency make it difficult to communicate internationally, as the US uses 1900 and 850 mhz bands, while much of the world outside of Canada and the Caribbean use the 1800 or 900 mhz bands.
If you have a tri or quad band phone from a US based carrier, roaming will often cost $1.99 a minute and sometimes more but it is convenient. There are some options if the cost is too high or if you do not have a GSM phone. (Verizon will make a GSM phone available to subscribers who request one.)
Renting a Phone
This is not a good option as the rentals are often more expensive than purchasing a phone. One option for phoning home if you do not wish to purchase a phone is to get a calling card and use pay phones; however, pay phones are getting harder and harder to find. Another option is to use an internet protocal phone such as Skype or Magicjack (yes the website is cheesy but it does work). Of course for either of these you will need internet access.
International SIM Cards
Over the years there have been several sim solutions for international travel. The best pre paid plan right now seems to be Globalroaming which uses a Belgian number with a callback system.
If you are traveling extensively in one country you might want to get a pre paid SIM card from a local provider. While these are occassionally available in the US online, you usually pay a premium and don't get the number until you arrive at your destination and activate the SIM card so the extra expense of online purchase is questionable. (These cards are sometimes sold used on e-bay and can be a good deal although the time on them is often expired so you will have to charge it on arrival. With you also take a risk that the number may be expired as well, so buyer beware.)
