A friend of mine visiting the U.S. recently mentioned that in most other countries it is possible to go into any drugstore or corner grocery and buy a "card" to plug into your cellular phone in order to use the phone in that country. Apparently, the price of the card buys time and the card can be "recharged" for additional time when necessary.

1. Does the phone (in my case, a Nokia phone that is a couple of years old) have to be configured in any particular way to be able to do this?
2. If the phone is not already configured this way, can it be "fixed"?
3. Are such cards available in Spain and France?
4. Is it practical to do this for calling the U.S. for business, or is it less expensive to rent a phone in these countries? Where can phones be rented?

1. Depends on the model. To work in Europe it has to be GSM standard operating on 900 and 1800 MHz. US uses mainly 1900. The phone must also be unlocked - able to take SIM card from any network.
2. Frequency band is fixed. Locked phone can be unlocked by a dealer.
3. Yes. Widely. Cost about 30 euro.
4. It's cheaper to use calling cards in street phones (some local calling cards can be used with cell phones). It's useful for receiving calls, but you will have a local number (which your caller has to be informed of). Renting a phone is expensive. If you are staying only for a few days, it's easier to join an international roaming program with your phone provider. Calling and receiving costs 99 cents/min with T-Mobile and you retain your US number. They can also sell you a compatible handset cheaply if needed.

Here's an adress where you can rent cell phones in Spain. http://www.onspanishtime.com/
This cell phone will also work in France. Even with a Spanish phone card.

First check the book that came with your phone or call the manufacturer to confirm that your phone is dual band (i.e., works in Europe and the US). If it is, follow the menu instructions to change bands once you arrive in Europe. It is very easy.

If your phone will work in Europe, you can simply add international calling to the calling plan you have with your US phone service provider. This will allow you to use the phone in Europe without inserting a European sim card. AT&T offers international calling for $2 or so a month, plus actual calling time. The drawback is that if you are making local calls within a country, you will essentially be paying international long distance rates, as the call will go through the US. However, if you are just going to use the phone for business calls to the US, this may be the simplest and easiest thing to do.

If you don't want to add international calling and want to purchase a local sim card chip and if you purchased your phone from a phone service provider like AT&T as part of the purchase of a calling plan, you will have to get them to unlock the phone so you can insert a local European sim card chip. it. In my experience, AT&T will not unlock any of the phones they sell with calling plans. (They want you to use their service worldwide.) I understand that T Mobile does agree to do this more readily. In either case, you have to call your provider to get them to unlock the phone. If you purchased the phone from a dealer and added your own calling plan, the dealer should be able to unlock the phone for you, but I don't have any experience with this so can't confirm it.

Even with a local chip, you will pay long-distance international charges to call the US. These may be more expensive than a US service provider would charge for the same call.

Renting phones is generally expensive in Europe and not worth it IMO.

Also remember that internet cafes abound in Europe and this may be the best way to stay in touch. Take a look at cybercafe.com for a list of internet cafes by city/country.

hi Leburta, a few comments on what has been said here.

the chip (SIM) card you are referring to is available here in spain but not at drugstores nor corner groceries, you can get it at dept. stores and cell phone shops though. you can also buy one online before you leave (for example at www.spainsim.com) and get the phone # before you leave home (a big plus).

Alec is sooooooo right that it is cheaper to call back home with prepaid calling cards from payphones or hotel phones. the "eurodirect" phone card is currently the best deal (http://www.europhonecards.org). also, the best card to use from a cell phone here is the "Call and Connect" card (available at the same website), just 14 cents/min. bacl to USA, CANADA, UK, ETC... and uses none of the credit in the SIM card (cell phone) itself.

saludos,
jer...