The Ultimate way to keep in touch for world traveler's
Oct 31st, 2007, 11:53 AM
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The Ultimate way to keep in touch for world traveler's
This topic is in conjuction with my previous thread about phone cards, payphone surcharges, and how to get the cheapest rates.
The Ultimate way to keep in touch for world traveler's
Option 1 -
Buy a SIM card, but problems arise with expensive roaming charges. I bought a Tmobile SIM card in Los Angeles. Excellent value in America, but in Canada the rates toped 75cents/minute, and in Europe there wasn't even any service - not even a partner network. I had to beg them to extend my remaining credit for when, or if I ever returned to America. They gave me any extra 2 years to use $60 of prepay leftover. Also, SIM cards are expensive - upto 50dollars, and sometimes a new card is needed for each successive country/region/or continent. One way around this is the WORLD SIM card. A SIMcard that never needs to removed, as it works on the World GSM network.There are a few choices online, but I can't remember who is offering what, and what the prepay rates are. Maybe somebody can post that here?
Option 2 -
The problem option. Phone cards, bought online, thoroughly researched and compared on sites like comfi dot com, and timedial dot net, (anyone know any other similar sites). Problems arise with connection, maintenance, taxes, payphone, and other hidden fees, and surcharges. Calling mobiles from payphones can cost over a dollar/call. That's totally unacceptable for an unemployed world traveler. Some of these cards have amazing per minute rates, though shadowed by 99cent payphone surcharges, which makes even a call that's 5 cents/minute total over a dollar to make. I think I said that already, but it's a big losing point, and almost makes me want to buy a SIM. One remedy to the payphone surcharge is using phone cards, from landlines, other people's phones, or at lucotarios (the Spanish term for businsses that cater to travelers' communicatuo needs (Internet, fax, phone booths (NOT payhones), etc...). Using phone cards at these locations cancels the payphone surcharge, and a local call to a mobile wouldn't cost more than 10 cents/minute. That's VERY acceptable.
Option 3-
Used in conjuction with option 1, or 2, Skype, and webcallDirect offer excellent, and free rates to landlines across the world, and mobiles are usually under 20cents/minute to popular destinations. There are no connection, tax, maintenance, or payphone surcharges here. No downside to VOIP calling whatsoever. Only problem is it's not mobile, and you know how mobile world traveler's can be. You have to be in front of your laptop to use it.
Option 4-
Is there an option 4? I hope that's what this thread will answer.
The Ultimate way to keep in touch for world traveler's
Option 1 -
Buy a SIM card, but problems arise with expensive roaming charges. I bought a Tmobile SIM card in Los Angeles. Excellent value in America, but in Canada the rates toped 75cents/minute, and in Europe there wasn't even any service - not even a partner network. I had to beg them to extend my remaining credit for when, or if I ever returned to America. They gave me any extra 2 years to use $60 of prepay leftover. Also, SIM cards are expensive - upto 50dollars, and sometimes a new card is needed for each successive country/region/or continent. One way around this is the WORLD SIM card. A SIMcard that never needs to removed, as it works on the World GSM network.There are a few choices online, but I can't remember who is offering what, and what the prepay rates are. Maybe somebody can post that here?
Option 2 -
The problem option. Phone cards, bought online, thoroughly researched and compared on sites like comfi dot com, and timedial dot net, (anyone know any other similar sites). Problems arise with connection, maintenance, taxes, payphone, and other hidden fees, and surcharges. Calling mobiles from payphones can cost over a dollar/call. That's totally unacceptable for an unemployed world traveler. Some of these cards have amazing per minute rates, though shadowed by 99cent payphone surcharges, which makes even a call that's 5 cents/minute total over a dollar to make. I think I said that already, but it's a big losing point, and almost makes me want to buy a SIM. One remedy to the payphone surcharge is using phone cards, from landlines, other people's phones, or at lucotarios (the Spanish term for businsses that cater to travelers' communicatuo needs (Internet, fax, phone booths (NOT payhones), etc...). Using phone cards at these locations cancels the payphone surcharge, and a local call to a mobile wouldn't cost more than 10 cents/minute. That's VERY acceptable.
Option 3-
Used in conjuction with option 1, or 2, Skype, and webcallDirect offer excellent, and free rates to landlines across the world, and mobiles are usually under 20cents/minute to popular destinations. There are no connection, tax, maintenance, or payphone surcharges here. No downside to VOIP calling whatsoever. Only problem is it's not mobile, and you know how mobile world traveler's can be. You have to be in front of your laptop to use it.
Option 4-
Is there an option 4? I hope that's what this thread will answer.
Oct 31st, 2007, 12:00 PM
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My option 4 is NOT to stay in touch. People can email me or they have the phone number at my hotel or apartment if there is a real emergency -- only happened once in my lifetime so far -- and that was during a five month trip. How many real emergencies do you anticipate? I have no idea why people need to call and chat for hours when they are away from home for a week or two. Are they that disorganized that no one at home knows what to do without them? Or are they so used to talking on their cellphones at home all day, they can't live without doing that? Or are they just homesick and want to talk?
I realize there may be a handful of people with special issues that may NEED to be in touch almost daily, but I doubt that's true of 90% of the people with all these phone issues who want to call every few hours and say "guess we're standing now" and "did Fido eat all his food?"
I realize there may be a handful of people with special issues that may NEED to be in touch almost daily, but I doubt that's true of 90% of the people with all these phone issues who want to call every few hours and say "guess we're standing now" and "did Fido eat all his food?"
Oct 31st, 2007, 12:26 PM
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Oh and one more thing before I get down off my soapbox. If you must get a phone, get a good one. Most American tourists must get really bad ones, because they invariably talk twice as loud on them as they would at home. Either reception is very bad, or they thing since they're further away they have to talk much louder.
Oct 31st, 2007, 04:52 PM
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Well, I can't go anywhere without being in touch with loads of people every day - my kids, my clients, my employees. It's just a fact of life for someone who runs a business and has kids at home. Sure, I'd love to be able to take off with no concerns and not have to email or call home all the time, but the fact is, I can't. That's the price I pay for being able to travel as much as I do, and I'm happy with it.
And no, I don't just call home to chat. I hate talking on the phone, actually. My calls are brief and to the point and deal with logistics and work-related issues.
I like Skype and VOIP, but I also have a pocket pc from AT&T that I can activate anywhere in the world. It's not cheap, but it's fairly reliable (well, we'll see when I try to use it in Nairobi later this month).
I've used the global SIM before with some success. I've also just used in-country calling cards, which is easy (though you can only call out, not receive calls, obviously). And I've bought country-specific SIMs and that worked well, too.
And no, I don't just call home to chat. I hate talking on the phone, actually. My calls are brief and to the point and deal with logistics and work-related issues.
I like Skype and VOIP, but I also have a pocket pc from AT&T that I can activate anywhere in the world. It's not cheap, but it's fairly reliable (well, we'll see when I try to use it in Nairobi later this month).
I've used the global SIM before with some success. I've also just used in-country calling cards, which is easy (though you can only call out, not receive calls, obviously). And I've bought country-specific SIMs and that worked well, too.
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