Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
work with a single provider start around $40; “unlocked” phones (which work with any
SIM card) start around $60. Regardless of how you get your phone, remember that you'll
need a SIM card to make it work.
Car-rental companies and mobile-phone companies offer the option to rent a mobile
phone with a European number. While this seems convenient, hidden fees (such as high
per-minute charges or expensive shipping costs) can really add up—which usually makes
it a bad value. One exception is Verizon's Global Travel Program, available only to Veri-
zon customers.
Calling over the Internet
Some things that seem too good to be true...actually are true. If you're traveling with a
laptop, tablet, or smartphone, you can make free calls over the Internet to another wireless
device, anywhere in the world, for free. (Or you can pay a few cents to call from your
computer to a telephone.) The major providers are Skype, Google Talk, and (on Apple
devices) FaceTime. You can get online at a Wi-Fi hotspot and use these apps to make
calls without ringing up expensive roaming charges (though call quality can be spotty on
slow connections). You can make Internet calls even if you're traveling without your own
mobile device: Many European Internet cafés have Skype, as well as microphones and
webcams, on their terminals—just log on and chat away.
Landline Telephones
As in the US, these days most Europeans do the majority of their phoning on mobile
phones. But you'll still encounter landlines in hotel rooms and at pay phones.
Hotel-Room Phones:
Calling from the phone in your room can be great for local
calls and for international calls if you have an international phone card (described later).
Otherwise, hotel-room phones can be an almost criminal rip-off for long-distance or in-
ternational calls. Many hotels charge a fee for local and sometimes even “toll-free” num-
bers—always ask for the rates before you dial. Incoming calls are free, making this a
cheap way for friends and family to stay in touch (provided they have a good long-dis-
tance plan with good international rates—and a list of your hotels' phone numbers).
Smartphones and Data Roaming
I take my smartphone to Europe, using it to make phone calls (sparingly) and send
texts, but also to check email, listen to audio tours, and browse the Internet. If you're
clever, you can do all this without incurring huge data-roaming fees. Here's how.
