Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
• Dial the local number. If you're calling France, drop the initial zero of the phone
number. (For specifics per country, see the European calling chart in this chapter.)
Calling from the US to France:
To call the recommended Nice hotel from the US,
dial 011 (US access code), 33 (France's country code), then 4 97 03 10 70 (the hotel's
number without its initial zero).
Calling from any European country to the US:
To call my office in Edmonds,
Washington, from anywhere in Europe, I dial 00 (Europe's access code), 1 (US country
code), 425 (Edmonds' area code), and 771-8303.
Mobile Phones
Traveling with a mobile phone is handy and practical. There are two basic options: roam-
ing with your own phone (expensive but easy) or buying and using SIM cards with an un-
locked phone (a bit more hassle, but potentially much cheaper).
Roaming with Your US Mobile Phone:
Thispricieroptioncanbeworthwhileifyou
won't be making or receiving many calls, don't want to bother with SIM cards, or want
to stay reachable at your US number. Start by calling your mobile-phone service provider
to ask whether your phone works in Europe and what the rates are (likely $1.29-1.99 per
minute to make or receive calls, and 20-50 cents to send or receive text messages). Tell
them to enable international calling on your account, and if you know you'll be making
multiplecalls,askyourcarrieraboutanyglobalcallingdealstolowertheper-minutecosts.
When you land in Europe, turn on your phone and—bingo!—you have service. Because
you'll pay for receiving calls and texts, be sure your family knows to call only in an emer-
gency. Note that Verizon and Sprint use a different technology than European providers,
so their phones are less likely to work abroad; if yours doesn't, your provider may be able
to send you a loaner phone before you leave for Europe (arrange in advance).
Buying and Using SIM Cards in Europe:
Ifyou'recomfortablewithmobile-phone
technology, will be making lots of calls, and want to save some serious money, con-
sider this very affordable alternative: Carry an unlocked mobile phone, and use it with a
European SIM card to get much cheaper rates.
Getting an
unlocked phone
may be easier than you think. You may already have an
old, unused mobile phone in a drawer somewhere. When you got the phone, it was prob-
ably “locked” to work only with one company—but if your contract is now up, your pro-
vider may be willing to send you a code to unlock it. Just call and ask. Otherwise, you can
simplybuyanunlockedphone:Searchyourfavoriteonlineshoppingsiteforan“unlocked
quad-band phone” before you go, or wait until you get to Europe and buy one at a mobile-
phone shop there. Either way, a basic model costs less than $50.
