Thursday, July 13, 2006

Cell phones

Contact your wireless company to see if your cell phone will work where you are headed. If so, you’ll need to activate international roaming or international long distance. You should also find out what a call will cost from your destination.

Rudy Maxa ,who hosts National Public Radio’s “Savvy Traveler” feature offers some other money-saving alternatives. You can buy or rent an international phone before you go. If your phone has a removable smart chip card known as a SIM, you can buy a replacement. A California company called cellularabroad.com will sell you a card that works in 100 countries, including all of Europe, for $79. It comes pre-loaded with 30-minutes of calling time, and all of your incoming calls are free.

If you’re taking your own phone, make sure that it’s pre-programmed with important emergency numbers back home and that you have a charger that will work where you’re headed.

| Cell phones