Cell phones are becoming a necessity not only at home, but abroad.
The telephone was invented in 1876, but it wasn’t until 1927 that the first intercontinental telephone conversation took place from New York to London, costing $75 for three minutes. Fifty years later, calls overseas were still rather uncommon—primarily because of the inconvenience and cost. A business traveler at a bigger hotel overseas could dial direct at an exorbitant rate, but someone calling from a smaller establishment would have to go through an international operator and possibly even have to wait for the operator to call back once the call was connected. In some cases, even this service wasn’t available and the traveler would have to go to the local post office to place the call.
Now overseas calling is commonplace and just as easy and convenient as a local call. A traveler abroad can even take a cell phone along. And believe it or not, cell phone rates can be more economical than hotels or phone booths.
While toting a cell phone makes life easier once a traveler is overseas, it complicates things prior to departure. Since most American-model cell phones don’t work overseas, a phone must be rented. And of course there are many companies offering the service at a variety of prices.
AT&T wireless customers can rent a GSM phone (the European cellular standard) for $49 for one week or $75 for two. Someone who travels abroad a lot may even want to buy a GSM phone. Calls are then a flat $2.49 per minute. The big plus for AT&T customers is that a “CellCard” that is inserted in the rented phone allows users to keep their own cell phone number. So calls made to the traveler’s regular cell phone are routed to the rented model abroad. All calls are then billed on the customer’s regular wireless statement. This service is available in more than 90 countries. (1 800/335-4685 or www.attws.com).
“When I travel abroad, it’s less expensive for me to use my CellCard than to use the hotel’s phone or even a pay phone,” says Louis Hamilton, president of Hamilton & Co., a strategic communications firm. Hamilton continued, recounting a disturbing experience he had on a recent trip to London and Ireland. “I made my plans at the last minute, so I didn’t have time to get an AT&T CellCard, so I rented a cell phone when I got to the hotel. There was no daily rental fee and I didn’t ask the rate, but they hosed me. I had the phone less than 24 hours and I got a bill for $180. That is even a record for me, and I’m a record setter,” says Hamilton, who racked up 2,600 minutes of cell phone calls last month.
International wireless services are also available through Southwestern Bell. SWB has an agreement with Rent Express (1 888/904-9993 or www.rentexpress.com). Rental fees are $69.95 for one week or $139.95 for one month. In most cases, outbound international calls are $2.95 per minute and incoming calls are $.95 per minute. This service is also available in 90 countries.
Omnipoint (877/666/4246) a major wireless provider that recently announced its expansion into St. Louis, creating 50-plus permanent jobs and about 100 temporary jobs in construction and telecommunications, offers rentals for $29 a week or $49 a month. The rates vary depending on where the traveler is calling. For instance, calls from Paris to the U.S. are $1.43 a minute.
Whichever company a traveler choses, he or she should carefully check the rates and get them in writing. And take special note of companies that quote rates in units instead of minutes.
Bon Voyage.
