Cell Phones and Internet Abroad

If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

A cell phone is handy, but don’t bring one with you unless it is unlocked and uses GSM standard, or it will not function. Instead, do as the locals do; buy a phone there and pay as you go. Another option is to bring a global cell phone that you can unlock and swap out SIM cards, and then buy pre-paid SIM cards overseas. This can be cheaper than using your wireless company at home.

The US and Canada have the highest cell phone bills in the world. One of the reasons for this is because we pay to place and receive calls. Many cell phones that you buy overseas receive calls for free, thus making it a lot cheaper and much better for study abroad students. When I was in Ecuador, my brother-in-law lent me a cell phone and although I couldn’t place calls without buying credit, everyone was able to call me on a regular basis.

It really depends on your location, but most likely you will have access to the Internet either at school, in your apartment, or through a local cybercafé that offers access for a small fee. You can locate many of these cybercafés before you leave at World 66.com. You can also find prices and other information about the cafes. It is sometimes possible to make international calls for very good rates.

Don’t expect Internet access to be as prevalent or as fast as it is in the US. In the United States, many families have their own computers as well as Cable or DSL Internet access from their homes. However, for economic and cultural reasons, this isn’t always the case in other parts of the world. Whether it is the high cost or the strong sense of community, Internet from home isn’t priority.

Once you arrive, you’ll need to figure out how the phone system works and how to place in-country and international calls. You should do this right away, so you don’t waste time trying to figure it out in the event of an emergency. Following are some examples, with facts and tips that may save you and your family some frustration and hassle. Note the differences when calling within your host country and outside.

Placing a call to Italy from North America
You need to call Rome, Italy.
Phone: +39 06 466229
Fax: +39 06 46622900

• Notice the fax number is longer than the phone number (not unusual for European countries).
• The + reminds you to add your international access code, which is 011 if dialing from North America.
• 39 is the Country Code for Italy
• 06 is the Area Code for Rome
• Dial 011 39 06 466229
  (Access Code) (Country Code) (Area /City Code) (Local Number)

Placing a call to North America from Italy
You want to call home from Italy.
Phone: (217) 556-5678

• To call North America, just dial 001 (the 00 is the direct dial prefix, and the 1 is the country code) and then 217-556-5678.

Placing a call to Germany from Italy
You want to make reservations at a hotel in Germany.
You see the phone number written two different ways:
+49 69 7578-1130 and 069 7578-1130

• The first way assumes you’re calling from another country. The + reminds you to add your international access code, which is 00 if dialing from anywhere in Europe (except for Finland).
• The second way assumes you’re calling from within Germany. Since Germany uses an area code, drop the first “0″ when calling from another country.

Placing a Call within your Host Country
Some countries use area codes and others use direct-dial. For those that use area codes, you have to dial the area code first. For those that use direct-dial, you just dial the same number no matter where it is in the country. There may still be long-distance charges, so check before you dial.

Other Options to Consider
Phone cards can be the most economical way for your parents and friends to call you from home. There are many different companies on the Internet. When you pay online, you get a calling card number and a pin.

If your family and friends plan to call you a lot, it would probably be better for them to get an unlimited calling plan of some sort. There are many different options to choose from.

If you want to call home, you can always buy calling cards in the local kiosks and use them as desired to place phone calls internationally. When I visited France, I bought an international calling card for seven euro. It allowed me to talk to someone in the US for three hours, with time leftover.

Do not use your cell phone unless you’re a millionaire and you don’t mind paying outrageously expensive rates! Reserve your cell for emergencies or for receiving calls (if free).

Call PC-to-PC for free with Skype. If you want to take advantage of these services, then you need a microphone. If don’t want to listen through your computer’s speakers, then you will also need a headset.

To determine when to phone home (and not upset your mom at 3:00am) visit timeticker. Think of west as future time travel and east as past. In other words, the time increases as you go west and decreases as you east.

• Country/City Dialing Codes
• Steve Kropla’s Help for World Travelers – Worldwide Electrical and Telephone

This is a partial excerpt from the latest updated edition of Study Abroad 101 by Wendy Williamson.