Have you ever traveled abroad for business and had a crisis—you got lost, had something stolen, missed a connection or fell ill? When the unexpected happens traveling domestically, the chances are that you'll call someone who'll help solve your problem. But that's not easy to do when you're in a strange country.
So how do the business travel experts handle the unexpected? They always take a reliable, quality international cell phone service with them. And it makes sense for you to copy them.
Here are the 5 most popular ways to use your cell phone while traveling internationally:
1. Use Your Own Cell Phone Abroad
This sounds like the perfect option, doesn't it? You don't have to change your number and you already know how to use your cell phone. But there's a problem—approximately 80 percent of U.S. cell phones cannot work internationally due to pesky mobile technological incompatibilities.
Make sure to first check with your carrier to see if you can support calls out-of-country, and be ready for extra charges. You may need to pay to upgrade your account and handset. You'll also have to pay more for your calls—both incoming and outgoing. And remember, you might get people who don't know you're traveling abroad calling you. Make sure to only answer extremely important or business-related calls or else the charges will add up fast.
2. Rent A Cell Phone
It's a popular option but don't do this. Sorry to be so blunt, but renting a cell phone is outdated. You wouldn't think about renting a suitcase every time you traveled, would you? This is no different.
For the same cost of renting a cell phone for 2 weeks, you could easily have bought your own second international capable cell phone—one that's yours for life.
3. Buy Local SIM Cards
Buying your own cell phone is a better value for your money. However, there are 3 methods you can use. The first uses "local SIM cards". You'll need a different local SIM card for each country you visit. With local SIM cards you pay in advance for talk time, and then you keep buying extra talk time to keep your service active.
The problem with local SIM cards is they can be expensive to buy. For example, the local SIM for Germany will cost you $60, and that's without a cell phone and before you've made calls. You also run the risk of getting cut off during an important call with a client or your boss if you run out of talk time. Plus, your cell phone can only use one carrier's network in each country, so you may not have great reception everywhere.
4. Buy A Global Call Back SIM Card
You can use a global SIM card in lots of countries, but like local SIM cards, you still have the hassle of pre-paying for your talk time with the threat of getting cut off during an important business call. But this is not the main headache.
Global call back services use a complicated dialing system:
*First, you call an access number and enter your Pin number.
*Then you're prompted to enter the number you want to dial.
*Then you hang up.
*Then you're called back and connected to the number you originally wanted to call.
With such a method, there is no such thing as a quick call.
But here's the real killer. Because it uses an extra connection in the middle, it can really damage the quality of your calls, so you can't always be sure you'll even be able to make your phone call.
5. Buy A Global Direct-Dial SIM Card
Travel experts love this method. You get global coverage on one cell phone number. It's easy to use because it uses standard direct dialing like your home phone—unlike the complicated call back system above—and your service is continually active whenever you need it so you'll never get cut off.
And, most importantly, you get the best cell phone call quality. It automatically chooses the strongest cell phone signal of all the carriers in the area so the quality is always the best.
No comments:
Post a Comment