Travel Tips: Using Cell Phones Outside the United States

Traveling abroad for business or vacation no longer means losing touch with family and friends or using those expensive in-room phones in hotels. Mobile phones provide convenient access for emergencies, confirming travel plans and for local activities. Cellular providers offer supplemental services and plans to enable customers to bring their cell phones outside the United States. Other options include using local SIM cards to make calls while traveling or residing in another country but remember that non-English speaking countries' sims card instructions, messages, minutes updates, literally everything aren't in English.  Some basic guidelines and tips will help you effectively use a cell phone and smartphone abroad to save money while keeping in touch.

Contact your cell phone provider to activate international calling, rent an international cell phone or purchase an unlocked phone and SIM card for use in another country. Different countries use different types of mobile phone networks, so don’t assume that your phone will work abroad. In addition, some providers may charge a fee for an international calling plan or phone rental.

Check the voltage requirements for the desired country and bring a power converter for the phone charger, if necessary.

Type frequently used telephone, emergency contact, hotel and transportation numbers on the phone and save them in the phone's address book. Make sure to enter the telephone numbers using the international dialing format: for example, calls to the U.S. should be entered with the prefix "+011" followed by the area code and telephone number because calls made abroad will initiate from the local phone carrier. Keep a paper copy of all essential phone number just in case your phone is not accessible.

Turn off automatic downloads and email. Some phones and data services will automatically download data while the phone is on. Check with your provider or your phone’s manufacturer to learn how to disable these automatic downloads.. During your trip you can choose when to check for email messages when you're connected to a free, wireless Internet connection, such as in a hotel lobby or Internet cafe.

Be aware of the emergency calling number in the country you’re visiting. VoIP services often lack some of the emergency calling features of a regular telephone, so be informed about these differences before using them.

Consider signing up for Skype and activating a Skype to Go number or downloading and installing the Skype mobile application for smartphones.  A Skype to Go number is a local number that serves as a gateway to call outside the country to save money on roaming charges and providing a number for calls to be forwarded to your cell phone. The Skype Mobile application uses the smartphone's data plan or wireless Internet connection for calls to Skype members or other telephone numbers.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com

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6008 West Bell Rd # F105
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(602) 843-5100
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