A Lowdown on Cell Phones

Author: Richard Smurthwaite

A woman buys an iPhone, goes to Europe, and unknowingly amasses a $500 bill after four days overseas. By the time she reaches AT&T, the total is around $5,000.

And yes, as she wrote in the Chicago Tribune, not a single phone call contributed to the hefty bill. Turns out that if you don't watch what you're doing, you can and will be charged an arm and a leg for sending photos, watching YouTube footage, surfing the Web, and checking e-mail.

After contacting AT&T and switching to a new global data plan retroactively, the writer was able to negate some of the charges. She also learned that when heading overseas, it's essential to turn the data-roaming feature off, and to use Wi-Fi instead of the 3G network for e-mail. (From the Budget Travel Blog, http://current.newsweek.com/budgettravel/2009/09/how_to_get_hit_with_a_5000_iph.html)

For the informed traveler, having a cell phone in Europe can be a huge benefit, but there are some hurdles to clear to make this possible.

First, a short primer on cell phone technology. GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is a type of cell phone and network used in Europe and most countries in the world. Some US cell phone companies use GSM (T-Mobile, AT&T), but many do not. You need a GSM phone in Europe.

Verizon has seven models that use the GSM technology that works in Europe, such as the BlackBerry Tour and HTC Touch Pro2, but otherwise most Verizon phones are not GSM-compatible. However, Verizon offers a service whereby you can rent a phone from them for about $10 (they will even ship it to you), that will work in Europe. Sprint has five models that are compatible with Europe's wireless technology. It also offers a rental program for travelers to Europe.

However, just because you have a GSM phone does not mean you can use your phone in Europe. GSM cell phones and networks work on GSM bands (frequencies). It is very important that you know which bands the GSM cell phone works on. This will determine where you can use it.

• Cell phones in the US work at GSM 1900 or 850
• Cell phones in Europe work on GSM 900 or 1800

In other words, if your GSM phone only has the U.S. bands, you will probably not connect to a service in Europe. If you want to use your GSM cell phone in both the US and Europe, get a quad-band phone (four bands). Most T-Mobile and AT&T phones sold in the past several years are quad-band.

In addition, T-Mobile has worldwide roaming turned off by default on all new accounts. If you want to use your phone in Europe, call Customer Care and ask for this to be turned on. There is no cost until you use the phone. Rates are about $1/min for calls and $0.20 for outbound text, $0.30 for inbound. The killer cost, however, is data---$15/Mb. If you have a phone that is linked to email, you have a couple of options: (1) you may avoid the data cost by switching to Wi-Fi connectivity for data, or (2) you can avoid it entirely by turning off all data connections, or (3) T-Mobile has a service for $19.99 per month that allows unlimited emails. Even better, you pay only for the number of days you have that activated.

Bottom line: cell phones are not only handy at home (that’s a pun, of sorts, because at least in the German countries the generic name for a cell phone is a Handy), but can be very useful while traveling. If you are thinking of bringing your phone, talk to your carrier’s customer service.