Cell/Mobile Phone Basics for Travelers
When you’re planning to work and travel internationally a telephone will probably be one of your essential pieces of equipment. Experienced nomads not only use their mobile phones for voice communication but often as the interface between their laptop and that country's dial up internet service (if supported by Bluetooth). Most of us are used to the mobility of cell/mobile phones these days and wouldn’t want to be dependent upon hotel phones or finding a pay phone in a remote location. So when it comes to mobile phone technology once you leave your motherland how does it all work? What are the choices and ramifications of each choice? Understanding the many variations can be mind boggling but not doing your homework can result in unexpected gigantic bills at the end of the month.
This is the first in a series of articles I’ll be writing on mobile phones and travel. So, let’s start with the basics:
Basic #1 We Are Not All the Same – GSM, CDMA, IDEN…?
It is first important to understand that different countries use different types of phone service technology. The most common is GSM service. This technology was developed so that people could move freely from country to country with one phone, simply buying what are called SIM cards to use with their phone in order to gain access to specific country services as they moved. While over 200 countries worldwide use GSM service, the U.S. does not. The U.S. uses a variety of other technology such as CDMA and IDEN among others. In the U.S. most mobile phones only work with their particular service provider technology.
Therefore, a mobile phone purchased in the U.S. will likely not work in other countries. While some mobile phone providers (TMobile, Cingular) will sell GSM phones, be aware that the Global Roaming feature must be enabled by the provider and that roaming charges will be accrued should you place a call while traveling. In addition, a U.S. GSM phone may not work on the correct frequency for the country you are visiting and therefore be useless to you when you arrive. This brings us to Basic #2.
Basic #2 We Dance to Different Drummers – Frequency Issues
Just as you will find different services in various countries you may visit, you may also find that mobile phones are running on a different frequency. The U.S. uses 850 and 1900 MHZ bands while most other countries use a combination of 900 and 1800 MHZ. Mobile phones can only make and receive calls if they are using the same frequency bands as the country you are standing in. So – as stated above – a GSM phone purchased in the U.S. that works in U.S. frequency bands will not work abroad in most countries. It is possible to find some phones that are tri-band or quad-band but they are uncommon and expensive. Check on the frequencies used in your destination country before you purchase a phone. For a comprehensive list of frequencies for various countries visit: GSM World
Basic #3 Don’t Get Locked Out – Unlocking Mobile Phones
You may be getting the feeling that that U.S. is a pain in the butt when it comes to playing mobile phone games with other countries. You’re right. Here’s another U.S. issue. The mobile phone you buy in the U.S. is most likely “locked”. This means it has been made to only work with the provider you bought it from. In other words, the phone you get from the Sprint counter will only work as long as you pay for Sprint service. If you buy a GSM phone and wish to use it abroad by purchasing another country’s SIM card (to be discussed) you will need to get your phone “unlocked”. This can be done on some phones by perusing the internet for the unlocking code for your make and model. However, certain phones will require a visit to the provider to be unlocked.
O.K., so there are the bare bones basics to how the mobile phone world works. In a nutshell, many travelers find that purchasing an unlocked GSM phone that runs on frequencies for the countries they are visiting (most likely 900/1800 MHZ) and then purchasing a SIM card for the particular country is the most cost effective way to go. SIM cards can be purchased in most countries at convenience stores, book stores, gas stations, etc. The rates are usually very reasonable and many include incentives such as a certain number of free minutes. If you don’t wish to worry about purchasing a SIM card when you arrive in your destination, you might like to purchase one before your departure. SIM cards for many countries can be purchased through Telestial and delivered to you before your flight.
Quick Tips for mobile phone decision making:
- ask for a GSM phone
- ask if the phone is locked. If so, how can it be unlocked?
- ask what frequency the phone uses (most countries use 900/1800 MHZ)
Note: If you’re traveling to Japan, it is one of the few non-U.S, countries that does not use GSM.
