| By :
Mark Etinger
Remember when traveling to other countries meant you were incommunicado save for the postcards you sent home? Or at most, sweating in a phone booth in an exotic locale, nervously flipping through a tiny foreign language dictionary, trying to figure out how to explain to the operator that you just want to make this one collect call, please, please, your wallet was stolen and you need to talk to your mom? Today, with cellphones and cellphone accessories, you can call your mom (or your wife, or your kids, or your boss) as soon as the plane lands and the pilot gives the okay. Incredible! But sometimes, very expensive. Here are a few tips for staying connected abroad, and still having money for souvenirs. Roam where you want to, roam around the world--but watch out for those roaming charges. Chances are strong that international data usage is not covered under your U.S. data plan. If you're an iPhone user, for example, this much is certain. Any voice or data usage outside the domestic coverage area is considered as an International Roaming charge, and that gets expensive quickly. Especially the data: open an email from your sister with the cutest picture ever of your baby niece? Only if you don't mind spending about $40 on it. What to do? 1.Turn Data Roaming and Fetch New Data OFF. 2.Use WiFi instead of 3G/GPRS/EDGE. Free WiFi is available in lots of cafes and hotels overseas. 3.Purchase an International Data Package. Contact your provider and find out the package that suits your travel needs best. Unlock your potential, i.e. your GMS phone! Buy an International SIM card. Your SIM card is like your passport. It holds identity information and other personal data. Another option, rather than purchasing an international data package, is to switch your own SIM card for one that you purchase in another country. This allows you to enjoy benefits of a local phone like low in-country calling rates and a local phone number. But what should my phone wear? Make sure your cellphone is protected with the right cellphone accessories, like a sturdy case, sleeve or shell. I know, you probably already use one of these at home. I'm just saying, unless you live in a nudist colony, you also wear clothes at home, and 99% of people still spend plenty of energy figuring out what clothes to pack for a trip. Any other cellphone accessories? Well, you don't want to be too flashy, so probably leave your diamond-encrusted wireless bluetooth headset behind... But seriously. Don't forget that you'll need an adapter for your wall charger. The last thing you want to do is get wherever you're going and run out of juice. Have a wonderful time! And, hey, maybe send a postcard or two, for old times' sake, and so Mom has something to hang on the fridge.
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