Tips to have a phone when we are overseas
If your cell phone is LOCKED(1)
The main option would be roaming with your Canadian cell number. It is generally VERY expensive to do but I noticed that sometime you can buy packages that offer you for a limited time, a certain number of local numbers in the country where you are and sometimes an amount of GB of data to access data. Not sure if Bell or Rogers would provide this service but you may check it. During a recent trip to Cental Asia, my French SIM card was in my phone when I stopped over in Istanbul and also when I arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. In both places, without doing anything, I received a text message offering me a decent priced package to use my French SIM card in Turkey and in Tajikistan. To accept the offer, it was only a matter of returning the text message, ..... easy and cheap enough to do!
With Canadian carriers, as it is well known that we have expensive rates, you need to check if something similar would exist but be careful in hidden roaming prices.
If your cell phone is a GSM(2) and UNLOCK smartphone
- The best and cheapest way is to buy a local SIM card. You then get a local number with local rates to call local numbers and people in the country where you are can call you at local rates. Additionally, in some countries you can buy these SIM cards with a pre-paid system and you can access your data (email, web, etc.) on top of voice calls.
- For instance, I have a SIM card for France. When I arrive in Paris in transit waiting for my next flight, I change the SIM card on my (unlocked) iPhone and can call people in France; way cheaper than roaming from a Canadian number. In this particular case (French SIM card), I can also turn on or off data access to control my communication consumption. Three weeks ago on my way back to Canada, I was in the plane waiting to take off to come back to Montreal. I had a half-hour and used the data access to check my email and respond to 5-6 emails before it was time to shut it down for take off; very handy.
- When I was in Albania last November, I got the SIM card for about $6 that gave me free calls to my 3 top local numbers and data access during the time I stay there (10 days). I used data access and was able to use any Apps. For instance, I was able to access "Maps" (an iPhone App) and check if taxis were taking me on a ride across town before going to my destination ....!
- Generally, a smartphone has WIFI. What I do is get a SIM card for cheap local numbers (and also have a local contact number - handy for your clients/stakeholders) and use WIFI at the hotel and office to check my mail and surf the web (most hotels provide it free of charge these days).
Keep permanent contact with home
If you want/need to stay in permanent contact with family or friends back home, you can do it cheaply with a combination of skype and a local number.
- First, you need a Skype-Out account with Skype. This account allows to use skype to call telephone numbers around the world (calling anywhere in Europe and North America is about 2cents a minute from anywhere in the world).
- With this type of account, you can add any phone number as a forward number to your skype account.
- Then, if somebody wants to contact you anytime, he/she calls you on skype anytime; if you don't pick up the skype call on your laptop or smartphone (wifi), it is forwarded to your cell number. For instance, somebody skyping you from Canada is a free call for the caller and it is only the cost of a local number for the receiver; even if you are receiving the call while being on a beach and enjoying a marguerita!
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(1) Locked Phone
Although there are several types of "locks" that can apply to a phone, the most talked-about type is a carrier lock, also known as a SIM lock or subsidy lock. Many phones sold by carriers come "locked" to that carrier. A "locked" phone can only be used with that carrier; it cannot be used with another carrier's service (Not counting roaming) that is you cannot use a SIM card from a difference carrier.
This lock can usually be removed by entering a special code or numeric password. In some situations, some carriers will supply this code upon request by the customer; not all carriers will do this.
There are also third-party companies that sell such codes, or other types of unlocking services. However, if you use a third party and you run into a problem with your phone, the warranty may not work!
(2) GSM Phone
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications, originally Groupe Spécial Mobile) is a standard set developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe technologies for second generation (2G) digital cellular networks. The GSM Association estimates that technologies defined in the GSM standard serve 80% of the global mobile market, encompassing more than 5 billion people across more than 212 countries and territories, making GSM the most ubiquitous of the many standards for cellular networks.
One of the key features of GSM is the Subscriber Identity Module, commonly known as a SIM card. The SIM is a detachable smart card containing the user's subscription information and phone book. This allows the user to retain his or her information after switching handsets. Alternatively, the user can also change operators while retaining the handset simply by changing the SIM card.