Traveling to Europe? What You Need to Know About European Cell Phones

If you are planning an extended European trip, or preparing your child for a semester abroad, you'll find one of the most expensive aspects of your stay is the phone bill. On top of that, you'll discover that fewer and fewer rental apartments even have land lines. The whole world is going cellular, and Europe is no exception.

Unfortunately, most American cell phones won't work abroad, since the protocol is different. While most US phone companies use CDMA, in Europe and elsewhere in the world the standard is GSM. Think of it this way - when a decision had to be made regarding cell systems, some of chose VHS, and some chose BETA. Who chose which, we don't yet know, and the two, incompatible as they are, continue to exist side by side.

If you do have a GSM phone with your US carrier, as is the case with T-Mobile or Cingular, you can use your cell phone abroad, but be prepared for high costs. Even if you arrange for a global roaming service with your provider, costs can still be 1$/minute, which is fine for emergencies and "safe arrival" calls, but less ideal for longer conversations and keeping in touch.

The most economical option, particularly if you travel to Europe frequently, is to purchase a GSM phone abroad. In terms of usability, a tri-band phone is preferable to a dual-band, and a low-end one can usually be found for about 100 Euro. Unlike most US phones, you won't need a plan - instead, you purchase a SIM (or TIM) chip, which actually contains your phone number (about 10 Euro). This can be obtained at a phone store, but you'll need to bring your passport. The SIM can be charged with a specific Euro amount through a card purchased either at phone stores or at newsstands, and phone calls can then be made on a debit system.