International calls
Having visited different nooks of the world I can say that connection sometimes is rather a problem. But in most countries mobile phones work well. Moreover, there are international lines in every hotel and in most shops. As for phone communication, you should not worry much, because:
- GSM standard of cellular communication is spread widely and most modern headsets support all three bands – GSM 900/1800/1900. However, it’s always good to check if your headset supports the generally acceptable cellular standard in the country you are going to go;
- if your mobile operator does not provide roaming than you will need to purchase a contract from local provider;
- in most countries you can make international calls from almost any phone booth. However, ‘most’ and ‘almost’ are what sometimes count, so, consult your friends or hotel staff whether it is possible in any particular case;
- calls from public phones may be paid with both coins and phone cards.
What about Internet? I was very much surprised having found out that Internet is available in Europe even in the villages with a little number of inhabitants. In most countries you will also find:
- numerous Wi-Fi access points, some of them are even free of charge;
- Internet-cafes or Internet clubs in many cities;
- some hotels provide Internet for their guests. In most cases it is included into room cost, but make it sure with the reception before actually starting browsing.
Also a few words about opportunities that a mix “Internet + phone network” give an ordinary traveler:
- make sure your mobile phone supports GPRS, as calls over Internet are much cheaper than spendy international calls via ordinary phone lines;
- you can use various software on your phone (especially on communicator) for calling by means of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and Skype.